Solomon's Gold

CHAPTER 34

Elizabeth looked at the display on her satellite phone and picked up.

"Yes, Nick."

"We found another marker. The Iranians had been there before us and left a couple of surprises."

"Is anyone hurt?"

"No. Ronnie's got a concussion, but that was from a fall. Director, things are getting complicated. The Israelis want us out of the loop. I was told in no uncertain terms that any further action on our part was unwelcome."

"Who did you piss off this time?"

"No one that I can think of. They handed us the old national security line. But we know more or less where to go next. It might even be the location of the treasure."

"Go on."

"The next stop is an ancient city called Ezion-geber, down at the tip of Israel. The problem is that no one knows where it is. Selena says it was just south of Eilat, on the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba. After I got warned off, Herzog told me we should go hang out at Eilat. He wants us to keep looking even though his bosses don't."

"South of Eilat is close to the border with Jordan or Egypt, depending. If you have to go into either one, that's a new ballgame."

"So you want us to keep looking?"

"Of course I want you to keep looking," Elizabeth said. "Whatever the Israelis are doing, the Iranians will be doing it faster. If this place still exists, they'll be on it right away."

"First they have to find it," Nick said. "So do we."

"How do you propose to do that?"

"I was thinking you could run a ground imaging satellite scan of the area. If there's anything there under the sand, it will show up."

"Wait one," Elizabeth said. "Freddie?"

Yes, Elizabeth?

"Do we have any satellites with ground penetrating radar capability over southern Israel right now?"

USA 223 will reach the horizon for surveillance of that area in seventeen minutes, thirty-four seconds.

"Nick. I can get something in about twenty minutes."

"The town used to be a port, so there ought to be some indication of that."

"I'll call you back as soon as I know anything," Elizabeth said.

"Copy that," Nick said. He broke the connection.

Stephanie came into the office and went over to the coffee machine. She put a fresh filter in and turned it on.

"We ought to get one of those new machines," she said. "You know, the ones with the little packets that make one cup of coffee. Then we wouldn't have to wait for a pot to brew."

"I thought about it," Elizabeth said. "I guess I like the smell of fresh coffee brewing."

"Do you want a cup?"

"Please."

When the coffee was done, she made two cups and brought one over to Elizabeth. She sat down on the couch.

"I think Burps needs to see a vet."

She looked over at the corner of the couch, where the big orange cat lay sleeping.

"Why? What's the matter?"

"He needs to have his teeth cleaned. His breath is really stinky. Also, he doesn't seem as lively as he used to, and he's getting kind of fat. I think he needs to be checked out."

"It could be he's getting old," Elizabeth said. "We don't know how old he is."

"Maybe."

USA 223 will breach the viewing horizon in four minutes, thirteen seconds. Would you like me to initiate a scan at that time?

"Yes, Freddie."

"What's Nick looking for?" Stephanie asked.

"A port on the Gulf of Aqaba, from the time of Solomon. He's hoping a ground scan will tell us where it is."

"Sounds like a long shot."

"Everything about this is a long shot," Elizabeth said.

The two women sat together for a few moments in companionable silence, drinking their coffee.

Elizabeth set her cup down.

"You look tired, Steph. Are you getting enough sleep?"

Stephanie laughed. "Sleep? What's that? I'm lucky if I get an hour before Matthew wakes me up. I can't wait till he's old enough to sleep four or five hours at a time."

"How's Lucas handling it?"

"He's exhausted. We take turns with the feeding, but neither one of us gets enough sleep."

"It will pass," Elizabeth said.

"When it does, I'm going to sleep for a week."

Scan initiated. Would you like me to display it on the monitor?

"Yes, Freddie."

The monitor filled with the random lines and shapes of a deep penetrating ground scan. The difference between the landmass and the Gulf of Aqaba was distinct.

"Freddie, what track is the satellite following?"

It is currently over the east coast of Egypt and moving north. The landmass of Saudi Arabia is to the right of the Gulf. Egypt is on the left.

"This could be difficult," Stephanie said. "There are towns, settlements, ruins. How are we going to know which is the right spot?"

"Most of the area is empty desert," Elizabeth said. "There shouldn't be too many possibilities. Once the satellite moves past the target area, we'll have Freddie analyze the recording. We're looking for the remains of a town and docking facilities buried under the sand or mud. Wharves, buildings, something like that. It could be on either side of the Gulf, in Jordan or Egypt. It could even be at the very bottom of Israel."

"What if it's underwater?"

"We'll deal with that if we have to."

Twenty minutes later, the satellite passed over Eilat and headed north over Israel and Jordan.

"Freddie, that's enough. Please analyze the scan for any sign of a buried seaport or town near Eilat."

Processing.

There was a brief pause.

I have isolated a section of the scan which meets your criteria.

"Please display."

The image appeared on the monitor. A distinct shape like the teeth of a comb appeared among the random lines comprising the scan.

My analysis indicates that the shapes are the remains of a docking area. They are buried twelve feet below the surface. Further analysis indicates that the Gulf once extended to the area. It has since receded.

"Are there any other structures indicated in the area?"

Expanding image.

The monitor picture widened to include a larger area. Now it was possible to see rectangular shapes buried under the surface of the earth, the remains of a town.

Two point three miles to the east there is another structure. Would you like to see it?

Elizabeth resisted an urge to sigh. "Yes, Freddie, we would like to see it."

The image changed again. A rectangular shape appeared on screen, near the shoreline with the Gulf, much sharper than the other images.

"What are we looking at?" Stephanie asked.

The image is of the remains of an Egyptian Temple. The architectural style dates it to the period of the Old Kingdom.

"When was that?"

Generally accepted dates for the Old Kingdom are 2686 BCE to 2181 BCE.

"Old," Steph said.

The scan indicates an open area under the temple.

"What kind of open area?" Elizabeth asked.

Possibly a natural cavern.

"Where is this Temple located in relationship to Eilat?"

It is located eleven point seven miles to the south of Eilat.

"Do you think that's what we're looking for?" Stephanie asked Elizabeth.

"There's only one way to find out. Nick is going to have to look at it."

"That part of Egypt is full of Jihadi types," Stephanie said. "They make a lot of trouble for the Israelis."

"It's one thing operating in Israel with government approval. It's another to send the team into Egypt. I'll have to discuss it with the president. DCI Hood and I requested a meeting with him, to talk about what we've discovered so far and about New York."

"What do you think he's going to do?"

"I don't know," Elizabeth said.