Chapter 2: The Woman in the Picture-
Once back on the deck of the Keldysh, a crowd of crewmen surrounded the dropping safe as it was lowered onto the deck by a wrench cable. The crew of the Russian research vessel, the sub crews and a money man named Mouk Davidson, who represents the limited partners were shaking hands and patting each others backs. A documentary crew is now pushing itself through the crowd to the front, ready to shoot the moment of Rien's glory. Once out of the submersibles, Rien and Zhu run over to the safe like two little boys on Christmas. "Who's the best...? Say it." Zhu taunts poking Rien's shoulder incessantly. Rien groans and pushes Zhu's hand away. "You are Zhu." He admits then turns to the camera crew. "Rolling?" The was a click of a switch and then the cameraman nodded.
Getting the go ahead Rien nodded to the technicians, who began to drill through the safe as Rien provides commentary.
"Well, here it is, the moment of truth. Here's where we find out if the time, the sweat, the money spent to charter this ship and these subs, to come out here to the middle of the Atlantic... were worth it. If what we think is in that same... in that safe... It will be."
He talks to the camera then grins wolfishly in anticipation. The door is pried loose then clangs to the desk, catching his attention. Rien kneels down and peers hungrily into the safe's wet interior before digging through the soggy contents. Moments later, his face answers the question that he had asked just a few minutes before.
"Shit." Rien mutters and all the cheering stops. "You know boss, the same thing happened to Geraldo and his career never recovered." Zhu says. Rien's face immediately reddened in anger then looked at the cameraman. "Get that thing out of my face!"
Later in the preservation room on the Keldysh, technicians are carefully removing paper from the safe and putting them in a tray of water. Other artifacts are being cleaned and categorized on a table close by. Mouk is talking on the satellite phone with the investors while Rien yells at the video crew.
"You send out what I tell you when I tell you! I sign your paychecks! Now set up for the up link!" He barks at them then pinches his nose in frustration. Mouk covers the phone with his hand and looks at his frustrated boss. "The partners want to know how it's going." Rien drops his hand and glares at him. "How's it going? It's going like a first date in prison, what do ya think!" He snaps then grabs the phone, his voice going instantly calm.
"Hi, Ran? Cha? Look it wasn't in the safe... no look, don't worry about it, there are still plenty of places it could be... in the floor debris in the suite, in the mother's room, in the purser's safe on C deck..." He explains then pauses, his eyes transfixed on something. "Hang on a second." He says into the receiver then puts the satellite phone down.
One of the technicians lightly moves the papers in a tray of water to the side using a pair of tongs. This in turn reveals a pencil drawing of a woman. Rien looks closely at the drawing, which after the bath is in excellent shape, except the edges which have partly disintegrated. The woman is beautiful, in her late teens to early twenties in age. She is nude, though posed in casual modesty. She lays on an empire divian, in a pool of light the seems to emanate from her eyes. In the lower right hand corner is the date: April 14, 1912 and the initials SK. Rien notices that the girl is not entirely nude, for around her neck is a small chain necklace with a large stone hanging in the center. His mouth gapes open. His prize hangs around the neck of the woman in the picture.
"I'll be God damned."
Later the satellite feed from the Keldysh is shot in a CNN page of a television screen. Currently, the announcer is introducing Rien.
"Treasure hunter Rien Boulds is best known for finding Spanish gold in sunken galleons in the Caribbean. Now he is using deep submarine technology to work two and a half miles down at another famous wreck... Titanic. He is with us live via satellite from a Russian research ship in the middle of the Atlantic... Hello Rien?" Rien obviously gets her audio feed and starts to respond to her.
Yes, hi. You know. Titanic is not just a shipwreck. Titanic is THE shipwreck. It's the Mt. Everest of shipwrecks." He begins, and continues to talk to the viewers of the news show.
The news feed is playing on a television in a living room of a small rustic house. Shelves on the walls are full of ceramics, figurines and all the other wall space is covered with drawing s and paintings. Outside of the windows it is a quiet morning in Ojai, California. Inside the room, which looks like a studio, among all the clutter is an ancient woman sitting at a potter's wheel. As she throws a pot the liquid brown clay covers her hands, which are spotted with age but are still still strong and careful. Rien's conversation still emanates from the television.
"I've planned this expedition for three years, and now we're out here recovering some amazing things.. things that will have enormous historical and educational value." He explains as the reporter listens.
"But it's no secret that education is not your main purpose. You're a treasure hunter. So, what is the treasure that you are hunting?" The announcer asks, causing Rien to look insulted.
"I'd rather show you then tell you. And we think we are very close to doing just that."
The woman seems very entranced by the news story. Her name is Toph Curtis. Her body is frail and wrinkled but her eyes are as strong and bright as those of a young girl. Toph gets up and walks to the living room where the television is wiping clay off her hands with a rag. A younger woman, Miki Curtis, rushes up to her. "Turn that up please." Toph asks as she leans back against the couch. Miki moves to the television, turning up the volume. The announcer starts to speak again.
"Your expedition is the center of a storm of controversy over salvage rights and even ethics. Many experts are calling you a grave robber." Rien's face now fills the television screen. "Nobody called the expedition that recovered artifacts from King Tut's tomb grave robbing. I have museum-trained experts here, making sure everything is preserved properly. Look at this drawing we found just today..." He says as his picture disappears from the screen and the drawing of the woman with the necklace fills the screen.
"... a piece of paper that has been underwater for 84 years.. and my team was able to preserve it intact. Should this drawing have remained unseen at the bottom of the ocean forever, when now we can see it..?" Toph eyes are glued to the screen, her mouth hanging open.
"I'll be God damned."
That night on the Keldysh the MIR subs are being launched. MIR two is already in the water and Rien is climbing up the ladder to board MIR one as Mouk runs up to him."Rien there's a satellite call for you." He says and holds out the phone. "Mouk, we're launching. See the submersibles going into the water? Take a message." Mouk just smiles. "No, trust me you want to take this call." Rien sighs and climbs down the ladder and takes the phone, pushes the blinking button. The call is from Toph Curtis, calling from her kitchen. "You have to speak up, she's kind of old." Mouk warns, Rien sighs, thinking this is a hoax.
"This is Rien Boulds. What can I do for you Mrs..." Rien trails off and Mouk interjects. "Curtis, Toph Curtis." Rien's voice now grows strong again. "Mrs. Curtis."
Toph smiles, like she has a little secret. "I was just wondering if you had found the 'Eye of the Moon' yet, Mr. Boulds." Rien's face freezes in surprise and he fumbles to keep hold of the phone. Mouk smiles, "I told you you would want to takes this call. Rien looks at him then speaks back into the phone. "Alright Toph you have my attention, can you tell me who the woman in the picture is?" Toph nods and smiles wide.
"Oh yes, the woman in the picture is me."