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O P E R A T I O N A L E X A N D R I A
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Safiya Sabuka and Musa Bomani are both seasoned scuba divers.
<<<<<< SCOTLAND YARD
THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, NORTH COAST OF EGYPT
Their diving charter motored out to the coordinates Safiya had forced out of Ahmed Saleh, before he expired. The sea was flat calm, ideal for diving and setting out a grid on the seabed, should that be necessary.
"Punch it," said Safiya to Musa. Musa pushed the twin throttles all the way forward. The deep V monohull lurched forward, to a throaty roar from the onboard diesel engines, the wash disturbing the millpond sea. The boat was relatively small and not particularly suited to commercial diving, but that would give them some degree of cover, in appearing to be sport divers.
In not too long, the GPS pinged to tell Musa they'd reached their destination, accurate to around 3 meters. The depth sounder indicated just four fathoms, or seven meters. This was almost snorkel depth for some of the sportier frogmen.
"We're here," shouted Musa to Sabuka. She gave the international signal for OK, holding up her hand with thumb and forefinger pinched together, and the other three fingers raised.
Musa shut off the diesels. Sabuka had disrobed and was squeezing into a wet suit, wearing only panties and bra. Musa tried not to notice her shapely contortions, remembering that she was a deadly assassin, if rubbed the wrong way. Something of a black widow spider in human form. He treated her with great respect.
Seeing Musa looking as far away as possible, Safiya said, "It's okay to look today Musa. I'm in a good mood."
Musa smiled. He knew what that meant, if they made progress today. But he focused on the task at hand. He too wanted to find the elusive Queen, before the authorities realised what they were up to.
"Can you synchronise my watch with the onboard receiver, please."
Musa placed a sack of spikes and another of weighted rope portside, near the boarding ladder, then linked Safiya's dive watch to the receiver on their boat. By this means anyone onboard could monitor the tagged diver.
Another bit of essential kit was an air lift pump, linked to a compressor by long, thin, flexible hose neatly coiled in front of the little petrol compressor. This was stashed to one side of the boarding ladder.
All suited, with facemask and a single air cylinder firmly strapped on, Safiya shouted to Musa to stay put, then picked up a sea-scooter and flipped backwards into the blue-green Mediterranean sea.
The water was cold on her face, as the air bubbles dissipated and she regained her balance. Then all thoughts of discomfort disappeared as she spotted numerous artifacts strew on the ocean floor below. She noted her position on her trusty Garmin Titanium T2 dive computer, sonar connected to eight meters depth, with GPS and cylinder capacity warnings, for when she was tempted to overstay her underwater welcome, and run out of air.
With the thrust from her scooter propelling her along without the need to flipper, she had soon covered a lot of seabed, mentally noting the most promising features and recent seabed disruption. But knowing that the mind plays tricks at depth.
Visibility was excellent.
She did a return run, then surfaced. "Musa, Musa," she shouted.
Musa leaned over the side to get eye contact. "We're in the right place. We may need Mr Kessler's expertise sooner than we thought, Safiya voiced, somewhat out of breath from excitement. And we're gonna need Panama.
"Righto, I'll radio to let the Baron and Rudolf know. Panama is waiting with him just off Taposiris. They have an inflatable."
"You'd better come in, when you are ready." Musa gave her the divers OK signal. He then dropped the two sacks of equipment over the side.
Safiya got to work, establishing a grid pattern, ten meters by ten meters, pushing spikes in as she went. Musa swam up, clipping the thin weighted rope into slots in the ground spikes. It was going to be a long day. Safiya was particularly interested in a mound with a very small cave-like, triangular, entrance. This object was in the centre of the grid pattern, with room to work around it. They soon ran out of spikes and rope. But had marked what needed to be marked.
Map of the Egyptian coastline, Alexandria and Abu Qir.
Map of the Egyptian coastline, showing Taposiris-Magna (red), Alexandria and Thonis-Heracleion road route.
Back onboard, Safiya fired up the engines and very slowly motored so that she could see the grid pattern on the fish-finder, floating the boat just ahead of the spikes using her best guess. Then stopped the engines again and dropped the bow anchor, so leaving the stern handy for equipment.
Moving astern, Safiya threw the air lift tube over the port side, watching that the thin air hose did not tangle as it sunk. Noting when the hose payout slowed, indicating it had struck the seabed.
"Okay Musa, if you start the compressor and feed the line to me if I need it, I'll signal when to stop pumping. All good?"
"I have done this before," said Musa, with a resigned look on his face. He preferred being at the other end of the equipment.
Safiya grabbed a hot coffee and a candy bar. Then climbed down the boarding ladder and disappeared beneath the waves.
