In the afternoon of the following day, The Cotillion arrived at its destination near an island along the Turkish coastline. Anxious, Gavin persuaded Lara and Lisa to suit up for an initial dive. With lights and an underwater camera, they plunged into the cool waters. To communicate, each carried an underwater tablet with stylus to write on.

Of the many physical activities Lara has done, diving was found to be the most relaxing. The near weightlessness of the environment eased the muscles and soothed the soul. The sensation washed through her body as she trailed after Lisa and Gavin.

Fifteen minutes later the decaying remainder of a wooden vessel was reached. Lara circled the structure while Lisa and Gavin conversed in sign language. A few pieces of broken pottery outside the vessel on the sea floor were inspected. Beneath the pieces a partially buried coin was uncovered. After a quick study, she placed it within a sack and swam in a slow circle around the vessel towards the others.

Lara wrote on her tablet, 'Roman, not Egyptian.'

Lisa showed her tablet, 'Head South.'

Lara nodded and followed.

Gavin stayed for a few moments to record the site and marked it with a tethered orange float.

After a hundred meters another decaying vessel was spotted. Lara stopped, scanned the remains, and found it to be similar in structure to the first, while Lisa continued to the far end of the wreckage. Floating down to the sea floor, she felt a gentle tug on her side.

Gavin came close, waved his hands and wiggled his fingers.

She grabbed his tablet and wrote, 'I'm Lara!'

Gavin took her tablet and scribbled, 'Sorry.' His eyes smiled.

Lara placed a hand next to her head, rolled the fingers, and extended the little finger and thumb, as if using a phone. Her eyebrows raised into question marks.

Gavin shook his head. 'Forgot,' he wrote. He opened his hands and shrugged.

Her eyes rolled and she thought, 'This is so primitive. I'm reduced to scratching a conversation without a communicator, while they are having a normal dialog with their sign language.'

Lisa swam close and raised her tablet. 'Head Southwest.'

Another marker was left, and they continued another eighty meters to a third site. Remnants of a boat were barely noticeable until Lisa stopped and pointed.

Lara drifted to the location and sifted through the sand. A broken platter was found, examined, and slipped inside her sack. She wrote, 'Persian?'

Gavin placed a marker, pointed up, and wrote, 'Surface.'

Twenty minutes later three heads broke the surface of the water and made their way to The Cotillion.

Tim helped Lara into the boat and asked, "How was the dive?"

"Invigorating," she replied and assisted Lisa into the boat. The latex cowl was pulled off and her hair freed. "How did you know you were talking to me and not Lisa?"

He answered, "The size of the knife around your calf. Lisa carries a smaller one around her waist."

Gavin pulled off his mask. "So, Lara, which wreckage should we look at first?"

Lara took out the coin. "I think you have a good chance of finding something in the first two sites." She gave the coin to Lisa to examine. "But the third appears older than the other two." The broken platter was handed out. "My guess is a Persian, Greek, or Phoenician trading vessel."

Gavin looked at the coin in Lisa's hand. "A Roman gold coin! Interesting!" He glanced at the others. "We should have a brief meeting to discuss what our next step is and which site will be first to explore. Let's get out of these wetsuits and gather around the table in ten minutes."

Tim leaned towards Lara. "Now is the time to retrieve any e-mail or voice mail messages. I placed all of our laptops inside the radio room. Just go up to the next level and Captain Konas or Junior will show you where it's located."

Lara questioned, "Captain? Junior? Do you have a nickname?"

"Yeah, I told you. Tim."

"What is Gavin's?"

"Boss."

Lara covered her mouth and chuckled. "Does Lisa have a nickname?"

"None that she would respond to. But if you need her attention, do this." He waved his hand up and down, pivoting at the wrist. "She does that a lot when someone's attention is needed."

She went to the ladder and asked, "What's my nickname?"

"Don't have one for you, yet. But before this trip is over, you'll have one. I promise you that," Tim smiled.

Lara climbed the ladder and, with Junior's assistance, entered the radio room.

After booting up her laptop, her e-mail messages were pulled down.

