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“It told them the tomb was near, I think,” said Bako “Attila was buried near the Tisza and then the river was diverted to cover the grave You know that”

“Anytiive us the word, we can shoot theet all of them in a couple of seconds and be on our way”

“Don’t be stupid,” Bako said “The casket could be under twenty feet of sediment by now The outer one is made of iron and the inner ones fro these elaborate preparations—to dig down, attach cables and chains to it, and lift it to the barge Then they’ll e to a flatbed truck on that road over there That moment is weeks away and will cost them millions of dollars to reach Let them do the work”

While Bako and Székely watched, the people on the boat swung the arm of an electric winch out over the water and lowered the cable There were a series of sharp tugs on the cable, and then the winch began to pull soed, dripping and draining water In the net were rusted objects, all of them unidentifiable

Arpad Bako began to shift his weight, first to one foot, then the other, back and forth, in his excite up!”

“It looks like a bunch of rusty junk”

“It’s fifteen hundred years underwater!” he yelled and punched Székely’s ar fro our work for us” His hands kept clenching into fists “Watch theo unnoticed” He turned to theup Until they e with the crane in over the to for us When that happens, you can end their employment”

SZEGED, HUNGARY

“WE’RE DONE,” ALBRECHT SAID “WE’VE EXCAVATED THE entire grid The artifacts and remains have all been reed and catalogued In a few days we’llwhile the museum there prepares space for them”

“That’s a huge accomplishment in a feeeks,” said Remi

“We knee didn’t have years to do it, and thanks to ues and their students ere able to bring in at least fifty trained assistants every day, and as many as a hundred some days”

“That’s probably what did the most to keep you safe,” said Sam “It’s hard to commit a crime in front of that many people”

“How many warriors did you find in all?” asked Remi

“A thousand” Albrecht turned away and took a step or two, suddenly interested in looking closely at the skeleton on the table beside them

“You h number?” she said “You haven’t done a final count yet?”