Tomb of the Lost (83 page)

“
We
’
ve got visitors,
”
he said rushing back outside. Ali and Jim right behind.

The Lynx was moving low across the water and fast. It rushed by the
‘
Volante
’
before banking high and to the right. The turbine screamed as it gained height and then it came back past. Dennis could see the bulk of Danilov next to the pilot. He felt the Russian
’
s eyes boring into him.

The Lynx slowed and finally stopped one thousand metres from the
‘
Volante
’
. It hovered fifty metres above the sea and all the while Dennis felt Danilov staring at them. Ali rushed back inside the bridge and returned moments later with binoculars.

“
What are they doing?
”
Hutchinson asked.

They all saw something fall from the helicopter and make a splash.

“
They
’
ve just dropped a buoy into the sea.
”

“
A buoy?
”

“
Yes.
”

They could see the buoy, a light flashing from its top.

“
Is that to warn of divers in the water?
”
Dennis asked aware that Natalie and her team could be at risk if the
‘
Wavecrest
’
had men in the water. Especially Danilov.

“
No it looks like a satellite receiving buoy. It
’
s definitely for communications.
”

“
Could they have found the wreck?
”

Hutchinson watched the flashing light one hundred and fifty feet below the helicopter. The rotor blades making a perfect pattern on the water.

“
No I don
’
t think so,
”
Hutchinson answered,
“
I think they
’
re just happy to sit back and wait for us to find it. Though I don
’
t understand why.
”

“
Could they have any sort of special claim over it?
”

“
No more than anyone else.
”

The helicopter dipped its nose as it powered up and began to move forward. It flew past the
’
Volante
’
once more and was gone.

Hutchinson went back to the screens.

“
Come in Natalie,
”
he said into the headset.

She answered instantly.

“
Jim is everything all right. What was that noise overhead. It didn
’
t sound like a boat.
”

“
No it was the Lynx helicopter from the
’
Wavecrest
’
. It
’
s nothing to worry about. They just dropped a communications buoy into the water.
”

“
What does that mean for us?
”

“
Nothing. They have a lot of state of the art equipment on board. It
’
s probably to do with that. Natalie are you ok? Your voice sounds different.
”

“
I
’
m fine Jim. Yours sounds different also, sort of croaky. Must be something to do with that buoy. Maybe it
’
s sonar.
”

Hutchinson stayed quiet for a minute, thinking.

“
Did you hear me Jim?
”
I said maybe it
’
s a sonar buoy.
”

“
Yes maybe Nat,
”
Hutchinson said, but he wasn
’
t happy. He clicked his fingers to Dennis who was still watching the
’
Wavecrest
’
.

“
Do you want to see what you can find out about buoys with the laptop. I don
’
t trust them for one moment.
”

Dennis jumped into the chair and tapped on a laptop keyboard.

“
I
’
m on it.
”

“
Natalie have you reached the stern yet?
”

“
Yes Jim,
”
she replied,
“
Take a look at this.
”

She turned her head down. Hutchinson could see her feet in flippers. Then nothing.

“
What is it?
”

“
The stern of the ship is balancing off the edge of a cliff.
”

“
How far does it go down?
”

“
I don
’
t know. Can
’
t see the bottom but it
’
s deep.
”

“
Is the ship safe?
”

“
I would think so. There
’
s at least three quarters of it on a sand bar. The stern is in one big mess. Most of it has been ripped out
…
.George has just told me. It
’
s the
’
Tangipito.
’

There was excitement in her voice.

“
Jim we
’
ve found it.
”

A cheer went up on the bridge of the
’
Volante
’
Dennis and Hutchinson shook hands with each other and then both with Ali.

“
Is it time to break open the champagne?
”
the journalist asked.

“
Not yet,
”
Hutchinson replied. He could hardly contain himself when he asked his next question.

“
Natalie the sarcophagus. Can you see the sarcophagus?
”

There was an agonising silence for a minute then her voice came back.

“
No. No sign of the sarcophagus. Not yet anyway.
”

Hutchinson felt his excitement drop.

