Tomb of the Lost (84 page)

“
Is that possible?
”
the journalist asked.

“
They usually do,
”
Hutchinson said,
“
In the far east they can cause great Tsunami
’
s like the one on Boxing day in 2004.
”

“
I remember it.
”

Hutchinson hadn
’
t heard him. He was talking into the headset.

“
Diving team this is Volante. Diving team this is Volante. Do you read over?
”

He repeated. And then again. All he got back was static. Dennis went over and stood next to him.

“
What
’
s wrong?
”

“
I can
’
t raise the team.
”

Ali jumped into the seat and tried another frequency.

“
Anything?
”
Hutchinson asked.

Ali shook his head.

“
Come Peter. Let
’
s check around the ship. See if we can see them. They may have surfaced.
”

Dennis followed two steps behind.

“
You take starboard. I
’
ll take port,
”
Hutchinson directed,
“
And shout if you see them.
”

Dennis ran along the starboard side of the ship. He could see no sign of divers in the water. He glanced up and saw the recovery boat as it disappeared behind the stern. He quickly raced over to port side. Hutchinson was on the walkie talkie talking to the recovery team.

“
Affirmative,
”
he said.

“
Anything?
”
Dennis asked.

“
No.
”

Peter Dennis turned and was rushing for the equipment deck.

“
Peter where are you going?
”

Hutchinson raced over to him already guessing the younger man
’
s intention. Dennis stopped and began dragging scuba tanks from the rack.

“
I
’
m going in.
”

“
No you
’
re not.
”

Dennis dropped the tanks as he stood up straight.

“
What?
”

“
It
’
s too dangerous.
”

“
I
’
m going in.
”

Dennis began to pull the scuba vest on over his T-shirt. Hutchinson grabbed his arm and spun him around to face him.

“
Peter It
’
s too dangerous. You
’
re a novice diver. You could get into serious trouble, life threatening trouble.
”

Dennis felt himself getting angry, very angry.

“
That
’
s your team down there. They could already be in life threatening danger have you forgotten that?
”

Dennis spoke to a crewmember.

“
Help me with this,
”
he said gesturing to the tanks.

“
Wait,
”
Hutchinson ordered,
“
No I haven
’
t forgotten about my team and I appreciate your concerns. Nobody is more worried about them than I am. But they are in the safest possible hands, their own. Natalie is the most experienced diver I
’
ve ever met. I
’
m sure she will get them out safely.
”

The crewman didn
’
t know what to do so he waited.

“
Peter listen to me. I
’
m right about this. I don
’
t want us to fight and I don
’
t want to throw you off the project, understood.
”

Something clicked in Dennis at this. He let the scuba tanks bump gently to the deck.

“
The best thing for all of us to do here is wait. I have every faith in the team.
”

“
Very well,
”
Dennis said,
“
But if they
’
re not back here in ten minutes I
’
m going in and to hell with what you say.
”

“
Peter trust my instincts on this.
”

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

Natalie had been right behind George when the second quake had struck. For as long as it had lasted she
’
d felt unable to move. The feeling was disorientating. The shipwreck had creaked and groaned as it had shifted on the sand bar. She had felt herself start to panic and knew that the others probably had too. This was the first time she
’
d ever experienced anything like it. She breathed deep and told herself to stop and she felt her anxiety subside. She focused on the gap in the hull which they
’
d used as their entrance and thought it looked different somehow. Then she realised that the
’
Tangipito
’
must have listed to one side in the earthquake. She also noticed there appeared to be more light coming in. A lot more light. She paused and put her legs down straight and held her arms out to balance. There was no mistaking it. The ship had definitely moved. How far she couldn
’
t tell. Where were the others? She couldn
’
t see. She decided to move for the exit. Suddenly a hand reached out for her, startling her, with its suddenness. She saw a diver
’
s helmet and George
’
s eyes. Relief flooded through her. She took the hand and now they were very close. George
’
s eyes were wide with concern.

“
Are you alright?
”
he asked her and though the words were muffled she understood them.

“
Yes!
”
she shouted back.

She realised he was smiling. He checked his air gauge and held up four fingers to her. Four minutes left. She looked at her own. It was reading empty. She checked it again and then showed it to him. He held a finger up to what would be his lips if the mask wasn
’
t in the way. She knew he meant no more talking. Talking used up more oxygen. Oxygen she couldn
’
t afford to use. With signs he explained to her that if she got into difficulty they could buddy breathe. They had had to do this once before when George
’
s air pipe had been severed on a dive the summer before.