Connie had sent a note for Lara to call Professor Robinson as soon as possible.

Her chin rested on a fist, and she stared at the message for a second. "Well, let's see what he has to say."

The phone was dialed.

"Professor Robinson, its Lara Croft. I received your message."

"Dr. Croft, I am glad you were able to call. The reason for my message is to clarify my son's actions and to make clear this was not a prank of any sort. I apologize on his behalf if he made you feel uncomfortable by any abrasive or rude comments. His irresponsible approach was taken under what he believed to be an urgent matter, and without my knowledge. If the information were brought to me before hand, I would have insisted to approach you myself in a more tactful manner. This, of course, you know, Dr. Croft."

"Of course, Professor. Please explain what he was rambling about in my office."

"A report published some time ago caught my son's attention. The authors stated they had found hidden messages in a numerical code when applied onto the first five books of the Bible. Their findings intrigued my son and he was anxious to replicate their work. With the proper software, he wanted to try a few different numerical codes, use the names of the kings of England as search criteria, and report his conclusions for his doctorate. What he found has not been fully brought forward, but he uncovered something interesting. Near the name of King Richard Lionheart was a small phrase, 'Lion of God', and a date, which corresponds to a mystery trip King Richard made to the Balkans. Historians have wondered about his trip, and there are no letters or documents to explain the reasons for it."

She asked, "Wasn't this during the Third Crusade campaign?"

"Actually, it was on his return from the Holy Land and before his capture by Emperor Henry VI, but I am straying from the message. My son decided to find out what the phrase 'Lion of God' represented. Impulsively, he entered the phrase as search criteria. Dr. Croft, not only did he find your name and King Richard's, but about twenty others were also found with different dates throughout the centuries."

Lara frowned and furrowed her brow. "What other famous names appeared?"

"A quick perusal of the list shows one other well-known name. The rest are unknown to me."

"Who is the other name?"

"Charles Lamb, a nineteenth century English essayist."

Intrigued, she inquired, "And what date is next to his?"

"The date corresponds to the time his older sister, Mary Ann Lamb, was declared insane after stabbing her father and killing her mother."

Lara paused for a few seconds. "Is there any way to find out who the others are?"

"There is no surety that these names are English men or women. To research historical archives and genealogies is a major undertaking. And if some are of people from other countries, we are estimating years and years of digging through historical birth records, provided they were maintained."

"What a strange mystery," she murmured. "So what am I suppose to be looking for, Professor?"

"Dr. Croft, I have no idea. I first wanted to explain this was not a prank on anyone's part. Second, the date corresponds to this month and year."

"So far I haven't encountered anything unusual nor anything related to it."

A moment of silence passed.

"Well, this may sum up to be an unnecessary warning, but I consider you as a fellow scholar and a friend, Dr. Croft. I have enjoyed our many lively discussions and debates, even though at times you may not agree to my point of view. The month ends in a few days. I just want you to take the extra precaution in whatever research you are doing."

She rubbed her chin and sighed, "I have to attend a meeting, Professor. If I happen to find this 'Lion of God' I will let you know. Good bye."

"May the Lord keep you safe, Dr. Croft. Good bye."

Lara's eyes lost focus while deep in thought as she sat in front of her laptop. A finger massaged the area around the temple.

Junior appeared. "Boss wants you at the meeting."

She glanced at him, nodded, and walked out of the room.

* * *

The weather reports predicted mild days for the rest of the week. Everyone settled down in the cabins for their first night out at sea. Captain Konas radioed his position to the nearest port and headed for his cabin.

Hours later, Lara stepped out of hers and headed for the kitchen. A notebook and pen were carried, and a grieved look on her face. A pot of water was placed on a burner and the heat turned on. As she sat and wrote, the soft sound of footsteps came from the hall.

Gavin stepped into the galley. "Anxious about the dive?"

"A dream woke me up," she replied and continued writing.

He pulled out some mugs, poured the hot water, and placed teabags in each to steep. "Want to tell me about it?"

She hesitated, then spoke in a low tone. "It was suggested by someone to write the details of my recurring dreams. Hopefully a reason for them could be found."

