Truffle Hunters_Secret of the Mountain

by Stanimir Mirov

  “Let’s not forget Bulgaria, the oldest gold in the world is here. Only our lands have unique Thracian treasures. The legends of hidden hoards are endless,” here the professor paused to see if he has attracted the attention of the others and after seeing he did it, he began to lists. “Three tons of gold lion in Dervisha near Veliki Preslav. For him, it’s said that an Imam from Turkey came with a partial map, visiting his brother in the city, but later he and the map vanished without a trace. Valchan voivoda had full underground safes, sought even today. Nobody can even imagine what they were full of. He was so cunning. He was also a pirate. Lured ships like lit a bonfire and with other rebels danced around him. Only that the fire was dangerous close to the rocks. Ships took it for a lighthouse, lured crashed into the rocks. Then they were looted. Stories of treasures in Bulgaria are thousands. They just await someone to find them. We have to buy a military scanner which starts from one hundred and fifty thousand euros, and we are set.”

  “Smells like profitable adventures. I am in. Maybe we can donate something to the local museum, to leave our names for posterity,” winked Ninth.

  “If there is money, we are there,” added the brothers.

  A month and a half passed until they procured a little ship. They have paid for a berth in Lake Varna. A lot of money were spent to refresh and equip it for the upcoming underwater archeology. What they lacked, however, was crew. Valerie had a captain right to manage the ship but needed more people. During this time the band went through a diving course and got the necessary equipment. The exception was the professor who did not want to enter at all into the water. He was doing some old maps ...

  Everything was ready and the time has come to raise the crew.

  “I have a friend,” said Ivan. “Old sea wolf, thirty-five years old, and knows everything about boats. His berth is near Kranevo. Seven meters diesel boat, he is a big fisherman. Tomorrow morning I'll go and talk with him. What can we offer as a monthly salary because he is freedom-loving and for won’t stay longer in the sea for a small amount?”

  “I guess he won’t refuse a thousand euro, but if he does offer him more.”

  “Okay.”

  In the morning, Ninth arrived in neighborhood Vinitsa, parked the Hummer on the street and rang on the gate of Gosho "Bazila".

  On the terrace appeared black Gagauz with a muscular physique and nasty expression.

  “Oooh, Vanko, is that you? Come on, come inside, I’m just slicing the Kaiser Pastrami.”

  Both sat on the porch and the fisherman pulled out a large jug of red wine. He began to cut appetizers with a large hunting knife.

  “Cheers, long time no see. How are you? From where did I steal this beast?”

  “Cheers, about the Hummer, I won it in some Italian casino.”

  “Wow, lucky you. Eat, eat, did you like the appetizers?”

  “I haven’t eaten such dark meat before, but is very tasty.”

  “Hahaha, a dolphin drowned in the net. And I salt down his filet.”

  “Good, good, it’s the best,” Ivan gently felt nausea when he realized that it is a dolphin, but it was too delicious to stop.

  “What brings you here, bro? I doubt you’ve come just to see me, after so many years?”

  “I have a proposition for you. I know you love the sea, and I can trust you. I pucker a crew for a small boat, 4-5 people old sea wolves like you. What do you say?”

  “Hehehe, where did you manage to find money for a boat, brother? Drink, drink, you are joking, or perhaps someone sent you to investigate me? I work with my boat. My brother will come now to take us, I will take you out on the Djuruma (a fisherman saying for catching fish). It’s full with bluefish. Today you are my guest, we will speak later. Drink now, we would soon set off to Kranevo.”

  His brother was a cheerful person. He took them with his car, very old model white Astra. On the way, he was joking something in style "monsters in the sea" and as background was playing some music. So they came to the fishing village. The boat was really big and comfortable. They took the fishing boxes, and all three entered into the sea.

  At one time around the boat were jumping dolphins. Gosho "Bazila" stood with a bottle of mint in hand on the bow. Right foot step forward for support, while drinking mint, occasionally putting his hand over his eyes, because the sun was shining, he was making signs of his brother where to sail. The boat drifted on the waves and Gosho without holding for anything was balancing perfectly, sipping from the bottle.

  “Ivan start dropping the longlines. We entered in "Djuruma".”

  “How do you know?”

  “By gulls.”

  Ninth, sitting in the middle of the boat, began to drop into the water specially prepared hooks with feather and rolled in the boxes. Once they have made a slight turn to the stern, Bazil signaled his brother to make the rods in a straight line, in order to pass through the passage. When they moved only in straight line, the flicker of the catch was felt on the boat. Gosho drank the mint and threw the bottle into the vessel.