Suddenly her headset crackled into life.

“
Dive team this is
‘
Volante
’
. Dive team this is
’
Volante
’
. Do you read Natalie?
”

She was about to speak and stopped herself just in time. She motioned to George but he shook his head. She knew the crew on ship and particularly Hutchinson and possibly Dennis would be by now extremely worried for their safety but she bit her lip.

George led her through the hull of the
’
Tangipito
’
and out of the jagged opening where the torpedo had hit that fateful day. She turned to look back at the wreck and paused. There was something large sticking up out of the silt, something box like. She made to go back but George yanked her towards him. She tried to explain to just look for a moment, just there. I want to look just there for a second. But George shook his head and held up three fingers. They had already used up one minute of air. Reluctantly she obeyed. Then halfway to the surface her air ran out. She found herself sucking on nothing. She tried again, nothing. Then her lungs began to ache. She tugged on George
’
s arm and he stopped his progress. He took a deep breath and held it. He spat out his regulator and offered it to her. Natalie took a deep breath and held it and slowly, together, they made their way to the surface. The rest of the team just in front.

Natalie gasped for breath when her head broke the surface. George a split second behind. Natalie instantly ripped her mask off her face. One of the rescue boat crew saw the five heads in the water and shouted to the boat driver who turned the steering wheel and pushed all the way forward with the throttle. The boat roared across the waves towards them.

“
We
’
ve got them!
”
he shouted into his walkie talkie.

Ali rushed from the bridge. He whistled loudly at Hutchinson and Dennis while pointing excitedly at the divers position. Hutchinson and Dennis rushed to the side. They watched as the dive team were plucked from the sea. As the little rescue boat raced towards the
’
Volante
’
Dennis could see that all attention was focused on Natalie.

’
Oh God! Don
’
t let her be hurt
’
he said to himself.

Ali turned to a crew member.

“
Ready the decompression chamber,
”
he ordered, then to Hutchinson he said,
“
I think we should call it a day sir. We should start afresh tomorrow.
”

The American nodded his approval. He rejoined Dennis at the stern and they watched as the recovery dinghy unloaded its passengers and was lashed to the stern. The divers came up the ladder slowly. Natalie was second, directly behind Alex. He turned at the top to help her up the last few steps but it was Peter Dennis
’
outstretched hand that caught hers first. She gave him a half smile and he threw a towel around her shoulders. She was shivering already.

“
Are you all right?
”
Dennis asked.

She nodded as he put his arm around her. Hutchinson blocked their way.

“
Is everyone all right?
”

“
Yes Jim. We
’
re fine. My oxygen supply ran out and George and I had to buddy breathe the last of the way back to the ship.
”

“
Ok and everyone else is all right?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
To the decompression chamber then. All of you. Natalie and George first.
”

At the door she turned back.

“
Jim.
”

Hutchinson whirled around at her voice.

“
Not now Nat. We
’
ll talk at dinner.
”

“
It
’
s just, Jim, as I left the wreck I think I saw something. Jim, I think it was the sarcophagus. I think we
’
ve found it.
”

He felt a rush of excitement run through him but he brushed it aside.

“
Tell me about it later. Now decompression chamber please.
”

Reluctantly the divers obeyed their boss. Dennis watched her go as the anchor chain began winding in.

Peter Dennis was laying on his bunk when there was a knock on the door.

“
Just a second,
”
he said sitting up and swinging his legs over the side. He got up, stretched, yawned and approached the door. Expecting it to probably be Natalie he breathed on his hand to check his breath and turned the handle. Hutchinson was in the corridor holding two bottles of beer up in front of himself.

“
Peace offering.
”

Dennis smiled.

“
Of course. Won
’
t you come in.
”

Dennis backed into his room and pulled out the chair for the American to sit on. Dennis perched on the end of his bed as Jim opened the bottles and handed one to him. Dennis raised the bottle.

“
Cheers,
”
he said putting it to his lips. The cold beer was refreshing. He held the bottle away from his mouth and rotated it to read the label. Then knowing Hutchinson probably had a motive for this unexpected visit he sat patiently and waited for it to begin.

“
The dive team are fine. Natalie is having a sleep. I called in on her before coming to you. The decompression chamber can have effects on people and tiredness is one of them.
”