U-396 was a 67-meter-long, VIIC-type diesel with five torpedo tubes — four in the bow and one at the stern. Like many VIIC’s, 396 was fitted with a snorkel — a device allowing the boat to run its diesels submerged, giving it a significant boost in underwater speed over its electric motors. U-396 was also equipped with a powerful 3.5-inch deck cannon.
Running these details over in his mind, Skyler smiled as he saw the dark form of the U-boat materialize out of the shadows. It listed slightly, its keel fitting snugly in the bottom of the trench. As he swam up over the bow, he recognized the type VIIC features — it was one of the most common submarines in the German Kriegsmarine. The deck cannon, now swollen twice its original size with a heavy layer of coral and sponge, passed under him. He saw the conning tower looming ahead. Despite patches of marine growth encrusting it, he could make out parts of a number on its side—396. The control room and attack periscopes along with the snorkel still stood at attention atop the tower. The once-feared pride of the Third Reich had been converted into a home to parrot fish, spotted grouper, and yellow-tailed snapper along with thousands of other species of tropical marine life.
Skyler and Gates circled around the conning tower then swam along the port side. Halfway between the tower and the stern the trench opened slightly revealing a gaping cut about five meters long and a meter wide just below the boat’s water line. Skyler knew it was the result of a collision with a large object, one of the many reefs dotting the area, no doubt. U-396 was probably running on the surface and could easily have been blown off course in a storm, struck the jagged teeth of a coral reef, and sunk fast — a terrible death for all on board.
He swung the lantern beam inside the opening and saw a huge metallic flash as the light reflected off a tightly packed school of tiny silverfish. With a nod toward Gates, he slipped through the opening into the galley. Moving past the oddly deformed shapes of the stove and pantry, he edged his way down a narrow passage. Within a few meters, a watertight door blocked his progress — closed and sealed — standard procedure in a time of crisis. Skyler tested the heavily encrusted unlocking wheel but it was hopelessly frozen.
He saw a partially opened door to his left leading to what he knew was the small captain’s cabin. If Bormann had been on board, such a VIP would undoubtedly have been given use of this accommodation. He pushed hard, managing to open the space just enough to squeeze through. Shining his lantern beam around the compact quarters, he recognized a writing desk, some pigeonhole storage slots above it, and to the side what was once a bunk. A dark space attracted his attention beneath the bed.
He moved closer, brought the beam down, and shined it toward the space. There was a mass of sponges, and a grandfather-size lobster stood his ground for a moment before scurrying across the floor, leaving Skyler alone.
He swung the beam closer. Suddenly, in a streak of shimmering, undulating silver ribbon, prehistoric-like teeth, and empty black eyes, a moray shot out, striking the lantern with such a force it knocked the lamp from Skyler’s hand. Stopping only to reclaim its ground, the moray struck the light again.
As Skyler recoiled, a shaft shot across the light beam and impaled the eel. The deadly barbs of the spear stuck out of the side of the monster as Gates moved into the cramped cabin, pushing the body of the dead creature out of the way with the end of the spear gun.
Skyler gestured a grateful OK, and turned back to retrieve his lantern. It was then that he saw a handle attached to what appeared to be a small suitcase or attaché case. With a bit of hesitation, not knowing if the eel had a roommate, he reached to grab the handle. A chill ran through him as he pulled the heavily encrusted metal case from underneath the bunk. Bones, perhaps human, drifted out in the smoky swirls of its wake. First, a femur, then a few vertebrae, and finally a skull rolled in slow motion out of the sediment. Skyler took the skull, examined it, and handed it to Gates. With a firm grip on the case, he looked at his watch then motioned upwards. Gates nodded and they started back through the cabin door.
Out of the jagged wound in the side of U-396, the two men emerged and glided across the crusty deck of the boat and up the wall of the trench. They paused for a moment at the base of the buoy line before beginning the recommended one-foot-per-second ascent.
Skyler felt the heavy case pull against him almost as if it were reluctant to reenter the world of the living. Finally breaking the surface, he waved to the group gathered on the stern of the Pegasus a dozen meters away. He pulled the mouthpiece from his teeth and shouted, “Toss down a basket.” Seconds later, they dropped a metal frame basket over the side. With Gates’ help, Skyler hoisted the case in and carefully placed the skull beside it. Then Skyler motioned to the crew to pull it up. Soon, the two men sat on the dive platform slipping off their tanks and belts.
“Thanks, Mick.” Skyler patted his friend on the back. “That moray caught me totally by surprise. I was distracted with the idea of feasting on that lobster.”
“Good thing it went for the lantern and not your arm.” Gates ran his fingers through his thick hair. “So who do you think that skull belonged to?”
“Good question. That’s why I love this job. There’s always another mystery to solve.” Skyler beamed with a smile as broad as a young boy’s on Christmas morning.
The two stood and headed up the ladder to the deck of the converted Coast Guard Cutter. A group had already gathered around the two prizes, inspecting and probing. Candice greeted Skyler with a kiss and slipped her arm around his waist as they strolled across the deck.
“This just keeps getting better and better, Sky,” called the heavily accented voice of Chief Inspector Walter Smyth. The pudgy little Englishman stood in sandals, a bright Hawaiian shirt and shorts, dark sunglasses and a straw hat. He offered Skyler, Candy and Gates each a cold beer.
“You’re right, Inspector. Let’s hope we’re not disappointed.” Skyler downed half his beer in one gulp.
“I’m so glad you insisted I come on vacation to the Caribbean.” Smyth beamed. “Sure beats Greenland.”
“No chance of freezing to death here.” Gates wiped the cold beer can across his brow.
Skyler moved over to the table where the skull and case lay. The case was encrusted with marine life and mud but seemed intact. After an initial inspection, he had a crewman retrieve a wire brush. Using it, he removed the layers of sediment.
“Aluminum,” Gates said as the brush quickly exposed the metal surface.
“And look what we have here.” Skyler’s brush strokes revealed markings in the upper right corner — the faint image of an Eagle with its wings spread. Below it was the unmistakable symbol of the Nazi swastika. Finally, engraved below the emblem of the Third Reich, were the initials: A.H.
A hush fell over the group as Skyler tried the two clamps holding the lid shut. They resisted. A crewman handed the marine explorer a screwdriver, and with a bit of force, the first clamp snapped open. Then the other. Slowly, he raised the lid.
The ocean seemed to calm, the breeze stilled, the clouds faded into the deep blue of the sky, and the bright Caribbean sun blazed down, reflecting off the brilliant surface of twelve gold bars.
Two days later, having conducted a thorough search of U-396, the OceanQuest crew spent the last evening celebrating and enjoying the warm Caribbean night. Tomorrow, the Pegasus would sail for Key West and their next assignment.