The Atlantis revelation

23

At that very moment, the prince of Egypt himself, Abdil Zawas, was driving to the bank along Bern's River Aare in his armored Mercedes Pullman Level B6 bulletproof limousine.

In addition to windows made of 42mm bulletproof, shatterproof, multiple-layer reinforced glass, the vehicle sported special fuel tanks impervious to exploding upon impact from any projectiles. The remote starting system allowed Abdil to remotely detonate any explosive charges set to go off when the vehicle ignition or door locks were activated. Just the sort of vehicle a man of Abdil's stature-and Conrad Yeats's predicament-required these days.

Abdil was en route to pick up Yeats from the bank, just in case the American archaeologist had second thoughts about coming back for his ten million dollars. Abdil's imagination was already afire with speculation as to what SS General Ludwig von Berg had secreted in Midas's bank-and the expression on Midas's face when he finally saw the contents of the box in full display aboard the new mega yacht that Abdil was building to be the world's biggest.

What a moment that will be, Abdil thought with delight as the glass partition inside the limousine lowered and his driver, Bubu, said, "Police."

Abdil looked out his rear window to see a white Land Rover with orange stripes on the side and blue siren lights flashing. "See what he wants and don't make a scene," he said, and looked at his watch. He wanted to be parked outside the bank before Yeats came out.

Bubu pulled off the Aarstrasse at a riverfront park. The Land Rover parked directly in front of them. An officer stepped out in a dark raincoat and sunglasses. Abdil watched Bubu pull the registration papers from the glove compartment and lower his window.

"Yes?" asked Bubu as the officer approached the Mercedes.

The officer leaned through the open window. "The motorway pass on your windscreen is expired," he said, and shot Bubu in the head.

Instinct instantly took hold of Abdil, and he raised the glass partition in time to stop two bullets from the assassin, who removed his sunglasses to reveal an eyepatch and a face Abdil recognized as Midas's driver and bodyguard, Vadim. He knew the face from the fitness videos some of his girls used.

"You!" Abdil shouted into his two-way security intercom to the outside world for all to hear. "I am impregnable in here!" With a flourish, he picked up his phone and called his private emergency service.

A minute later, there was the comforting sound of a helicopter approaching, and Abdil started cursing Vadim, who had been patiently waiting outside. "Leave while you can, or the men jumping off that chopper will take your other eye for Bubu's sake."

Abdil heard a giant thud on the roof. The limousine lurched forward and back, then began to lift into the air. He looked out his window in time to see Vadim waving goodbye to him from the ground. Abdil started to shout as the chopper banked to the right with the entire limousine in tow, carrying him up and away.