Gavin dipped his teabag, leaned forward and tilted his head. "What was the latest dream about?"

Lara paused, looked away, and started, "In the latest one I found myself walking along the autobahn with friends and associates. My head turned to view the scenery and a sparkling castle in the distance caused me to stop. Curious for a closer look, I found a dirt path that appeared to lead to the castle. A few steps down the path, a snake bit my ankle, and I collapsed in pain. It was a struggle to walk, so I either crawled or dragged myself down the path until coming to a clear cool brook. My ankle was soaked in the water to relieve the pain, and then I looked up at the castle. At the front gate, someone stood and watched me. He waved to someone inside the gate, and another person appeared, riding a white horse. The person who stood at the gate pointed to me. The person on the horse started to gallop towards my direction. Then it became cold and dark, and small red eyes began to gather within the bushes that encircled me. They came closer... after that, I awoke." She shrugged. "This dream, plus another, have been recurring for the past two to three weeks."

Gavin placed a hand on her arm. "My suggestion to you is to relax. If time on your own is needed, just let me know."

Lara responded, "Actually, this is what the doctor prescribed. Diving relaxes me, and doing this job is less strenuous then my normal explorations." Her cheeks turned red after realizing the implied phrase of being under a doctor's care.

"I'm glad to hear it," he smiled.

They drank the tea in silence.

Lara scribbled, looked up, and spoke, "So what exactly did Lisa say when she first saw me?"

Gavin shifted. "She was amazed you and her looked exactly alike. Long ago I told her she was beautiful, but she wanted to know compared to whom. Inadvertently I mentioned she reminded me of someone from my past. From then on she had constantly asked for the name... but I wouldn't tell her. So she referred to my mystery person as the 'Dream Girl'. When you came aboard, she quickly concluded who my mystery person was, and said, 'Your beautiful dream girl has now arrived.'" He grimaced and looked away.

Lara said, "Obviously I don't want to stir up the pot by my being here. I will try to be as cordial as possible."

"I'm sure you will be on your best behavior. Just don't be a stuffy aristocrat. Have some fun," he teased.

She smirked and nodded.

* * *

In the cool evening at Lara Croft's estate, her butler secured the doors and windows, and tested the functions of the appropriate outside lights. A few room lights were left on. The house alarm and the new perimeter security system were activated. He settled into bed with a cup of chicken broth and an adventure novel. The last notes of Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' drifted from his cassette player as he started to read.

Outside the walls of the estate's perimeter, two black-outfitted men carried two large wooden crates. At a corner they scaled to the top. Using ropes, the crates were lowered inside the courtyard area. With night vision goggles they surveyed the estate, and then nodded. Each pulled on a rope connected to a slot that opened the crates. A herd of rats scrambled out and headed towards the garden, the workout area, and the mansion.

* * *

For the next couple of days Lara, Lisa, Gavin, and Tim spent their diving time in shifts at the first two wreckage sites. Broken pieces of pottery, bent metal, and a few gold coins were uncovered. Lara categorized the items, but found nothing Egyptian. A few times after the end of her shift she wandered to the third site and sifted through the debris. Only rotting wood and a few stones were noticed. Without the proper exploration tools, like the ones used on the first two sites, a great deal of time would be spent to uncover one artifact. Lara nudged a few items, hoping something unusual would be exposed. She returned to the boat empty-handed.

During this time Lisa became friendlier. Once she had deliberately sat next to Lara, placed a laptop between them, and typed a conversation with her. Their topics started with advantages of long hair and short hair, hairstyles, lipstick colors and cosmetics, and travel locations and hotels. Eventually it turned to the present exploration.

Lisa typed, 'What have you concluded from the items found so far?'

Lara scratched her head and typed, 'Trade ships during the Roman Empire.'

Lisa's finger tapped on her upturned lips, and typed, 'You seem to be anxious for something. Do you want to explore the third site?'

Lara smiled and typed, 'I am anxious for a lot of things. A friend had predicted I would find the 'Lion of God' in the next couple of days. He said it was written in the Bible.'