She was driven. All he life she' been excavating on digs, but never had such an important assignment, where she was the lead.
Up top, Musa started the petrol compressor.
Down below the curvaceous Egyptian located the air pump, walking on the seabed to the mound that sent a tingle down her spine. There was a small triangular opening, where fish were swimming in and out. She opened the air valve and watched as an air stream developed. Then she carefully vacuumed beach in front of the triangular opening.
Slowly the triangle enlarged. Safiya's heart began pounding with excitement.
As the air rises in the tube, it generated a suction at the lower nozzle, like a chimney stack. This fascinated her. It was like gravity in reverse.
The trick with these suction tubes is not to dig in too hard, or they stall. It required a lot of energy from Safiya to keep the nozzle operating efficiently, not allowing it to dig itself in.
Onboard, Musa could see the plume of sand and pebbles drifting inshore, but away from the dig site.
Down below, Safiya could now see into a chamber. She turned the air valve off, reaching for a high power LED torch. Shing the torch around inside, there was quite a bit of sand wafting in and out of the entrance. But she could see Egyptian symbols carved into a pillar inside, linking this structure to Cleopatra.
Safiya surfaced. "Musa, Musa," she shouted. Musa leaned over the stern to see Safiya with the broadest grin to have blessed her features.
"I'm guessing you've found something. Right?"
"Get Panama here, as quick as he can. Please."
Safiya never said please.
"He's already en-route, about 30 minutes into the journey. Rudolf is staying at the camp. Preparing. So about another 30 minutes should do it."
"Great Musa. Love you." Safiya was still grinning from ear to ear as she submerged.
"Love you too."
Safiya was only joking. Musa was not.
Safiya shone her torch around, as visibility had cleared a bit. The chamber was fairly big. She opened the air valve, and the compressor onboard kicked into life as Musa saw the reserve pressure dropping.
She worked away, now with quite a large entrance, big enough that she squeezed inside the chamber, working from within to empty out the accumulation of sand from over a thousand years of wave action.
Then she saw a doorway past the entrance. Her fervor increased. She had to clear the doorway to gain access to the inner chambers. Her diving watch signaled air was running low. At least at this shallow depth, there were no decompression issues. Provided she surfaced slowly and sat above for fifteen minutes. Just to be sure.
Safiya surface and clambered on board, somewhat impatient. Musa gave her a hot chocolate drink and an energy bar.
Panama arrived, tied up his inflatable and leaped on board.
"Hi muscles," said Safiya. Musa nodded acknowledgement.
"I found you at last. There's a lot of sport boats in this area. Vat's der urgency, Fräulein?"
"I think I'm onto something. I may need your strength."
Panama flexed a bicep. "Gut, Ja."
"Ja. Gut." said Safiya. "You too Musa."
Musa felt sexually threatened by the amazing power and build of Panama. But he was a useful ally, not to be messed with.
"If you will get on the pump Panama, to clear as I go, I'll excavate and explore deeper in. There is an interesting chamber below. Musa will take care topsides." Safiya smiled at her excavation colleague. "Please Musa. Oh, and we may need the lifting bags."
Musa smiled inwardly and outwardly, he felt appreciated.
"Horses for courses."
He recalled that the lifting bags were in the forward locker.
Safiya and Panama jumped into the turquoise blue Mediterranean water feet first, and swam down the few meters, Safiya in the lead. She was an athletic swimmer. Lithe; a water baby, born to dive.
Panama picked up the suction pump. He looked over to Safiya, waiting in the entrance. She gave the thumbs up, and Panama opened the air valve and started vacuuming the sand aside. Safiya switched on her headband light, taking in the exquisite carvings, but really focused on the carved painted doors.
The doors were jammed shut. Safiya cleared all the sand and growth from around the frame and floor. The doors still would not budge. She tried her diving knife, using it like a mini crowbar. Up and down the seam. The doors groaned a little, but remained tightly closed. She kicked the doors, to no avail.
Panama was working fast to keep the chamber clear of particles backwashing in. Safiya signaled to him to quit and help her.
Both of them rammed the doors. They moved a little. They rammed them again. They moved a little more. Panama worked on the left door. Back and forward. It cracked, then crumbled a little, but moved, and finally swung freely.
Safiya entered the chamber as swiftly as a mermaid. Her diving light was not bright enough. She reached for her tethered diving torch. Two hundred lumens filled the beautifully decorated chamber. Gold ornaments lined the walls, with figures of temple cats and Anubis on either side of a black granite sarcophagus at the far end wall, in the middle.