  “Give the empty boxes now, let’s see what we caught.”

  They started to pull the rods. Hook after hook started leaping around 700-gram pieces of bluefish. So they filled three boxes. It was a seasonal fish and was just passing thru there. Fishers enjoyed only for a time such catches.

  The vessel docked in the fishing village. There were waiting people who bought all the fish. They bound the boat with the winch and pull it to the shore. Locked it with props and went into the big shed. Inside was noisy and smoky. Grills, drinks, fun, fishers who have already sold their catch, celebrated.

  “Ooo, Bazil, did you fill the boat?” shouted the drunken fishers. “Sit down, the soup is ready.”

  They drank some rakia. Ivan really liked the soup and asked for the recipe.

  “It’s made with four kinds of sea fish, three types of river fish and panning seawater in the fresh water. And many spices.”

  On the way to Vinitsa, Gosho asked interested, “Vanko, I have here another week of good catch. What is you offer?”

  “It's about archaeological expeditions. I need someone to maintained the ship operational when we are in the sea. I know you're perfect with the ship's engines, which is a plus. Travel and not, you will receive your salary every month. I will insure you, for the money you get.”

  “And how much will that be?”

  “Thousand euro fixed salary and bonuses when things go well, so can everybody be happy.”

  “When we are not at sea I’m free, right?”

  “Exactly.”

  “When do we start?”

  “Your wage starts running today, and when we are ready we'll call in advance. Is that okay with you?”

  “Ideally, brother. I knew that you are cool.”

  They shook hands. Ninth called a local company. They brought him a man who took him to his villa with the Hummer because he had been drinking.

  Next on the list was an engineer Lyudtskanov. Serving a ten-year sentence in Varna Prison. During а military mission in the Mediterranean sea, got drunk and became crazy. He cut a refrigerator with an ax and beat the assistant captain. A former Marine, he could benefit the hunters with his technical knowledge, and as someone who does not ask questions. His sentence was not yet over, but Ivan and Vasil knew him, not once they had arranged for him bottles of rubbing alcohol.

  “Vasco, how much remains for Lyudtskanov to get out?”

  “A lot, from our point of view. Maybe two years with good behavior and if he works two for three.”

  “Check what convention we can do with the warden of the prison so that he can serve his sentence with us. We will pay whatever it takes.”

  The next day Fantomas appeared pleased, “I’ve arranged for him an external regime. He will be working with us on the ship, but we must cover his jail expenses if you know what I mean. The documents will be settled in a few days. There will be inspections from time to time. One of the cabins is for him, so he'll be pleased. Anyway, we
needed someone to take care of the ship when it’s docked.”

  “Well, you arranged for him also accommodation,” laughed Pisco. “I hope he is worth it!”

  “He knows a lot about technology, especially the once that are on the ship. Besides, he is our man. He will never betray you. We can work apparently as archaeologists for Turnovo University but don't forget that the treasures remain for us.”

  A few days later, the phone rang Ivan early in the morning. The number was from the USA.

  “Hello, Ivan,” was head in English. “Do you spend your money healthy?”

  “We can not complain, Tiberius. With what can I be useful to you?”

  “I understand that you have decided to engage professionally in archaeology. I am nearby, and if it suits you, I'd like to meet.”

  “You are always welcome. When can we expect you?”

  “After two hours my helicopter will land in your villa.”

  “Okay, I will warn the security.”

  The helicopter landed on the grass, and the Jewish billionaire went down energetically. He turned and helped with hand to a beautiful young lady. Shaked hands with Ninth and went into the dining room, where were expected by the others. The maid served them hot soup from snails seasoned with pepper and poured them aged Trojan plum rakia. Waiters arranged on the table different dishes with caviar, lobsters, roasted pheasant and others. White and red wines, fruits. There was a pleasant, quiet, mysterious music.

  The professor asked, “Tiberius, I suppose that this sophisticated young lady is your daughter?”

  “Yes, she is. Her name is Natasha Nikolaevna,” the young lady nodded to the gentlemen with a gentle smile.

  Ivan stared at her with his peculiar gaze and thought, “Wow, what a piece. She is for me. It is so good that we can even have sex.”

  After theplentiful lunch, they moved into the garden, where were served coffee, whiskey, and expensive cigars. The professor again was crushing his left ear with two fingers while enjoying the drink. Pisco was thinking, “We should not do business with the Jews ... I just got on my feet, and now they fucked me …”

  Chapter XV

  Countess

  In the ground floor of the big building, somewhere on the outside, two girls were holding with hands third and slowly descended her thru the narrow window in the basement. The skinny blond girl jumped nimbly to the floor and quickly looked around. The first ten seconds, her eyes were still accustoming with darkness. Then began to emerge boxes with jars filled with pickles, compotes, canned nectars and many others. Outside, the hungry girls started to give orders, “Take a nectar, also some pickles ...”

