The Forbidden Tomb Read Online Free PDF

at the very least, can I spend some time with it so I can sketch my own?’
    Cobb nodded. ‘I think something like that can be arranged.’
    Her eyes lit up in anticipation.
    Sarah leaned forward. ‘Let me see if I got this straight. We have access to the only known map of ancient Alexandria, and somewhere in the city is a golden hearse protecting the golden coffin of a famous king?’
    Cobb shrugged but said nothing.
    ‘Hector, if we assume ten tons of gold – which seems like a conservative estimate to me – how much cash are we talking about?’
    Garcia calculated the amount in his head. ‘At today’s market value, we’re looking at a minimum of four hundred million dollars.’
    Sarah whistled. ‘Not a bad score.’
    Papineau agreed. ‘It would be, but most historians believe that the hearse was dismantled more than two thousand years ago. The gold was then melted down and pressed into ancient coins that fueled the local economy. Even Alexander’s sarcophagus was eventually replaced with one made of glass. Logic dictates that the hearse would have been completely consumed before they turned their focus to the casket.’
    ‘But there’s still a chance?’ Sarah asked.
    ‘Sure,’ he conceded. ‘There’s always a chance.’
    McNutt signaled for a timeout. ‘Hold up. I’m confused.’
    ‘Tell me something I don’t know,’ Sarah mumbled.
    He didn’t miss a beat. ‘The geek watches you when you sleep.’
    It took a few seconds for the comment to sink in.
    ‘Wait!
What?
’ she demanded.
    Garcia turned bright red. ‘No I don’t! I swear I don’t!’
    She glared at him. ‘You better not, or I swear to God I’ll shove your laptop up your ass. Then I’ll pull it out and shove it up there again.’
    Garcia didn’t know whether to be scared or turned on.
    Cobb cleared his throat and the group calmed down. There was a time and a place for threats, and this was neither. ‘What’s confusing you, Josh?’
    ‘What?’ McNutt asked.
    Cobb smiled. ‘You said something was confusing you . . .’
    ‘Right!’ he said with a laugh. ‘If the hearse was stripped for parts and the gold is long gone, what are we looking for?’
    ‘Good question – one that I was about to ask myself.’
    ‘Thanks, chief.’
    Cobb turned toward their host. ‘Well?’
    Papineau ignored Cobb and spoke directly to McNutt. ‘Joshua, you were in the service for several years. How often do you visit your fallen brethren?’
    ‘Often.’
    It was an honest response from a former Marine.
    In the United States, there are 131 national cemeteries that are recognized for their burials of military personnel. The largest two – Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and Calverton National Cemetery in New York – cover more than 1,700 acres and serve as the burial grounds of more than 750,000 soldiers and their families. McNutt made it a point to visit several of these locations every year.
    ‘And when you pay your respects, what do you leave behind?’
    McNutt pondered the question. His boisterous demeanor was momentarily somber and reserved. ‘Sometimes it’s a personal memento. Sometimes it’s shell casings. Sometimes I pour them a drink from my flask. It all depends on the guy.’
    ‘You leave them tribute. You honor them with an offering.’
    McNutt nodded but said nothing.
    ‘Alexander was honored as well,’ Papineau said as he began to pace around the table. ‘For centuries after his death, great leaders from far and wide made pilgrimages to his tomb to pay their respects. Julius Caesar, Caligula, Augustus – they all came to honor him. It is a tradition that we continue today, bringing tokens of appreciation for the sacrifice of mortal men, particularly those we admire. Therefore, I ask you this: what would you bring to honor one of the greatest conquerors of all time?’
    ‘Chocolate?’ Sarah said with a laugh.
    McNutt made a face. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t bring chocolate on a trip to the desert. It