Jonathan leaned forward.
"So, when are we going to Macau and get home Ln'Geem and Weng-Li?"
Backmann smiled and waved again over the remote. Noshimi’s glittering hologram changed once more, to two faces of a man and a woman.
"Not so fasts, Jonathan. This is David Carr and Melissa Angelo. David is the owner and founder of the treasure hunting firm MADC, along with his wife, Melissa Angelo. David, who comes from Florida but lives in California, has grown up with legends about sunken ships and lost taxes. However, his father stopped his wild plans in his youth and forced him to get a 'proper' education, and David educated himself as a geologist, but during each semester he traveled around looking for sunken treasures. He had long been dreaming of his own treasure firm and when he met Melissa, they started MADC, which is a contraction of their initials, five years ago and there his education as a geologist is beneficial. "
Marie wrinkled her forehead.
"Why do we talk about this? Why do not we plan the trip to Macau?"
Backmann's eyes flashed when Marie interrupted him.
"Priorities." his voice got a tougher edge, "We have ongoing expenses, and the Amber Group does not generate any major revenue now. It is my job to ensure we can continue with what we are involved in, and priorities are important. The capture of Weng-Li or Ln'Geem will not generate any notable income.'
Marie nodded.
"Of course, I understand."
Backmann's eyes softened.
"The financial side of this mission can potentially secure the Amber Group for at least one year to come. So, now, the good doctors will just have to wait. This assignment has been requested by one of our clients in Denmark. Our contacts with the client have been unusual but they seem to be exceedingly well-informed and well-financed.”, He continued, "In 2047, it was close that MADC was forced to cease operation when they failed to find something of value during their first two expeditions, both in the Caribbean Sea. It was with a knife on the throat which they in July 2047 put everything on the line and arranged an expedition after a sunken Spanish ship in the Caribbean. They succeeded and their share of gold and silver coins, emeralds and rubies were just over half a hundred million dollars. Nine months later, they repeated the success when MADC discovered a sunken treasure ship. This mission gave them more than one hundred million and funding is now secured for MADC for one long time to come.
After a much-needed break last year, they traveled around Spain during the summer months and visited old, living renowned nautical archives in search of clues to an obscure legend that they were curious about. They have worked hard and with perseverance and honesty they had built up a worldwide network of contacts."
Jonathan nodded.
"I actually think I recognize them; did not they participate in a report in that newspaper a year ago?"
"Correct."
Jonathan chewed his lip.
“Sounds like they have a solid business in the same industry as we. "He hesitated, "But I do not quite understand what the mission itself is about? "
Backmann rose, walked over the soft carpet and poured three glasses of whiskey and gave two of them to Marie and Jonathan and kept the third. He went back to his armchair and sat down heavily.
"Have you heard about Arne Buch?"
Marie nodded while Jonathan took a whisk of whiskey and put down his glass on the solid round marble table between them.
"Arne Buch. A shadowy, a legendary businessman in the financial world." Made an enormous fortune in the 2030s on various cryptographic endeavors. "Has an unofficial reputation for being quite eccentric."
"Fits well. Great rich and with a global network. Psychopathic features. In fact, something like the now deceased John Vendrick III."
Marie laughed.
"You seem to be a magnet for these kinds of people.”
Jonathan grimaced and Backmann fingered the remote control and a full-figure of Arne Buch in his glory days glittered in front of the hologram screen. Marie’s eyes widened.
"I know him. I read about him a while ago. He seemed to come across as quite arrogant in the interview." She wrinkled her forehead, "But, I think I read that he died?" "
Backmann nodded.
"Arne died a week ago in his apartment and when his widow, Dagmar, went through his stuff, she found a box of extraordinary things. And as it turns out, Dagmar remember that she had read about us", He paused, "And she has hired us."
Jonathan leaned forward.
"What?"
Backmann pointed at the hologram, and Jonathan saw how a Russian Fabergé egg appeared.
Atacama deep, Chile's coast.
March 15, 2049
The azure water was smooth and stunningly beautiful. The salty air caressed her skin. The sharp sun made Melissa Angelo squint when she glanced over the horizon and the lukewarm wind came in from the east. She grabbed a tighter grip on the railing, leaned forward and looked down and saw David breaking the surface below her. His dark shadow came up from the water and his wet face met her gaze and smiled. He pulled out the bright red snorkel from his mouth and his white teeth sparkled in the sunshine. She returned his smile, he gave thumbs up and spat out some water.
"It looks good now. I'll cut it off and now the propeller is free."
She nodded and blew a kiss at him.
"You are the best, honey. A real knight in armor."
Melissa hurried down to the platform behind the boat and waited for David when he showed up again from the water. He swam with powerful strokes. He pulled off his sunglasses and kissed Melissa in front of him. He saw the long, brown-browed legs and knew that he had to have done something good in an earlier life.
"A knight at your service."
