Ten minutes later, all the men had put on their gear and were hanging over the edge of the boat. Bourdon had been the last to suit up, but he did so rapidly, causing Sean to think this wouldn’t be the man’s first time on a dive.
“When we get in the water, we will head down to the base of the island. You’ll see an opening with a mark over it. That’s where we go in.” Sean made sure to speak slowly and clearly. For the moment, he needed to play nice. “Stay close to me on the way down. Don’t want any of you getting lost.”
Bourdon’s eyes narrowed at the comment. He slid the scuba mask over his eyes and fell backward into the sea. A second later, he popped up with his weapon pointed at the Americans. One of the other guards motioned for Tommy to get in the water. Tommy obeyed and splashed in, holding his mask to his face. One of the other guards entered right behind him, and swam over to make sure he didn’t swim off. Sean and the last guard followed, leaving the driver alone with the boat.
Under the surface of the sea, Sean pointed down toward the island’s foundation and motioned for the others to follow. It was much easier to see with the mask on than when he’d explored the area before. Having access to air was also a huge relief. Holding his breath for long periods was not one of his strong suits, despite being in good physical condition.
The five men kicked their legs, sending them down into the shadowy depths. A school of Diplodus fish scurried by, the entire group moving as one shimmering unit. Their jerky motion startled one of the guards, who eyed the fish suspiciously.
In less than a minute, Sean reached the underwater face of the wall where a cavity opened up. The hole stood at around six feet high and four feet wide, plenty big enough for the men to get through with their gear, but not more than one at a time. Over the arching entrance, Sean pointed to a circle that had been cut into the stone. Engraved in the center was an algae-covered image of Julius Caesar.
Bourdon motioned with his hand for Sean to go in first. Bourdon would follow, then a guard, then Tommy, then the last of his mercenaries would bring up the rear. Clearly, Bourdon didn’t want to leave the fate of this mission in anyone else’s hands but his own.
Sean gave a quick nod amid the bubbles escaping from his mask and turned to enter the cave. The men simultaneously turned their lights on as they began to traverse the darkness. The last guard to enter the cave twisted his head around warily, looking out into the deep sea before following the others.
The light from Sean’s mask pointed the pale beams straight ahead, into the clear water. The light in his hand flashed off the sides of the corridor. He marveled at the passageway, wondering if it was created by human hands or by nature. It would have been an incredible feat for it to have been done by people. The ancients didn’t have access to dive equipment like he and the others were using. To accomplish such a construction project would have required the sea level to be forty feet below where it was now. The sides of the wall, however, were hewn smooth, as if cut intentionally. The width of the corridor also remained consistent, which was something Sean had rarely seen in caves created by time and the elements. The submerged passage came to a sharp ninety-degree turn then continued for ten feet before turning sharply back to the left.
Sean continued flicking his fins, cruising through the underwater labyrinth until he reached a sloping wall directly ahead. The stone angled up at a gradual angle, much like a ramp. He aimed his flashlight up, surveying the area to make sure it was clear of any surprises. Julius Caesar was clever if not cunning. Sean had a feeling that there would be one more trial before the ancient Roman emperor would give up his most prized possession. He turned around and motioned to Bourdon, pointing back at the ramp. The man nodded and followed closely as Sean paddled up through the shaft.
Sean’s head broke the surface first, followed closely by Bourdon. The two men looked around to gather in their surroundings as they planted their feet on the stone. The underwater shaft had opened into a small pool, housed in a circular chamber cut into the island’s rock. As Sean stepped forward awkwardly in his fins, Tommy and the other two remaining men broke through the surface. Their lights played along the walls as the men glanced around at the scene.
It wasn’t until after he removed his dive mask that Sean truly realized the gravity of where they’d arrived. His eyes scanned the perfectly cut, circular room. Above, a domed ceiling had been carved into the rock. He marveled at how anyone had been able to accomplish such a task, and with such precision. The dome’s smooth surface must have taken years to complete with the tools available during the Roman Empire.
Tommy and the other guards arrived next to Bourdon and Sean, who were now completely out of the water and standing on a stone platform, masks dangling in their hands. Bourdon still gripped his dripping weapon, aimed at Sean’s abdomen. As incredible as the scene was, he wasn’t about to let Wyatt catch him napping.
Tommy took off his mask and spun slowly around in a circle. He pointed at the objects lining the walls all the way around the room. “I don’t understand,” he said in a beleaguered tone. “Wasn’t Caesar a follower of the Roman gods?”
Every eight feet or so, a stone likeness of every major deity from ancient Greece stood silently against the wall, all of them staring with lifeless eyes toward one side of the room where the ramp flattened out and led to an archway. Just beyond the opening was another, smaller chamber.
“Yep,” Sean nodded slowly. “But the antikythera was believed to be a gift from the Greek god, Zeus. It would make sense that Caesar would pay homage to the one he believed created it, even if he worshipped other gods.”
“Well, I don’t know that I buy the idea that it was created by Zeus.”
“Gentlemen,” Bourdon interrupted the discussion that was quickly derailing the speed of their mission. “Where is the device?”
Sean looked around at the sculptures and noticed that the head of each was turned to face the arched entryway at the top of the ramp. “There’s only one deity that’s missing in this room. My guess is; he’s the one guarding the relic that’s named after him.”
“Zeus,” Bourdon said, realizing what Sean meant. “Move, up the ramp. Now.”
Tommy and Sean removed their flippers under the watchful gaze of their wardens. The guards removed theirs one at a time so that two guns were aimed at the Americans at all times. When everyone’s feet were bare, Bourdon motioned for the captives to lead the way.
The two friends walked cautiously up the stone slope, their eyes scanning the walls for any sign of danger. When they reached the top of the ramp, they stopped and stared upon a message carved into the stone over the arch.
“What does that say?” Bourdon asked.
“It’s Latin,” Sean answered. “You don’t speak Latin?” He fired a diminishing glance at the man.
Bourdon’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Tell me what it says, or I will cut out your tongue.”
Sean rolled his eyes. “That’s a bit ironic, don’t you think?” He spun around and gazed at the phrase.
Tommy spoke first. “The worthy shall release their burdens and tread carefully.”
Sean frowned. He knew there would be some kind of final test. In this instance, however, he had no idea what it meant. The other problem was that time wasn’t exactly on his side. He needed to get the device and take it back to Gikas before he harmed Adriana.
Tommy shined his flashlight into the next room. It was a smaller, cube-shaped chamber. Bourdon motioned for the two Americans to move forward. As the five lights illuminated the darkness, a giant figure revealed itself in the shadows along the far wall. A massive sculpture of Zeus sitting on a golden throne towered all the way to the ceiling, nearly fifteen feet high. The statue held a lightning bolt in one hand and a scepter in the other. A long flowing robe draped over the figure’s shoulder and down past his waist, to his sandaled feet. His thick hair and beard were meticulously detailed, as were the statue’s abdominal muscles, biceps, and pectorals. The face of Zeus stared straight ahead, as if guarding the doorway with his stern expression.