Curious, Lisa typed, 'What is the 'Lion of God'?'

Lara shrugged, and spoke, "I don't know."

Lisa pulled out a CD containing the King James Bible and slipped it into her laptop. The phrase was searched, and different chapters and verses appeared that referred to 'lions' (Lions and young lions, Samson and the lion, Daniel in the lion's den, the Lion of Juda, etc.), but no 'Lion of God'. Inquisitive, Lisa decided to open the fourth chapter of Revelations and read. She looked at Lara and pointed to the screen.

The chapter described four creatures near the throne of God. One creature appeared to be the form of a lion, its body covered with eyes, and had six wings.

Lisa wrote on a piece of paper, 'Maybe this is it.'

Lara shuddered and wrote, 'I would die of fright if I met anything like that.'

Lisa giggled and wrote, 'Tomorrow you and I will go early before our shift and explore the third site.' She extended a hand.

Lara nodded and shook hands.

"Hey, Dreamy, do I get any time online?" Tim poked his head into the room.

"Who are you calling 'Dreamy'?" Lara questioned.

"To both of you, because I must be in a dream to have two lovely ladies on the same boat," he grinned.

"I think you are referring to me. The word 'dream' has more than one implication, other than you dreaming about us," Lara surmised.

Tim chuckled, "Be careful around here. The walls have ears. Also, a phone message arrived from your secretary, Connie. She said the caretaker of your estate reported large rats on the grounds... the four-legged furry kind."

"He is my butler, not caretaker," Lara corrected.

Tim mocked a surprised look. "I didn't know you were so privileged. Anyway, she said a pest control company was contacted and will take care of the problem." He paused. "So what does Connie look like?"

Lara ignored the question and pondered the problem at home. 'We have been very clean and careful. How did we manage to get a problem with rats?'

* * *

The following morning a van arrived at Lara Croft's estate. Two men dressed in coveralls knocked on the front door.

Lara's butler greeted the men. "Yes?"

"Good morning, sir. We're from Triple A Pest Control. My name is Jimmy, and this is Al. Connie called about a pest problem. She said we could come in and survey the area before we do the work."

The butler examined the men.

Jimmy was a dark-haired, dark-eyed man who kept in shape, six foot tall, fair skinned with Mediterranean features. Al was five inches taller, dark skinned, skinny, and Middle Eastern features.

"Please step inside," he gestured.

"Thanks. What's your name, sir?" Jimmy asked.

The butler answered, "Winston."

Jimmy admired the foyer. "Winston, you've got a nice place here."

Al closed his eyes, raised his hands to his waist with palms up, and appeared to have fallen asleep.

Several seconds passed in silence as they watched Al.

Winston opened his mouth to speak but Jimmy held up a hand to stop him.

Al took a deep breath and opened his eyes. "They are here," he murmured.

Jimmy turned to Winston. "Can you show us where you first saw the rats?"

"Come this way," Winston responded. In the kitchen he pointed to the opposite wall. "One of them ran along the wall, then scurried inside this cabinet underneath the sink."

Jimmy knelt next to the cabinet, opened the door and examined inside with a flashlight. "There's the hole, right next to the pipes. Nasty little buggers. You know they could chew threw brick and mortar just to get to the other side for food?"

Winston raised an eyebrow and replied in a tone of disbelief. "Really?"

"Not lying about that, Winston. I've seen what they can do." Jimmy pulled out a notebook of graph paper and began to sketch. "We need to get to the basement, look at every room in the house, view the attic, and then survey the grounds. So lead the way."

Winston hesitated. "There is one room that cannot be entered, by orders of the lady of the house."

Jimmy stood. "We need complete accessibility to every room if you want us to guarantee our work. Otherwise you will have to pay for another treatment if there is a re-infestation."

Winston frowned, "I am sorry but those are the orders."

Jimmy sighed and looked at Al. "Winston, does this room have ventilation?"

"Yes."

"Then we need to treat that room. I'm sure the lady of the house doesn't want to come back and find rats in her room."

"Of course not. She abhors them," Winston informed.

