Only A Shadow

Chapter Thirteen

After closing his front door, Gabriel smiled slyly. He grabbed his smart phone and called a friend of his.

"Hello, Mr. Vitucci? They totally fell for it!" He laughed. 

"What? Who?" Professor Vitucci asked impatiently through the phone.

"The Kokonises. The entire family came here like you said and they're after the scrolls."

"and you followed through with the plan?"

"Yes. They're probably on their way to Tripoli as we speak."

"That's not much time. Only a few hours."

"I can find Amun's shipwreck in only a few minutes with the new program on my submarine I built."

"Wonderful. I'll meet you in ten." Vitucci wrapped up.

"Cool. See you then."

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The old man peered across the wooden pier and found Gabriel standing nonchalantly against a post, smoking. The small town behind the old man was quite silent, for the pier had been abandoned for several years. Gabriel, noticing Professor Vitucci with cane in hand hobbling towards him, flicked his cigarette butt into the rushing sea foam splashing against the wooden poles by which the pier was supported. He waved to Vitucci. "Vitucci!"

"I see you lad, no need to shout." Professor Vitucci grumbled. "Now, is your gizmo ready?"

"It's no gizmo. It's only the best technology this world has ever seen!" Gabriel announced proudly.

"Yes, yes, well is it ready?" Vitucci asked with a gravely voice.

"It was born ready."

Vitucci sighed and with an unamused face declared, "aren't you going to help an old man on?"

"Oh, yeah." Gabriel assured with embarrassment.

After helping Professor Vitucci on the massive grey submarine, Gabriel entered as well and closed the hatch.

The blonde sat down in a massive, high backed, cushioned, black leather chair at the nose of the submarine. In front of him was a wide panel of buttons, switched and shifters. On the right was a large sonar panel that beeped every second.

Professor Vitucci found a bolted down chair and with a heavy sigh, sat down. Eventually he pointed his wooden cane with a black rubber tip at the sonar panel. "What is this for?"

"It's a high powered sonar that will tell us where the shipwreck is."

"I see."

Hours passed and under the waves of the Aegean sea, two men were highly frustrated.

"I'm starting to think you've not tested this sonar!" Mr. Vitucci growled angrily.

"Maybe, you should shut your mouth." Gabriel snapped.

"We've been down here hours and you haven't found a single thing. We're almost to Seferihisar and you've not found anything! Why do you even want these scrolls?" Professor Vitucci argued.

"Because, I long, oh how I long, for fame and money. If we find these scrolls before the S.D.A. does, we can sell them on the market for a very very high price. We'll be rich!"

"I see, well. What about selling them to a theologian? He could put the silent years in their rightful place and we'd be rich."

"Aw, does the old man have a soft spot in his decrepit heart?" Gabriel mocked, sticking out his bottom lip in fake sadness. Soon the frown was gone and he asked harshly, "What's the matter with you Vitucci. Do you want to get the S.D.A. back or not?"