Romanov snapped his fingers and then turned his back on the women as he stepped inside the tent. Two well-armed men moved over beside Jen and her mother and waved for them to follow Romanov. Stepping inside, Jen saw that there were several tables covered with debris collected from the crash site. A couple of white-lab-coated technicians were busy photographing and recording everything. On the table nearest to her were some personal effects from the crash: glasses, watches, and the occasional pitiful item of singed clothing were all that remained of the passengers and crew of the doomed airship. A feeling of melancholy overcame Jen. This was not a dig to find answers about the past to help explain why the Goliath had disappeared. This was nothing more than a naked grab for wealth and power. Now, ladies, we are wasting precious time. Please come with me, I want to show you the crash site, said Romanov.

Led by a couple of Romanovs guards, Jen and Mrs. March walked to the edge of the ridge. Stopping, they looked down into a brightly lit excavation site. Jen edged forward as her curiosity grew. She peered down into the ever-growing hole dug out of the hard rock and sand, where tall, industrial searchlights illuminated the dig site, making it seem as bright as day inside the pit. At least two hundred Mauritanian soldiers slogged away with picks and shovels to remove the tons of debris covering the mangled remains of the Goliath. Jen had not known what to expect at the crash site, but the partial remains of the outer structure of the airship thrust out of the sand like the rib cage of some long-dead, giant, prehistoric beast. Looking around, Jen saw more well-armed men walking the perimeter of the site, keeping a watchful eye out into the pitch-black desert. They were a mix of nationalities and sexes. They did not look like the men in the pit; these people all looked

A cold shiver ran up her spine.

Romanov walked over and stood beside Jen and her mother. In his hands was an iPad tablet, that displayed a computer-enhanced schematic of the Goliaths superstructure, superimposed upon the dig site. Now, Miss March, take a look at this and tell me where I should have my men dig, said Romanov. Jen took the tablet in her hands. Fear gripped her soul. She had no idea where the jewels could be. When she looked at the image on the screen, Jen saw that the Goliath must have hit the ground nose first, as it appeared to have collapsed in on itself upon impact. Shed spent countless hours reading about the Goliath, but now, looking down at the image on the screen, Jen found it hard to discern one part of the airship from another. Romanov turned his cold gaze on Jen. Well, Miss March, where are the