"Well... think of her when she finds out there are rats in the house, hmmm? Not fun, right? Now think of her when she finds out we treated the house except for that room and she still has rats. Still not fun, right? For just one more room you get our guarantee there will be no more infestations of rats. And if they return, we will do a second treatment at no cost. So you come out looking like the hero because we guarantee our work for a full house treatment, and save her money if a second is necessary. Not bad, right?"

Winston shifted and paused. "I need to make a phone call."

"Of course, you have to get her 'okay', Winston. I understand. Al and I will go throughout the areas and make our survey while you call. Do you think you will have an answer by tomorrow morning?"

"I will definitely have an answer by tomorrow," Winston confirmed.

Jimmy winked at Al. "We'll go to the foyer area and make some sketches."

Winston grabbed the phone. "The entrance to the basement is on the left as you enter the foyer."

Jimmy and Al wandered through and gazed around.

Al motioned towards a closed door in the corner. "It is behind that door. I can feel it."

Jimmy sketched on the graph paper. He marked the location of the door with an 'X'.

* * *

The next day, after their morning dive, Lisa and Lara came out of the water. They deposited their sacks and gear on the boat's deck.

Tim helped and huffed, "Where have you two been?"

"At the third site. We just wanted to do some extra exploring," Lara responded.

Tim scolded as if they were misbehaved teenagers, "You should have told us! Gavin is upset that you two took off on your own!"

"I will be ready for my shift," Lara snapped and pulled out small pots from her sack.

"Hey, what did you find?" he said as the scowl on his face faded.

"Mostly broken pottery, except for these small ones. Lisa found one containing jewelry."

Lisa extended an open hand with rings, earrings, and necklaces.

"I want to clean and categorize them before my shift." Lara took off her cowl.

"Alright." Tim turned towards Lisa. "In fifteen minutes we are going to the first site. Will you be ready?"

Lisa nodded, winced, and fanned a hand in front of her face. After he left, she looked at Lara, extended a thumb towards Tim's direction, and pinched her nose.

Lara snorted and picked up the sacks.

Lisa wrote, 'Another dive tomorrow?'

Lara sighed and thought, 'Tomorrow is the last day of the month. Well, if I don't find this thing by then it will definitely prove to be a hoax.' She nodded and dug inside a sack. A key of unusual design and weight was pulled out. Under close scrutiny she noticed two letters inscribed on the head. Lara muttered, "Hmmm... a key with Greek letters... alpha and omega. Could mean the ship was a Grecian vessel, but I wonder what this opens up?" She flipped it around in her hand. "Definitely a keeper."

* * *

Winston greeted the exterminators at the door. "Will you be treating the house today?"

Two large cases were carried in. "That's what we planned. Do we have full access to every room?"

"I'm sorry, but the orders of the lady must be respected."

Jimmy shrugged, "No need to feel sorry, Winston. It only means we have to use something stronger."

Curious, Winston asked, "What will you use?"

"This!" An aerosol can was brought up and sprayed into the butler's face.

Winston gagged and coughed. He staggered back and collapsed.

A roll of tape was lifted out of the case and the back of the fallen butler's collar was grabbed.

"Al, open the basement door," Jimmy ordered while dragging the body.

Al swung open the door and assisted in wrapping tape around the butler's arms and legs. Then they pushed and watched him roll to the bottom of the steps. The door was closed and locked.

Jimmy went to another case and assembled a drill with a large bit. He walked to the corner door. "Al, this is the room where her private collection is, right?"

Al nodded and grabbed a package of plastic explosives and wire.

The hole was drilled, the plastic inserted, and, after running the wires and huddling around a corner, an explosion rang in the foyer.

The door hung open, and the two men entered the room. A quick survey implied an appearance to a trophy room with pictures and awards mounted on the walls. Their attention turned to the glass encasements on top of pedestals situated in measured locations on the floor.

In a trance-like state, Al targeted the pedestals and raised hands in a solemn manner. "I will release the forces trapped within them, and then my power will be complete. I shall reign supreme."

Jimmy shuffled near, "Remember our deal, Al. You're suppose to give me a part of the world to control if I got you into this room."

