“When the waters of the great Biblical flood began to recede,” she began, “a massive amount of water dissipated quickly, just as it would on the ocean with the footprint. But if there were an extended period before rotting and decay began and the boat disappeared, the footprint the vessel would have left would have had more than enough time to solidify. It’s likely that the area around it would have petrified into a rock wall.”
Firth considered her thoughts for a moment in stunned silence. Sean and Jabez watched the older man intensely, waiting to see what he would say next. Finally, he uncrossed his arms and put them behind his back.
“When did you come up with this?” he asked in a less harsh tone than usual.
She waited for a second to see if there would be an insult accompanying the question. When none came, she answered. “Just now. But it makes sense. If the circumstances were right, after the flood waters receded, it is possible the ark sank into the muddy earth. Then it would have only needed time to do the rest.”
“So we are looking for a giant footprint?” Jabez needed clarification.
“In the shape of a giant boat, apparently,” Sean grinned. “I like it.”
Firth remained dubious for a few more seconds. “That is actually a sound theory,” he surrendered. “It might just be exactly what we’re looking for.” His mouth curled slightly into a narrow smile. “Good thinking, young lady.”
Adriana appreciated the compliment. But she accepted it with a stoic expression. “We haven’t found the thing yet, Professor.”
Chapter 33
The helicopter swooped around another rocky peak only to find another, identical one on the other side. Below, the ridges and mountaintops sloped down into valleys that rose back up to similar peaks. The mountain range seemed an endless patchwork, extending far to the north and east, beyond the horizon.
Lindsey and his men had been flying around for the last hour, but with no luck. They hadn’t found even the slightest resemblance of the ark.
DeGard spoke up from the rear of the chopper, filling the radio headsets with his nasally voice. “I am sorry, Monsieur, but if there were an enormous boat sitting out in the open, someone would have seen it by now.”
The air in the cabin was getting much colder, despite having all doors closed. Lindsey pulled his coat around his torso just a little tighter. Kaba looked over at him to get his attention then tapped on the fuel gauge. It was getting low. They would need to set down soon, or head back.
Dark clouds had rolled in quickly from the west, and his concerns were realized when tiny white flakes began swirling around the windshield of the helicopter. They had brought supplies: food, tents, a little extra fuel, and several other items normal civilians might take on a winter camping trip. He had insisted upon it. Lindsey had always been of the mindset that it was better to be too prepared than underprepared.
Kaba pointed to a flat area on one of the ridges nearby. “I think we should set down over there. It’s one of the only flat places I’ve seen. Either we land now or head back, Sir. It will be dark soon, and we won’t find anything after dark.”
“Very well,” he nodded his head. “Take her down over there. We’ll set up camp for the night and hope this storm blows over by the morning.”
His pilot nodded and steered the helicopter over to the appointed ridge. As they neared the landing spot, wind shear picked up and wobbled the chopper around. Kaba remained calm, making subtle movements with her feet and hands to keep the flying contraption steady until it was safely on the ground.
Lindsey’s men opened up the side door, letting in a gust of frigid air. A few snowflakes swirled into the cabin and settled on the hard floor while the men pulled supply bags and containers from storage bins inside the chopper. The rotors eventually slowed to a stop, but Lindsey had no intention of going out into the freezing cold. Not yet. His old bones were already sending pain signals to his brain. He imagined if he were to step outside for very long, his entire body might lock up.
While two of the men were securing the helicopter with a few anchors, Will grabbed a long nylon bag and dragged it over to where the ridge began to rise towards the mountain peak. He figured up against the hill it would be at least a little less windy. He unzipped the large bag and began pulling out a beige-colored material similar to what the bag was made out of.
Once he’d piled up the fabric, he connected a small box with a knob on the side of it to a plastic hole in the fabric. He switched the knob and an electric motor came to life, sucking air through the box and pouring it into the fabric. In just a few short minutes, the inflatable structure began to take shape. While the air compressor filled the walls, Will quickly moved around the perimeter to stake down each side of it so the wind wouldn’t blow the thing away.
The other men had copied what he was doing and were inflating two additional structures, slightly closer to the helicopter. He didn’t like the idea of camping up on the top of the mountain in the dead of winter, but Will knew that his employer was too old to try and make it down to the bottom of one of the valleys. The hills were too steep and rocky for the fragile Lindsey.
By the time he finished pounding in the last stake, the air compressor had completed its task. The inflatable domed structure stood about twenty feet square, enough room inside for several people. Will figured he and Kaba would sleep in that room with Lindsey. The old man seemed more and more anxious to keep Will close. He wasn’t sure if it was because his employer felt a close connection to him, or if it were just a matter of paranoia.
Kaba had finished shutting down the helicopter and had joined Will on the far end of the quickly forming encampment. She carried a small black box in one hand and a nylon bag strapped across her shoulder. She stepped through the flap that served as a door and set the box down on the ground. Bending down, Kaba flicked a switch on the side of the device and warm air began to pour out into the inflatable dome. After the heater had begun warming the room, she removed an inflatable mattress from the shoulder bag and set about getting it ready.
A few minutes later, Lindsey was satisfied that his temporary quarters would be warm enough, so he carefully stepped out of the helicopter and shuffled past the two other, smaller domes. He stepped into the room and was greeted by surprisingly warm air. Kaba was busy in one of the corners inflating a second bed.
“I wonder if this storm is going to last long,” she looked up, squatting near the inflating mattress.
Will had entered the quarters and shook his head. “I don’t know. But the snow is really starting to come down. It’s got to be pretty rare in this part of the world,” he cast a wary glance at Lindsey. “We could be up here a while, Sir.”
The old man grunted, and loosened up his coat a little. He was amazed at the amount of heat the heater could put out and at how well insulated the structure was.
“We are too close to turn back now,” he said with conviction. “We know that, based on what we looked at on the screen, the ark should be somewhere near here.”
DeGard stepped into the inflatable and looked around, inspecting the place for a moment before speaking. “I’m impressed. It seems you are a man who likes to be prepared.” He strolled leisurely over to the far side of the tent and spun around in a dramatic fashion. “I wonder. Are you prepared for the possibility that we may never find what you are looking for?”
Lindsey coughed for a moment before peering at him through narrow slits. “The ark is here, DeGard. I know it.”