“Two. But they don’t make a great deal of money. Not like the nationals.”
“But you’re doing ok.”
“Well yes but, come on Pete, I’m gonna need some time to think about this.”
“Think about it.”
“I will Peter….”
“Think about the riches it could bring,” Dennis cut him off, “If you sponsored the expedition. You could have, will have, exclusive rights to all photographs and media coverage.”
“How do we know that someone won’t step up and claim it?”
“Like who?”
“The Tunisians.”
“I doubt it. They haven’t even named the wrecks on their charts. They’re not interested. “
“Well then what about the Greeks? I mean what if Alexander has some long lost relatives suddenly pop up.”
“Are you serious? He’s been dead for two thousand three hundred years. How the hell could anyone realistically claim descendency now. Maybe you’d like to add the Romans. I mean they were the last ones to have him, technically.”
“Yes I suppose you’re right. I don’t know Peter. Fifteen thousand’s a lot of money. Can they not get another patron, another sponsor?”
“They need the money now Tom. I’m sure Jim Hutchinson can probably raise it somehow but it’s a question of time. They need it now.”
“I’d need to speak to my patrons. I just can’t make a decision of this scale just like that.”
“There’s another team Tom, more modern, much better equipped and they’re breathing down our necks.”
There was another pause.
“Like I said. You’d have sole rights to every picture, copyrights to everything. Anyone wants to print anything and they have to go through you first. You’ll make millions Tom.”
“How close are you to finding it? Truthfully.”
“I’m fairly sure Natalie has found it.”
“Natalie? She one of the team?”
“Yes Natalie Feltham.”
There was another very long pause.
“Are you still there Tom?”
“What? Oh yes. What about the Germans. I mean could they have claim to it?” Rogerson asked, the article written by Dennis open on his desk in front of him.
“Hitler’s Nazi regime you mean?”
“Technically yes. I mean they did discover it back in nineteen forty three didn’t they?”
“They were all killed in the battle at Gabes or went down with the ship Tom. It’s there for the taking. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that we could never have predicted come our way. Your magazine and newspapers exclusive rights Tom.”
“Just give me a minute Pete. Hold the line. I’m going to pour myself some coffee.”
“Take as long as you like,” Dennis said, he was sure he had almost clinched the deal.
‘I’ve known Tom a long time,’ he said to himself, ‘I’m sure he’ll go along with it.’
He waited at the phone for a minute, then another, the waiting was agonising. Then he heard the words.
“Ok Pete you’ve got your money.”
Peter Dennis punched the air.
“Thanks Tom. You won’t regret this.”
“I hope for your sake not,” Rogerson replied not meaning it, “I must be mad.”
“Most madmen are geniuses.”
“Shut up.”
“Tom you won’t regret this I promise.”
“Don’t give me time to. Find that bloody sarcophagus, if you haven’t already. Oh and Pete, you’d better fax me through everything you know or have done so far. It’ll help lessen the blow when I tell my partners. I’m counting on you Pete. Don’t let me down here because we’ve just put our heads on the blocks. I hope you understand.”
“Yes Tom and thanks Tom. How soon can you arrange the money?”
“Do you have your business expenses card with you?”
Dennis reached into his jeans pocket, pulled out his wallet and saw his American express card inside.
“Yes.”
“I’ll contact the bank now and increase your daily amount.”
“Thanks Tom.”
Rogerson went to hang up then brought the phone back to his ear.
“Oh and Peter.”
“Yes?”
“Good luck.”
The line wnet dead. Dennis sighed with relief. Then collecting his thoughts he left his room in search of Hutchinson to break the good news.
Hutchinson broke the news to them at Dinner. He waited until they had ordered starters and mains and then tapped a knife against the side of his wine glass to gain their attention. For the first time since they’d boarded the ’Volante’ Ali had been invited to join them and gratefully he had accepted. The table fell quiet as Hutchinson began.
“Earlier today I had a telephone call from my wife and with it came bad news.”
Faces began looking at each other. Only Natalie continued to stare at her boss. Dennis was looking at her, waiting for a reaction, but there wasn’t one.
“Our sponsors have had to withdraw their support due to….”
A chorus of groans erupted around the table.
“….Due to financial reasons they weren’t prepared to discuss, only that they send their apologies….”
“Apologies,” George said, disgusted, throwing his napkin onto the table.
“George wait until I’ve finished please. As I said they weren’t going to discuss their reasoning with me. I did try to explain our situation but our daily costs are a drain was all they would say.”
He saw the looks of bewilderment on their faces.
“Ordinarily this would mean the end of our expedition. We would close down operations leaving the find for our rivals. However I now have good news that will lift you back up as Mr Dennis will kindly explain, Peter?”
Dennis stood up.
“As Jim has said it would mean the end of your work here, and we’ve come so close, to lose it now anyway. I mean we have the ’Tangipito.’ We know exactly where it is. Hopefully containing, as you’ve all said so many times over the last few weeks, the greatest find in the history of archaeology. No doubt the ’Wavecrest’ has prayed for such a moment to come. I know how important it is to you, to all of you. This is what you have given your lives to, the commitment, the dedication, the sheer hard work, the devotion. And as we saw yesterday, almost your very existence. That is a very high price to pay, for anyone, for any of you, for the Germans sixty years ago who gave their lives, the sailors of the ’Tangipito, the British and Indian armies, all who lost their lives or friends, family, my grandfather who kept the story to himself until his death, to a German Colonel killed in a car crash, so many lives touched by this one single thing, a piece of stone hollowed out, the ancient Greeks, the Romans. So many stories already told. One left to tell.”
They were all listening intently now.
“How we found it.”
There were a few claps and a cheer.
“I couldn’t let this slip from our fingers,” Dennis continued, “Empires have been won and lost, built and destroyed, by what lies inside that sarcophagus. The mortal remains of the young Macedonian King.”
He studied their expectant faces. Then his face burst into a smile.
“After hearing the news I telephoned my editor in London and I’m pleased, no, delighted to tell you all now that he has agreed to continue funding our daily costs.”
There was a cheer from this which made the other diners stop what they were doing and stare. Dennis raised his wine glass.
“A toast. To Alexander!”
“Alexander!”
Hutchinson now stood as Dennis took his seat.
“If what Natalie saw down there is indeed the artefact we’ll begin tomorrow with what is hopefully our last stage of operations. Captain Ali will now explain.”
Ali didn’t bother to stand, just poured himself a glass of water and began.