Al's steel gaze fell on his accomplice. He bowed and replied, "And you shall have your wish, as soon as I absorb the power within these items." His toothy grin sent a chill down Jimmy's back.

* * *

Late in the afternoon, Gavin, Tim, Lisa, and Lara stood on The Cotillion's deck after the day's dive. Huge smiles beheld the pile of sacks, containing artifacts of gold pieces, pottery, and metal armor, laid at their feet.

"I think we hit the tip of the mother lode!" Gavin exclaimed.

Tim praised, "Boss, you are a natural for this! I don't know how you do it!"

Lara shook her head and laughed, "All I see is a lot of work for me to do in these sacks. And to think this all came from the first site. What will we find in the second?"

"More of the same, I hope," Tim snorted. "After this, I'm taking a vacation for the rest of my life."

Captain Konas and Junior looked down at them and giggled from the group's infectious laughter.

Gavin saw them and said, "Tonight, boys and girls, after dinner, we will celebrate and have entertainment!"

"Alright, Boss!" the Konas brothers cheered.

Puzzled, Lara smiled and followed the group inside the boat.

In the kitchen, Lisa prepared a grand meal for dinner, while Lara assisted as best as she could. Grilled fish, steamed vegetables and wild rice were laid in great quantities on the table, and consumed.

With theatric fanfare, Gavin broke open a bottle of champagne and toasted. "Here's to all of you, boys and girls. To a fine effort and a great accomplishment, and may we find more of the same tomorrow."

"Hear, hear!" Tim shouted and drank.

Gavin drank, watched everyone for a few seconds, and smiled. "Now... for the entertainment! Captain?"

Captain Konas displayed a deck of cards and shuffled as if a dealer at a high-stakes poker table. The deck was placed in front of Lara, and he said, "Cut the cards."

"Are we playing a card game?" Lara asked in a bit of whimsy.

Tim enforced, "Cut the deck and just watch."

Lara obliged.

Captain picked up the two piles and shuffled a few more times. Four cards were laid face down on the table. He set the deck aside, and pointed to Lara. "Name a card."

"Queen of Hearts," she responded.

The card near her was turned over, exposing the queen of hearts.

"Name a card," he pointed to Lisa.

She signed, 'Two of Diamonds.'

He turned the card nearest her. The two of diamonds was exposed.

Tim and Gavin asked for the ace of spades and the jack of clubs. Captain Konas showed their cards in front of them.

Astonished, Lara quizzed, "How did you do that?"

Captain smiled and placed an index finger on his lips.

"We are still trying to figure that out. I think he was a card mechanic or hustler in a previous life," Tim trumpeted.

Junior picked up fruit from the table and juggled. For three minutes the items were tossed behind the back and down to his feet. At certain moments the action stopped and an orange balanced on his forehead. After catching an apple in his mouth, he bowed to the applause.

Tim placed a Yamaha keyboard and a violin on the table. "Now, ladies and germs, for our feature presentation, we have our very own virtuoso, Gavin, 'the Boss-man', Williams, who will entertain us with a piece from..." Tim stopped and asked, "What are we playing tonight, Boss?"

Gavin nestled the violin under his chin. "I thought a little bit of Tchiakowsky would fit the mood. The second and third movement of his Violin Concerto in D Major, Opus 35, to be specific."

"Excellent choice, maestro," Tim agreed. "And the accompaniment will be performed by me with a synthesized orchestra on keyboard."

The others chuckled. Lisa positioned herself behind Gavin. Her fingertips lightly touched the bottom of the violin.

In utter amazement, Lara listened as Tim and Gavin performed like masters in a concert hall. Gavin squeezed emotions with mournful wails from the strings, and then, engaged in high energy, the music came to life under his melodic and measured notes. Tim's marvelous chords complimented the song with subdued keystrokes. Fifteen minutes later the applause came as natural as an exclamation point.

Lara stood. "Bravo, bravo! I am shocked you could play so well."

