Tomb of the Lost (67 page)

Domingo strode to the stairs and descended to the hold.

Mufasa was walking around the sarcophagus with a crowbar in his hand. He was stooped, peering under the lid and every time he thought he saw an advantage he jammed the end of the crowbar in. So far he hadn
’
t managed to move the lid. Domingo came in and pulled the heavy door to. Mufasa saw him.

“
Grab that crowbar and help me. There has got to be a way in here somewhere. Whoever sealed it up didn
’
t want anyone breaking into it in a hurry. That
’
s good,
”
Mufasa said brandishing the crowbar,
“
That means that whatever is in here has not been touched in thousands of years and that means it
’
ll be worth even more,
”
he continued, jamming the crowbar into another crack and levering down with all his might.

Suddenly he felt the lid move. It was just a fraction but it spurred him on.

“
Here I
’
ve got it. Quick get round here!
”
he shouted at Domingo, taking his crowbar out and jamming it in again. Domingo rushed round to help.

Bill Smith banked his Spitfire. The squadron of five were ahead of the bombers they had escorted. The bombers were returning from raids against enemy shipping. American fighters were in amongst the Lancaster
’
s. The five Spitfires turned and came about. From out of his window Bill could see the island of Djerba. He radioed the other pilots and then focused on the lone ship three miles out of the port of Gabes. It was only a small vessel but Bill had seen its wake from five miles away. The five Spitfires flew in low over the ship and to Bill
’
s delight he saw German flags fluttering from the freighter.

“
Everyone got plenty of shot left?
”

The five small fighters banked, gained height and came about. Bill in the lead. He brought his plane screaming down on the lone freighter amazed that she
’
d been left alone to fend for herself. Bill could see crewmembers running for cover as he strafed the deck. Bill pulled up and swung his aircraft as the second fighter charged in, its guns emitting their deadly fire. As the third Spitfire came in crewmembers had managed to reach the mounted machine guns on the ship. But the guns were poorly maintained. They both jammed and as the fourth Spitfire came in their operators were forced to abandon them and run for their lives. The fifth Spitfire strafed the deck and peeled off joining the others for another run. A Bristol Beaufighter joined them. This plane was carrying a torpedo.

On the deck Von Brest and his two German companions had been left unguarded during the attack. Despite their bonds they were able to move to cover and watched as crew members tried desperately to get the German flags down.

Down in the hold Mufasa had heard the first attack. A crewman rushed in to find the captain and the first officer who were frantically levering at the lid of the giant sarcophagus.

“
Cap
’
n we
’
re under attack!
”

“
By who?
”
Mufasa answered without looking up.

“
British fighter planes.
”

“
Get the flags down. Signal that we
’
re friendly
…
.
”

“
We
’
re doing that Captain.
”

“
Push! Push!
”
Mufasa said to Domingo. The lid moved some more. Now there was a crack. Mufasa could smell musty air. Air that was thousands of years old.

“
Captain!
”
the crewman called again.

Mufasa didn
’
t hear. He was too engrossed in what he was doing. The crewman turned and fled as the first of the Spitfires came in again. He reached the deck and dived for cover as bullets ripped past him and smacked into some barrels of petroleum. These exploded in a deafening shriek. A fireball rose fifty feet into the air as burning fuel rained down and set fire to anything in its path. Crewmembers having to sit by and watch it burn because of the planes still coming in. Bill looked out of the side of his cockpit and saw a pall of black smoke trailing the freighter. Two crewmen left their cover and ran for a fire hose. The concept of being burnt alive more terrifying than the bullets. They saw the last plane coming in and they saw the torpedo drop into the water.

The lid of the sarcophagus hit the floor with a crash. Mufasa and Domingo had heard the explosion two decks above. Their greed for gold had kept them here. The explosion had rocked the ship and moved the sarcophagus lid. Now they
’
d been able to lever it off. Excitedly they each grabbed a lamp and held it over the open tomb.

Gold!

Coins, cups, plates, statues. The finest funerary items ever seen.

They both stared puzzled.

There was none of it.

Just a painted wooden coffin and four canopic jars.

Mufasa stared open mouthed.

“
Where is my gold?
”

He reached in and tried to feel around the wooden coffin. It filled the sarcophagus. There was no room for anything else. Another explosion rocked the freighter. More fuel drums exploding on deck.

Mufasa looked up at Domingo.

“
I thought it would be full of gold.
”

“
You arrogant ass! You
’
ve killed us for this!
”

The torpedo exploded into the stern of the ship almost blowing it from the water. The captain and the first mate were thrown forward by the impact. The sarcophagus broke free of its bonds and crushed the legs of Domingo. He screamed in panic, trying to free himself as the sea rushed in. Mufasa waded through the rapidly rising water to try to free him. The sea water was soon over Domingo
’
s head and his hands frantically scrabbled at Mufasa
’
s legs until they ceased.