Safiya beckoned Panama to assist, with additional light. On inspection the seal was intact. Cleopatra's name was carved into the lid, with other hieroglyphics. Safiya's heart was pumping hard.
Could it be?
Had they found the missing queen of Egypt. Or was this another decoy.
The granite edifice was larger than most stone tombs. It was smooth, almost polished. It reminded her of Howard Carter's description of finding Tutankhamun's tomb. Would there be a golden death mask?
Panama could not budge the lid. Safiya stopped him. She signaled to return to the boat. Onboard, Safiya said: "We have to be very careful to preserve the inner sarcophagus, that is typically carved of wood and resin sealed. But will still allow harm to come to the queen's remains if we are not extremely quick."
SALVAGE RIGHTS >>>>>>
OPERATION ALEXANDRIA - Safiya Sabuka and Musa Bomani recover Cleopatra's sarcophagus from the Mediterranean sea off the coast of Alexandria
Notes: Port Said, about 160 kilometers away. Taposiris is base camp.
CHAPTERS: The chapters of this story are published live for collaboration development purposes, with a sequence derived from the Chapters below, supplemented with other (unpublished) writings as we progress. The final order for the proposed screenplay may be the subject of additional drafts to suit production of the final movie (producers/directors/actors).
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THE BATTLE OF ACTIUM - Queen Cleopatra retreats leaving Mark Antony to lose against Octavian and seek a new deal with Rome. THE POISON ASP - Hotfoot from Actium, Cleopatra's plan to seduce Octavian backfired leading to a suicide pact with Anubis and Isis TANZANIA - THE STORM BREAKS - Fanatical DNA collector, John Storm, finds Homo erectus skull, Olduvia Gorge, in Tanzanian dig site. WRATH OF THE GODS - 365BC destruction of Thonis and Alexandria, Anubis and Isis watch on in horror as Cleopatra is submerged. WWII ENIGMA - The birth of computers at Bletchley Park under Alan Turing, and his visits from Anubis and Isis, who see the potential in his ideas. SYDNEY WILL READING - John's uncle Douglas vanished, declared dead, the adventurer inherits keys and a note from George Franks. ANGEL OF DEATH - Anubis and Isis occupy Josef Mengele's and Adolf Hitler's subconscious as spirits steering their legacies. INNER CIRCLE OF SIX - Joseph Mengele's Fourth Reich plans an escape to Brazil to develop Nazi-funded human research laboratories. NELSON BAY - John visits the coordinates George gave him, to discover the Elizabeth Swann, ARK and Hal, AI computer. BRAZIL BOUND - Doctor Death bargains for funding and logistics of relocation to Amazon South American base via Argentina. NEW WORLD ORDER - A former Neo-Nazi plan to regenerate Aryan supremacy, develops into a cause for good. REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE - Having reached the end of his PhD, William and Jane Bates have epiphanies, Will should follow his dream. ROADBLOCK - Nobody would fund his R&D, William and Jane Bates are blanked by DARPA, computer and software houses. THE AFTERLIFE - Cleopatra's tomb lay lost for centuries submerged and out of sight with little change of discovery. QUANTUM LEAP - Jane and Will find backers, then US military and computer processor chip makers cyber attack, hack and bug them. WASHING MACHINE - Inventor Franco Francisco comes up with the Incubus, artificial uterus concept while repairing his household appliance. EXIT STRATEGY - Realising they will always be a target from industrial and military espionage, Jane & Will devise a cunning plan. PATENT APPLICATION - Franco Francisco files his Claims with the Italian Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in Roma, Italia. CYBERCORE GENETICA - Nano computer technology is purchased at an auction by a semi religious sect, New World Order. INCUBUS - Roberta Ferrara secures the expertise of Franco Francisco for knights of the New World Order: Neuwelt Rittertum. SPLICE - Klaus and Eva von Kolreuter find a way to live forever using cloning technology; Genonimo Investments, Geneva. TREMORS - Cleopatra's feels vibrations after a shift in the tectonic plates triggered a tremor off the coast of Alexandria. PANAMANIAN RUNNING MAN - The secret is out, an enhanced human is spotted running at unbelievable speeds. THE ARK - NeuWelt Rittertum headhunt John Storm seeking access to his genetic DNA map of life on earth, but they fail to reach agreement. MARJORIE BOYLE - Sam Hollis tracks down sexy backpacker, Majorie Boyle, to Brighton Point in Trinidad, beautiful Caribbean Island. THE AMAZON - Charley agrees to meet John & Dan at Manaus, but is a little too inquisitive. OPERATION LEVIATHAN - New World Knights, Klaus and Franco go to Plan 'B' to track and steal the Elizabeth Swann & The Ark DNA database. TOMB RAIDERS - Safiya Sabuka and Musa Bomani dive among sifting sands to discover precious artifacts and golden treasures. SCOTLAND YARD - The famous London DNA database is stolen, the biggest data heist to date. The Yard initiates a cover up. OPERATION ALEXANDRIA - Neo-Nazi occultists recover Cleopatra's sarcophagus from underwater tomb near Palace. SALVAGE RIGHTS - Entering Cleopatra's mausoleum, locating sarcophagus and raising with air bags to the surface, Safiya Sabuka tomb raider. COASTGUARD PATROL - Safiya and Musa surface off Alexandria to a waiting customs vessel, they pretend to be sports divers fooling the officials. UNESCO - Catholic Church fear grave desecration heritage theft, asks agencies for help. Interpol issue Red Notice. KIDNAP - Charley is taken prisoner but John rescues her, in the process becoming injected with a serum. SARCOPHAGUS OPENING - The wooden inner casket is opened revealing Cleopatra's mummy, golden crown and death mask, perfectly preserved. AWAKENING - In the afterlife, the DNA extracted from Cleopatra's mummy triggers a divine stirring with Anubis and Isis comforting the Nile Queen. REPLICANT - The Society reproduce Cleopatra using Francisco's RepliVator™, uploading synapse sequence and implanted memories. BRAIN CONDITIONING - Klaus and Franco upload digitally recreated memories in historical order to trigger correct learned synapse firing sequence REBORN - The former Queen of Egypt speaks for the first time to her creators, proving that her brain is working, the implants succeeded. FULL STEAM AHEAD - Storm speeds to Thonis, then uses the Swann's AI sensors and the Ark database to find tomb has been plundered. PROPOSAL - Baron von Richhofen's gambit, a union of Royal ancient and Aryan blood, for strength and intellect, a powerful heir as her successor RITUAL SACRIFICE - The Baron prepares a drugged Cleopatra for ceremonial impregnation. MANAUS TO ALEXANDRIA - A hydrogen powered race across the Atlantic Ocean in nine days, John Storm guided by Anubis and Isis. SANCTUM INTERRUPTUS - John finds secret Nazi hideout near Alexandria, disturbs ritual - rescues Cleopatra, arresting conspirators. THE CHOSEN ONE - The reincarnated Cleopatra falls for her rescuer. John comes under her spell, despite her being a replicant. MOVIES, WHAT ARE THEY - Reincarnated Nile Queen asks John and Dan to explain films, they show her 20th C. Fox 1963 Elizabeth Taylor biopic. MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE - John suggest a tour of the Wadj Ur, Thalassa Nostrum, to relax Cleopatra, Hal plans the ultimate experience. JOHN'S BLOODLINE - Dan and Hal trace trace John's noble lineage back to the iconic figures of Ancient Egypt & Roman General Mark Antony DÉJÀ VU - Dan and Hal reveal John's family tree as being related to Roman General Mark Antony via Julia and Queen Drusilla of Mauretania. MEDICAL EXAMINATION - Jack Mason talks John and Cleopatra into agreeing to a check up at Port Royal, Jamaica, working for NSA and CIA GEORGE WARNS OF TORTURE - Franks radios Swann to tell John & Dan that New World Knights are being tortured at Guantánamo Bay, you're next. JESUS CHRIST - Cleopatra asks about this man. John, Dan & Hal explain he is an ancient religious preacher from Galilee, son of Yahweh, Hebrew god. BIOCORE BRAIN IMPLANT - Dan and Cleopatra drill John's skull, occipital bone implanting biological chip to interface with CyberCore Genetica. DARPA, NSA & CIA - National security and military intelligence chiefs Iras Charmian and Dr Stefan Raengst, plot to remove all human obstacles. MILITARY INTERVENTION - The military detain Cleopatra to appease stakeholders, despite media & medical protests. Storm distraught. BATTLE ARMOUR - Thanks to some unexplained divine intervention, Dan Hawk talks John Storm into wearing a bullet proof suit. GUANTÁNAMO BAY - History repeats itself, US military kidnap Cleopatra, John forced to rescue puts Elizabeth Swann at risk. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - Commander John Storm, in Navy SEAL mode, attacks the Cuban torture camp at Guantánamo Bay, in stealth mode, black op. MISSILE LOCK - USA military try to hack into Hal, anticipating a strike, as the DOD launch Tomahawks, John hacks into NORAD, and redirects them. PRESIDENT LINCOLN TRUMAN - Hails the Swann to find out why John is shooting missiles at Guantánamo Bay, Storm sets the record straight. FINALE
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