Gavin grinned, "I didn't tell you the London Philharmonic Orchestra offered me first chair a few years ago. Unfortunately a certain someone would be out of a job and would have fallen back into tending bar, as well as teaching scuba diving lessons in some plush South Pacific resort." He glanced at Tim.

"Hey, don't knock it. That's a cushy job with fringe benefits," Tim laughed.

Gavin faced Lara. "Now it's your turn."

"What?" Lara froze.

"I know you were taught how to play the piano. More than once the sounds of you practicing a song could be heard whenever I rode by your father's house. You must have had a window open."

Lara's face turned beet red. "It's been so long since I played. Can I pass on this?"

"Come on, Lara. Everybody has some hidden talent. Now is the time to show it," Tim winked and laughed.

Embarrassed, Lara covered her face and peaked between the fingers.

Lisa pleaded and pointed to the keyboard.

"Oh, all right," Lara sighed. She dropped her hands and looked at Tim. "Please set that for classical piano."

Captain and Junior applauded as Lara positioned herself behind the keyboard. Lisa placed her fingertips over the speakers.

Everyone became silent as Lara took in a couple of deep breaths.

"Let me play something I learned at an early age. Please forgive me if it sounds rusty and unprofessional." After the brief introduction, she began.

The keys were pressed with gentleness and purpose. Each note fell in correct sequence, and an underlying emotion was conveyed from the music to the whole group.

Tim tilted his head and watched. Gavin smiled and gazed in approval. Captain and Junior nodded in time with the short tune. Lisa sat and studied Lara. When the final note was played, everyone cheered. Lisa clapped the loudest.

"Beautiful, Lara," Gavin proclaimed. "Even Lisa recognized the piece through the vibrations as Beethoven's 'For Elise'. It's one of her favorites, especially since her full maiden name was Elise Crawford."

Lisa placed a hand on her chest. The other held Lara's hand and squeezed. She grabbed a napkin and wrote, 'You played that in a sad and solemn fashion. Are you feeling well?'

Lara raised her hands and shrugged. "I guess I am out of sorts. A good night's rest should do me well." A small smile covered her lips.

Lisa read Lara's somber eyes and wrote, 'I have a little joke that may cheer you up. What do you get when you cross 'the Atlantic' with 'the Titanic'?'

Lara read and replied, "I don't know. What?"

'Halfway,' Lisa wrote.

Lara's giggle was uncontrollable. "I don't know why I think it's funny, but I can't stop laughing." She passed the napkin to the others.

They snickered and laughed.

"It definitely is not from 'The Benny Hill Show'," Lara snorted. "I think a creature on 'The Muppet Show' said this." Her laughter overflowed.

Tim snapped his fingers. "That's right! It was... Fozzy Bear! I loved that show!"

Hysterical laughter echoed in the galley as each one who remembered the show recalled their favorite episode. Gavin gave his best impression of Kermit the Frog. Everyone laughed long and hard on how bad it was.

Tim maneuvered the keyboard about and played the theme song. After a few bars it fell silent, and the lights went out.

"Uh-oh, someone forgot to pay the utility bill," Lara joked.

Gavin spoke in a loud voice. "Everybody stay seated until I hand out torches. Junior, find your way upstairs and see if everything is operating."

Junior stumbled to the ladder and climbed. Gavin gathered small plastic flashlights and placed them on the table.

Tim remarked, "Hey, Boss, do you have any others? These plastic throwaways don't seem to work."

Puzzled, Gavin frowned, "That can't be! They were only a month old." He turned to Lara. "Behind you is a container that has three lanterns with oil. Please pull them out and light them." He pivoted and retrieved a large flashlight. "This one doesn't work either." He spoke to Tim. "Could you work your way around the table and see if the underwater strobes operate?"

While Tim inched his way to the open deck, Lara flicked a lighter, touched the small flame to the wick of each lantern, and adjusted the intensity. "Let there be light," she quipped.

"Hey, Boss," Junior shouted from the upper level. "Come up here and look at this!"

Gavin lifted a lantern and signaled for Captain to follow. They climbed to the upper level.