  The little girl began to give to the hungry children, what they wanted when suddenly the light in the storage room lit up. At the door stood with her evil look the worst teacher in the entire boarding school for orphans. The very obese and a large woman came closer to the orphan. On one of the fingers on her right hand had pointed gold ring, with which she struck children heads whose effect was like somebody was dabbling in your brain with an awl.

  “Who are the others, Natasha?” spoke the communist governess.

  The child, fearing and trembling looked at the ring on her hand, answered, “I'm alone. I was hungry.”

  “Okay, then as you are alone, now get out the same way you got in.”

  The orphan stood before the high window and knew that could not go out alone unless somebody gives her a hand and withdraw her. But it did not come because the others were long gone.

  “Remove your slipper and give it to me!” roared furiously the fat-ass pig.

  Natasha handed it embarrassed, and she began to hit her in the head with it.

  “You steal from the state? If we do not feed you enough ... Tell me now who else is involved? Otherwise, the next three Sundays you won’t go out!”

  The girl, however, denied to give up the others, despite the harsh threats, since they were allowed to go out only on Sundays for two hours. Children there was united. The orphan gained strength, slammed her with hands and the full woman, lost balance for a second. That was enough to fall on her back, kicking with feet for several minutes. The blond child with her inherent stubbornness jumped on the belly of the beast and got out in the yard outside. Quickly climbed the great tree whose branches went down on the roof of the building. She went on them and jumped on tiles.

  After a little the thick sadistic teacher, Mrs. Pankova stood below and screamed at the girl to come down immediately. Other teachers joined andbeseeched the child. They called the director, who arrived an hour later. Negotiated, threatened, begged the orphan to come down the whole day. Natasha, feeling the freedom with her little childhood heart, was walking on the roof, enjoying the moment. The entire program for the day was ruined. The other kids also enjoyed because today their heavy duties were canceled. Two policemen appeared, thinking that will scare the girl and will make her get down, but she did not care because the problem already happened. When the girl went in one end of the roof, the crowd below consisted of teachers followed her, frightened not to make a suicide because they could go to prison.

  In the evening, shortly before it became dark, the orphan decided that no longer wants to stay on the roof and to come down, no matter what happens after. The teachers yelled at her in the office of the Director, and because the dinner was over, they send her in bed without food in order to punish her.

  A week later came visitors at the boarding school. This usually meant that it would be adopted a child. For this, they were all very enthusiastic. The troubled seven-year-old child, who was a thorn in everyone's eyes, was chosen by a wealthy American billionaire.

  “Natasha Nikolaevna,” he spoke, “my name is Tiberius, and I knew your parents. We have a lot to talk about them. This teddy bear is a gift for you. I hope you like it.”

  The girl hugged the teddy bear visibly pleased. They signed the documents and left the building. Initially, they stayed in a hotel in Moscow for several days. Went to the zoo, visited theaters, museums and more. The child felt happy and free. On the last day of their stay, at the door of the hotel suite was knocked. A senior man with glasses came and sat comfortably at the table. There were Tiberius and the orphan.

  “Hello, Natasha. I was parents lawyer, God forgive them Count and Countess Nikolaevni,” the girl looked puzzled. “Yes, you are Countess Nikolaevna. Unfortunately, all that is left is your title, as the Communists confiscated all of your estates. In me, you have a box of jewelry, small notebook and a letter from your parents. Now they are yours. Once I realized that you have a guardian, I can give them. I wish you a long and happy life,” the lawyer bowed to the young countess and left the room.

  The Jew and the child began to examine together the heritage of the child. They exchanged jewels, read the letter and the notebook. Whatever was looking the billionaire, was in the hands of the child. Asked for the journal, and she gave it to him. Inside was the secret for the location of the second disk. The fragmented map delineating the Black Sea, and the inscriptions in an unknown language would be unraveled nearly fifteen years later by a wacky professor.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Authors of the book are Stanimir Mirov and Ivan Mirov (son and father).

  Find out more at amazon.com/Stanimir-Mirov

  FROM THE AUTHOR

  If you enjoyed this book or received value from it in any way, than I’d like to ask you for a favor: would you be kind enough to leave a review for this book on Amazon? It’d be greatly appreciated!

  Truffle Hunters

 

 

 
rethis-inline-share-buttons">share