Melissa laughed and stretched down to help him out of the water. She nearly fell but managed to keep her balance. He got up, shook his head a couple of times and water sprinkled over her. She shouted and jumped away, but he caught her in his arms and gave her a long kiss. She looked lovingly at him.
"Good thing I forgive easily."
"Forgive?" He sounded wounded, "I don’t think I've done anything that requires forgiveness. I've just fixed the pinch we were in. The rope that got stuck in the propeller is gone and with some luck, we can continue our journey to the target area."
Melissa kissed him harder this time.
"You are forgiven, my knight." She winked at him. "Let's check if your rescue operation was enough."
David changed into shorts and t-shirt and together they went up to the steering wheel. Melissa put the magnetic key against the lock plate and her hand against a round, black screen next to the helm. David stood behind her and crossed her fingers. Half a second later, the powerful engine started running and the soft, dull vibrations propagated through the hull. She turned to David.
"My knight."
David kissed her cheek and walked down the stairs to the inside of their motor yacht Shooting Star. Shooting Star was thirty feet long and they had bought her for just over three months late by a bankruptcy estate. She had been in good condition when they bought her, but they had further improved her with new navigation and sonar equipment and now it was the hub of their treasure-hunting firm.
They were located just outside Chile's coast and had spent the last few days preparing the mission they were hired to perform. David went to a large, round table dressed in black glass. He pressed a couple of buttons and a holographic map materialized glittering above it. He studied it carefully.
It had been a rainy afternoon in Barcelona just over half a year ago as Melissa had almost fell off her chair. She and David had spent a month traveling around Spain and visiting old, forgotten nautical archives looking for clues for a legend that they had been curious about. Their company was small but had a good reputation in an industry that was flooded by charlatan and fraudsters. They had worked hard and with perseverance and honesty they had built up a worldwide network of contacts.
He noted how Shooting Star accelerated and pe
eked through a small window, he estimated the speed of around fourteen knots. After a few minutes, Melissa came down the stairs. A thin holo-shield hung on one wall in the quay. It showed how a female, red-haired journalist with narrow lips. The camera zoomed in toward her and she shrugged when she realized that it was filming. The sharp sun was behind her and she took a step to the right.
The huge mega-complex Helder Ster came into the background behind her. Melissa recognized Helder Ster by the golden sun panels along the soft white sides that stretched up against the sky. Helder Ster was located just outside Johannesburg and belonged to a new generation mega-complex. It was within mining and mineral and gemstone processing that Helder Ster was at the absolute forefront. Melissa remembered that the name Helder Ster had been established as a reference to the largest rough diamonds ever found. The raw diamonds found in the mine had been on just over seven thousand karats and was shaped like a giant coffee bean.
From the great rough diamond, one had been abandoned fourteen twenty-four less brilliant. The largest of the cut diamonds was named in Dutch as Helder Ster, which in English meant bright star.
The thin lips stretched out to a point before the redhead journalist looked seductively into the camera.
"Behind us, we see the famous Helder Ster as the last few days have been on everyone's lips." She paused, "What has happened in recent days has been something in the United Nations that has never happened before. Together, the major space authorities NASA, ESA and Roscosmos have been at the same work meeting in recent days. The agenda has obviously been about developments as seen both on the moon and on Mars. There are also unconfirmed indications of happening on the other planets of our solar system. It is still unclear whether it happens on earth. "
Melissa looked past the red-haired journalist and saw how the organic soft edges of Helder Ster stretched up against the sky. It reminded her of a spacecraft that was about to lift from the surface of the earth. She frowned when she thought about the legendary Arik Zimki who was the leader of Helder Ster. The holo-camera zoomed in and the journalist instinctively pouted her lips.
"What has now been reported is that unusual seismic activity has been measured in the solar system, especially on the Moon and Mars. According to experts, the latest measurement from the Moon Base shows a type of activity that has never been seen before. In addition, they have automatic measuring stations that have been located on the moon for over a decade, now registered several different moonquakes only within the last forty-eight hours. "
The journalist licked her lips.
"And also from Mars comes similar reports of the corresponding quake."
The cameraman stumbled and was close to falling but managed to stay upright.
Melissa instinctively hunkered down as the camera moved toward the ground. She laughed and pointed at the screen.
"David, have you seen this?"
David turned around.
"It's for sure just a new scoop they think is important. It's probably forgotten tomorrow."
"Well, I do not know."
The journalist had really gotten started now.
"What we all now wonder is clear about the role of the globe in all this. All experts agree that in some way, the elevated seismic activity is somehow linked to the spheres, but nobody know how. In the seven places around in the world where you have direct contact with the spheres, no in-depth activity has been reported. ”The green eyes sparkled as she pressed her hand to her ear, "And I'm now notified that Arik Zimki, leader of Helder Ster and the working committee between the United Nations, NASA, ESA, and Roscosmos, will make a statement in fifteen minutes."
Melissa nodded expectantly and mumbled.
"Then we'll be back in fifteen minutes."
