“Maybe they believed it would somehow come alive and attack them,”Irminesurmised.
“But it looks like they changed their mind and knocked them off. Why? This place definitely isn’t a temple,”Kellingrestated.
“At least, not an ancient Egyptian temple,” the associate countered, and flashed his beam around the interior. “No hieroglyphs. No nothing except this slab of rock with the chains embedded in it, and this monstrosity.”
“A beautiful monstrosity,”Kellingcorrected. He stood and scanned the stone figure more closely. “Look at the detail. It’s almost lifelike.”
“Hey,Kelling?”Irminetapped his mouth with a forefinger, a habit he had when he was thinking. “What if it’s an idol that was captured during battle, and was hidden here to keep its original owners from finding it?”
“That’s a viable theory, but it doesn’t explain the chains.”
“Maybe it was already attached to the rock when it was transported here.”
Kellingfollowed the crude metal links from the figure to the rock. “This slab has to weigh at least two tons. I’m guessing the idol weighs a fourth of that. No. If someone is going to go to the trouble of stealing someone’s god, they’re going to try to do it as quickly as possible. A dozen or so men could carry this thing, but it would take a more massive effort to bring that rock with it. No, I’m thinkingthat rock was already here when the thing was brought here. Then they may have chained it to the rock to prevent it from being stolen back.”
Irminenodded. “I like your theory better.”
A glint of something shiny reflected from his flashlight’s beam. Digging out a soft, camel hair artist’s brush from his back pocket,Kellinglightly dusted the object which was lying underneath the idol’s lefthand.Irmineaimed his light from the opposite direction to give him a clearer view.
“What do you think it is?”
“It appears to be a second idol. Maybe a totem of some sort.”
Irminegasped. “Two idols? Buried together?”
“I know, right? And it appears…”Kellinggave the object a little tug with his index finger. “This thing is loose.”
It didn’t take a lot of effort other than time to carefullywork the small object from underneath the immense statue’s hand. When he’d finally managed to extricate it, he examined the statuette. “I don’t recognize it, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it.” He handed it toIrmine. “Have you?”
The man peered at it. “No. It’s obviously made of a hardened clay, but the metal band around what seems to be the thing’s neck has me baffled.”He wiped the band with his thumb. “I’d swear that’s gold. Gold on a clay totem?”
Kellingtook the statuette from him. “I’m going to take this back topside and send Arnie down here to take pictures. Get a full three-sixty. Then we’ll begin the preservation of this idol.”
“Do I need to start the paperwork so we can remove it?”
“Yeah.”
He turned to leave when a grating sound came from withinthe chamber.Kellinginstinctively crouched down, his muscles tensing in case they needed to make a dash for the opening. After a few moments, he glanced over at his assistant. “Better get that preservation done first before this place caves in.”
He noticedIrminewas staring at the statue. The man’s eyes were wide with apprehension, and his face had gone pale. “What wrong? What’s the matter?”
Irminelifted his face to the professor. “You’re going to think I’ve gone batty, but I swear on my life that damn idol justmoved!”
