CHAPTER 66

CHAPTER 66

IT WAS TWO AM, when a van with tinted windows pulled up on the side street of the London cemetery. The night, shrouded in thick fog, barely allowed anyone to see little more than a few meters in front of them. The two men who got out went to the back door and removed a series of instruments as if they were two miners: shovels and pickaxes, a blowtorch and a small bag that did not allow identification of its contents.

— Hurry up, Donatello! — Said Gregory Evans, already on the other side of the iron railing — pass me the blowtorch!

Both were now inside the cemetery and quietly moved among the tombs to the previously studied tomb. During the day they were at the cemetery and surveyed the site to be explored.

— It's this one — confirmed Donatello, looking at the marble tombstone wedged between two mausoleums.

In silence, the two men went to work. With two shovels, the earth was quickly removed, revealing an old lead-lined coffin. Gregory Evans attached the oxygen tube to the torch and went to work.

— It's almost open — he said as he finished making a rectangle on that metal surface.

— Pass me the flashlight — he said, after leaving the torch in a corner. Donatello handed it to him. As the small light focused on the interior of the coffin, bones, already gray, were perceived by the duo.

— Where is the book? asked Donatello, who stood on the top surface of the tomb.

Gregory Evans placed the flashlight inside the coffin, directing the light underneath as he laid his head over the small makeshift window.

— It's there, on the corpse's feet! — Said.

— Is it the book?

— I still don't know — said Gregory, reaching inside the coffin, reaching it with difficulty — it's wrapped in a cloth! — soon afterwards he amended — but it must be, it's quite heavy!

Gregory pulled it out then with the tips of his gloved fingers. The flashlight focused on a square object, wrapped in what was left of a cloth. This was quickly removed leaving the object visible.

— Heavens! — I've never seen anything like it! Gregory blurted out, fascinated by the gold piece.

The book, despite the dust in which it was impregnated, showed to be a beautiful work of goldsmithing, whose technique had been lost in time. Its cover featured geometrically perfect designs of pyramids alternating with spheres, whose interior projected double-headed eagles and totally unknown inscriptions in golden relief.

— Hurry up, Gregory, let's go — Donatello said, holding up a gun pointed in his direction.