“
You are sure it
’
s the
’
Tangipito
’
aren
’
t you.
”

“
Yes I can read the name clearly. It
’
s about the only bit of the stern still recognisable.
”

“
Nat it
’
s Peter. Is the damage jagged. The freighter was torpedoed.
”

“
Yes the whole rear of the ship has been ripped out.
”

Natalie swam to the edge of the large gaping wound in the vessel
’
s stern. It was completely dark inside. The lights on her helmet not penetrating the gloom.

Hutchinson checked his watch. The team had fifteen minutes of air left.

“
Natalie you have a quarter of an hour left. Can you go inside?
”

“
Yes Jim but I don
’
t know how much we will be able to see. It
’
s pitch black inside.
”

“
Ok but please be careful. Don
’
t put anyone at risk.
”

“
I know. I know.
”

The six divers positioned themselves at the hole and slowly one by one with George leading they entered the wrecked hull of the
’
Tangipito
’
. Natalie was directly behind George. He was no more than four feet in front. She stopped and turned her head. It was too dark to see anything. The others stopped behind her. When she looked forward again George was gone.

“
Can anyone see anything?
”
she asked.

No one replied.

“
Natalie what
’
s going on down there?
”

“
It
’
s so dark Jim we can
’
t see anything.
”

Dennis was still watching the screens. All he could see was darkness.

“
Spread out,
”
Natalie said,
“
Alex, Tom, you go left. Jack you go right. Go for the sides.
”

As Dennis watched he saw a figure loom up in front of Natalie
’
s head cam and he realised he was glad he wasn
’
t down there with them.
”

“
George have you found anything?
”

“
No. There
’
s lots of debris and silt on the floor.
”

“
Tom here Nat. We
’
re at the starboard side. There
’
s lots of junk here as well.
”

“
Same here Natalie,
”
Alex called,
“
There
’
s a large eel down here. That
’
s the only thing I
’
ve seen. Everything else littering the floor is covered in silt.
”

She waited, peering into the darkness surrounding them before making a decision.

“
Jim I
’
m going to get my group together. We are returning to the
’
Volante
’
.

Hutchinson was about to reply when a cup and saucer nearby suddenly began shaking. Computers began bleeping. The
’
Volante
’
s
’
meteorologist shouted without taking his eyes off his screen.

“
It
’
s an earthquake.
”

Ali rushed to him.

“
How bad?
”

“
I think it
’
s going to be pretty big Captain.
”

“
Where did it start?
”

“
Just checking sir.
”

He punched in on the keypad.

“
Approximately halfway between our location and the island of Malta.
”

“
It started at sea?
”
Dennis asked.

Ali turned to him.

“
Yes.
”

“
Diving team come in.
”

“
Yes Jim.
”

“
Natalie are you still inside the ship?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
Get out quickly but don
’
t panic. There
’
s been an earthquake between here and Malta. We
’
ve felt it on the ship.
”

“
I
’
m just assembling my team now.
”

Natalie gave the signal to Tom and Alex to move out. They were three feet away and she could barely see them. She told Jack and his partner to move next and lastly George. He shook his head and tried to push her forward. Natalie waved her finger in front of his face.

“
I give the orders! Me!
”
she was saying. She ordered him to go first again and reluctantly he obeyed. Natalie waited a moment for his flippers to be clear, then went to follow. Suddenly she heard the wreck around her start to creak and groan. The water in front of her face became distorted. Then around her she sensed the whole ship shake.

The cup and saucer vibrated their way across the worktop where they reached the edge, fell, and smashed on the floor. The monitors flickered with the interference.

“
Another earthquake!
”
Ali was shouting,
“
This one is much closer.
”

Dennis was the only one looking out of the windows. The land was moving up and down where before the horizon was still.

“
Where did this one originate?
”
Hutchinson asked.

“
Just a few miles from here.
”

“
It
’
s caused the sea to rise,
”
Dennis said pointing out the window.

“
What we have to hope,
”
Ali replied,
“
Is that it hasn
’
t caused a tidal wave.
”