“
I
’
m sorry my friend,
”
Mufasa said struggling up the stairs. Another explosion rocked the ship throwing Mufasa back into the hold. The sea was now almost to the roof. Mufasa kicked to the roof and found an air pocket. His freighter was going down by the stern, of that he was certain. He took a deep breath and dived, swimming for the stairs. Something was blocking them. He swam back to the air pocket and panicked when he found it was gone. He turned frantically in the water looking for an escape but the light just caused murky, blurred shadows that danced and twisted in his eyes. Mufasa tried again to find a way out then desperate for a breath he opened his mouth and felt his lungs fill with water.

Within minutes the ship had disappeared under the waves. A slick of debris all that remained.

Bill Smith flew by for a last time.

“
Leader to base. German merchant freighter torpedoed. Vessel destroyed. No, repeat, No survivors. Leader out.
”

He flicked the switch for plane to plane.

“
That
’
s it boys. Mission complete. Return to base.
”

Colonel Hans Koenig stood at the dock staring across the sea. His arm in a sling. His chest and shoulder heavily bandaged. His two British guards sitting idly by smoking cigarettes.

For Koenig the war was over.

Rushton had given him the privileges of rank. He was the only German not detained in the Medina. He was unsure of his future. That rested in the hands of General Francis Tuker. Alf and Johnny were repairing the disabled boats when a soldier approached causing Alf to glance up. The soldier handed him a piece of paper. Alf accepted it, returned the salute, and read it. He looked over at Koenig and headed for him.

Koenig was watching tiny fish swimming around the pillars that supported the concrete. He turned at the approaching footsteps and smiled as Alf stopped alongside. Alf smiled back. Hours ago these men had been enemies. Now it felt, somehow, different.

“
Colonel I
’
ve just received a report. General Tuker will be arriving at any time ahead of his 4
^th
Indian army. The 11
^th
Panzer is on the run but the bulk of it has been smashed. Your General Von Arnim was captured two days ago.
”

Koenig watched the fish again.

“
Von Arnim is a good man Lieutenant. What will the British do to him?
”

“
He will probably be detained until the war is over and presumably be returned to Germany. He may stand trial. That is not for me to decide.
”

“
No of course not.
”

Then a thought.

“
It
’
s ironic isn
’
t it. Yesterday those two men over there tried to kill me. The small one threw the knife,
”
Koenig said lifting his bandaged arm to indicate his injury,
“
And now they are my guards.
”

“
The war is over for you Colonel but not for them. They will continue the fight.
”

“
I
’
m sorry that we
’
re enemies Alfred
…
.If I may call you Alfred?
”

Alf nodded his approval.

“
Thank you.
”

“
I
’
m not your enemy Colonel just the flag you fight under.
”

“
I
’
ve only ever had an administrative position in the Wehrmacht. I
’
ve been based in Berlin my whole military career. I was ordered out here by General Hans Von Brockhorst.
”

“
What were you doing out here and what was in that sarcophagus?
”

“
You wouldn
’
t believe me if I told you.
”

“
Try me.
”

“
Hitler
’
s dream.
”

Alf laughed.

“
Well Hitler
’
s dream is now at the bottom of the ocean.
”

“
What do you mean by that?
”

“
Exactly what I said. The freighter that escaped just as we took the town was destroyed by a torpedo.
”

“
A torpedo.
”

“
Yes one of our air patrols spotted it and it was attacked. They torpedoed it. Your ship is gone.
”

“
And survivors.
”

“
None. None found alive. The Doctor
’
s body was the only one recovered. He was easy to recognise because of his white suit.
”

“
I was supposed to be on that ship.
”

Alf stood by watching the little fish.

“
Are there truly no survivors?
”

Alf shook his head.

“
Hitler
’
s dream is gone,
”
Koenig said more to himself than the Englishman standing next to him.

“
Who or what was in that sarcophagus?
”

Koenig looked around to see who was within earshot. There were many people about. He leaned over and whispered in Alf
’
s ear. Alf
’
s eyes widened. He stared into Koenig
’
s eyes. Koenig met the gaze.

“
It
’
s true Alfred I swear it. The greatest archaeological find in human history and it
’
s out there somewhere,
”
he nodded at the sea,
“
Lost again. This time, maybe forever.
”

“
I can
’
t believe it.
”

“
Do you understand the importance of what I
’
ve just told you.
”

“
Yes. Yes of course I do.
”

“
I for one will never speak of it again. For as long as I live.
”

“
You
’
ll never be able to keep something like this quiet. People will find out.
”

“
Let them. But they won
’
t hear it from me.
”

“
It probably doesn
’
t matter anyway. That freighter went down in minutes. It
’
s probably by now buried under the wreck.
”