She walked over to the table where David worked. She sat down and leaned forward.
"How does it look?"
David nodded slowly.
"It looks good. The weather is holding so far and according to the meteorologists it will stay like that this for a few days." What speed did you put on the autopilot? "
"Fifteen knots. Course two, seven, zero."
David fed the values into the screen.
"Three hours."
He smiled at her and walked over to the small kitchen. He took a slice of bread and put it in the toaster.
"Would you like anything?"
Melissa studied the map in front of her. Their course was straight, and they should have time enough to complete the necessary preparations. It was plenty of time.
"No, thanks."
David stuffed a plastic capsule into the built-in coffee machine, pressed the button and waited. After thirty seconds he held a warm latte in his hand and savored the scent. The toaster beeped, and he took the toast, put it in his mouth and went back to the navigation table and saw how Melissa examined some details regarding the course he had plotted. He smiled.
Melissa was a woman who throughout her life would make men stop talking when she entered the room. Some women had that ability and Melissa was one of them. He walked up behind her and the scent of her hair reached him. He shivered with pleasure. He put down his latte beside her, swallowed the last bit of toast and gently grabbed her shoulders and began to massage them. He noticed how she relaxed and groaned when he touched a muscle in her lower back.
"A little tense?"
She chuckled.
"Nothing that you can’t cure with those hands."
He pulled her softly around and kissed her. She kissed him back. He sensed the heat from her body and they had almost reached the bedroom when the com-radio chirped. A humming sound interrupted them, they looked in surprised at each other and burst into laughter. He sighed.
"Interrupted by the gong."
Melissa pulled on her shirt again and winked at him.
"The one who waits for something good."
Heat simmered within him as he went to the radio and answered the call.
"Shooting Star here. Come in."
The radio crackled when it automatically found the best frequency.
"Falcon here. Come in." David recognized Backmann's voice.
"What can we do for you today?"
Two seconds silence.
"I just wanted to check how things are going regarding the preparations for today's dive. Have you reached the target area?"
David pressed the communication button.
"Three hours left. We've started the preparations of Jack."
Silence. The com-radio adjusted the signal.
"Good. Sending additional details via a holo-link in two minutes. Confirm that you're ready to receive a broadcast."
Melissa heard Backmann's instructions and leaned over the big navigation table. She grabbed the electronic map and pulled it to the side until it disappeared. She entered a few commands and she heard how the compact holo-transmitter mounted on the roof turned into position. She nodded at David.
"Done."
David winked at her while he replied to Backmann.
"Shooting Star ready for transfer."
Seven seconds later, the transfer started via the holo-link. Melissa adjusted the reception and she oversaw several gigabyte data going into the system. The broadcast lasted for seventeen seconds. She confirmed that it was successful.
"Transmission complete."
"Shooting Star confirms broadcast ready."
Backmann's voice became a little bit softer.
"Excellent. I will contact you in three hours. Falcon over."
David glanced at the table. This surpassed his wildest dreams. Backmann had contacted them the day before when they were in full swing with studying of two old books at a library in Lima. David had previously worked with Backmann on a smaller assignment before MADC.
Nevertheless, he had been surprised by Backmann's contact but it had quickly passed. Backmann had informed them about a discovery made in the late businessman Arne Buch's home. David knew very well who Arne was and he was also relatively familiar with what Arne
had been doing and who he had been married to. So, when Backmann had gone through the details, David realized that the amazing story was true, and they had the chance to become part of the most amazing treasure story ever, the famous lost Fabergé-eggs.
Melissa adjusted a couple of controls and began to read some of the amount of information that Backmann sent. She gasped.
"David, look at this." She pointed, "It's the Angel with wagon that it’s about. Did you know that?"
David shook his head slowly.
"No. Never in my wildest dreams."
"This is amazing."
David blinked a couple of times to give himself time to absorb it all. Melissa pinched her fingers over the image of the missing Fabergé-egg and jerked her hand upwards. The magnificent egg moved from a two-dimensional image up to a three-dimensional object floating, glittering in front of them.
Angel with wagon was one of the lost eggs Fabergé had made and one of the most famous ones. For many years, it was not known exactly how the egg looked, because the only photograph of it was a blurred reflection of it behind another egg.
After the revolution in 1917, the egg was sent to the Kremlin for custody. After that, the trail became obscure. One theory said that the egg somehow left the Kremlin and came to New York where it was sold at auction in 1934. According to the description in the New York Auction catalog, the egg was described as miniature Amor holding a cart with Easter eggs. In later years, through advanced computer analyzes of the reflection, a model of the egg was constructed that was relatively true.
Melissa could not stop staring at the glittering object that slowly spun around its own axis. The little angel in front of them was wonderfully well-made. The happy face followed her with its eyes; the angel had a firm grip on the trolley it drew and thereupon stood a half-open golden egg and in there was another angel holding a gold bell.
David saw that Melissa was completely mesmerized by the egg. He cleared his throat.
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