"The radio has no power. And I tried one of the notebook computers, but it wouldn't run," Junior reported. "When I checked the GPS and controls, I saw this." He pointed to the compass on the control panel.

The compass was spinning.

Gavin went to the edge of the upper level. "Tim, check your compass."

"The strobes won't go on," Tim replied and pulled out his compass. His voice squawked as if frightened by a ghost. "It's... it's spinning! Wha-what is going on?"

Gavin stepped back and stared at Junior and Captain. His digital wristwatch was examined.

The watch showed nothing on its face.

"My watch has stopped, too," Captain reported.

Gavin stepped to the ladder.

Junior pointed out in front of the boat. "Boss! Look!"

The faintest light from the sunset showed a large fog rushing towards them.

Gavin yelled, "Tim, shoot off a couple of flares before the fog rolls in. Maybe someone will see it and rescue us!"

Tim ran to a cabinet and grabbed the flare gun. His hands trembled as he loaded the gun, hurried to the open deck, and stumbled over the diving gear. The flare gun fell to the side, bounced off the edge of the boat, and splashed into the water.

Tim gnashed his teeth and cursed, "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

"Tim, calm down! Calm down!" Gavin ordered. He peered over the side and sighed.

"Let's go back inside and figure out what we can do."

The heavy fog covered the boat like a thick blanket, and visibility was brought down to ten meters, plunging them in an eerie darkness. The men stood around the table while the ladies sat.

Gavin studied the faces. Tim appeared to be the only one upset, eyes darting left and right. The others watched their boss in anticipation of his next words.

After a deep breath, he spoke. "It seems everything that runs on batteries has died. The stove is the only thing on the boat that does not require an electric current. A stifling fog has moved in on us and, for some reason, our compasses are uselessly spinning. It looks like we are stuck here for a time, or until someone finds us." He was silent for a moment. "We have to post a sentry in case a boat passes by in the evening. I will take the first watch, Captain the second, and Junior the third."

Lara asked, "How will you know your shift is over?"

Three candles and a holder were retrieved from another container.

"Each candle lasts a little over three hours. When a candle expires, then the next shift starts." Gavin paused. "I hope we don't have to do this for too long. The supplies are getting short." He looked at their blank faces. "I am open to any suggestions."

"We'll be okay, right? Everything will be fine, right?" Tim's nervous voice grated.

Gavin calmed his own nerves and responded, "Tim, everything will be okay. Captain and Junior should go and rest straight away. I need both of you to be ready for your shifts."

Lara inquired, "Will we be diving tomorrow?"

"All activities will be suspended," Gavin answered. "I don't want to risk any equipment malfunctions while in the middle of a dive."

They nodded. Captain and Junior headed for their rooms. Lisa and Lara cleaned off the table and galley area. With sweat accumulating on his forehead, Tim rubbed his hands.

"Tim, go to your room and relax. We'll take care of everything else." Gavin motioned to Lara.

"Yeah... yeah, okay... you're right, you're right. I'll be in my room... yeah... yeah." Tim hesitated, and then stepped into the hallway.

Lara approached Gavin but saw Tim stumbling near his room. "Will he be okay?"

Gavin frowned, "Tim will be fine. He has a mortal fear of the unknown. It's similar to the tension felt before walking into a dark room or entering a dark hole. Which is why I called you to ask, have you ever experienced anything like this?"

Her head shook. "This is my first time experiencing anything of this sort. Normally my pistols would be nearby to keep me comfortable. But let me say you are handling this crisis very well."

"Thank you. I just hope there are no other surprises during the night. My mind is reeling for logical explanations." He scratched his head. "Do you think we journeyed into some unknown vortex, something like the Bermuda Triangle?"

"Shudder the thought," Lara replied and looked about the boat. "By morning we will have an answer. Do you want us to keep company for a little while before we head to our cabins?"

He nodded. "That would be nice. Maybe Lisa can tell some more jokes to amuse us." His smile was slight and brief.

Lara stared at him and placed a hand on his forearm. "We will be alright," she affirmed and walked inside.

Gavin sat on a cushioned bench, rubbed his wrinkled brow, and wondered.