The Exodus Quest

II

Knox and Omar leaned against the Jeep as they waited for Griffin. 'Maha said these were bullet-holes from that Alexander business,' said Omar, fingering the patched-up bodywork. 'They're not really, are they?'

'Afraid so.'

Omar laughed. 'You do live, Daniel.'

'Only just.' He stooped to check the ground. The site was on a gentle hummock of limestone, almost completely bare of soil, useless for farming and untouched by industrialization or property development. If people had lived here in ancient times, there was a fair chance traces of them would have survived. He looked up at the scuff of footsteps. Two middle-aged men emerged from behind the cabin, their clothes and hair grey with dust and cobwebs. 'Mister Tawfiq,' said the first, thrusting out his right hand, revealing a dark crescent of sweat beneath his armpit. 'I understand you're the new head of the SCA in Alexandria. Congratulations.'

'Oh,' said Omar. 'I'm only interim head, you know.'

'I met your predecessor, of course. A terrible tragedy to lose such a good man so young.'

'Yes,' agreed Omar. He turned to Knox. 'And this is my friend, Mister Daniel Knox.'

'Daniel Knox?' asked the man. 'Of Alexander's tomb fame?'

'Yes,' acknowledged Knox.

'We are honoured,' he said, shaking his hand. 'I'm Mortimer Griffin. Chief archaeologist of this excavation.' He turned to his companion. 'And this is the Reverend Ernest Peterson.'

'An excavation with its own chaplain?' asked Knox.

'We're really a training dig,' explained Griffin. 'Most of our crew are very young, you know. Away from home for the first time, a lot of them. Their parents feel better knowing they have moral guidance.'

'Of course,' said Knox. He offered to shake Peterson's hand, but Peterson just stood there, his arms folded, staring back with a granite smile.

'So what can we do for you gentlemen?' asked Griffin, pretending nothing had just happened. 'All this way without an appointment. It must be important.'

'Yes,' agreed Knox. 'I'm beginning to think it might be.'