Chapter 43

"Why won't you tell me where we are going?" Antonia asked.

Smiling, I answered, "Why would I tell you where we are going? I like the way things are now. I have already gotten laid and joined the mile high club with you, and I am waiting to see what you do next." The last was said raising my eyebrows in my best Groucho Marx look.

From the moment we left the private airport, she had been asking me where we were heading. Using her feminine wiles on me, only to have her last endeavor backfire on her as she forgot who she was married to as I raised her arousal. By the time she was planning on getting off to torture me she was well past caring, so I simply continued making both of us happy and giving her a membership in the mile high club.

Before she could start to complain again, I felt the plane shift and very subtly nose over. Descending, I was thankful, as I did not want my new wife pissed off at me after less than a day of marriage even if I had just gotten laid. Looking out of the window as she straightened out her dress, I stated, "Since you want to know where we are going, we are going right there."

She joined me looking out of the window, asking, "What airport is that?"

"As far as I know that airfield had no name," I offered acting perplexed, continuing my ruse.

"Where are we then?"

We were still high enough we could see a city to the west that I thought was Stavros. Pointing out the window, I said, "Those lights to the west are the city of Stavros."

"Stavros, as in Greece? There's is no airport in Stavros!"

"I did not say we were going to Stavros, Stavros is just the closest city to where we are going. The airfield below as well as the island it is on belongs to us since you are now my wife."

She looked at me then back out into the darkness, "You never told me about owning a second island. What's its name?" her face never left the window.

Sitting back, I answered, "The Island is Atokos, and my wedding present to you is down there."

"What wedding present, you never said you were getting me a present." She asked, as she looked between the window and me a couple of times, looking younger and a lot happier. Finally looking at me, she offered, "I thought the island was deserted and there were no facilities there?"

"A year ago that would have been a true statement. Now that is no longer true as I have had people working there making it as isolated and independent as possible. What was once a deserted island is now something more, and even more important are the agreements making everything down there ours and not the governments."

Looking out the window, she offered, "I will take your word you have changed things down there. How did you get the government to go for that?" she was back to looking out the window. Just before the pilot interrupted our conversation, Antonia asked, "What wedding gift did you get for me?"

Motioning for her to fasten her belt, I offered, "Let me correct you saying that I bought you something that would be incorrect. My gift to you was not purchased directly as a gift and if you were not my wife then I would have found someone else and possibly donate what's there. I would say what I have has only been viewed by two people in possibly the last couple thousand years."

"You would know that how?" Antonia asked.

"I would say that is a secret that I will keep until tomorrow morning after breakfast."

Before I could say anything else, the pilot set the plane down and the engines powering up slowing us down. Once we stopped, we were turned around and taxied to the hanger. The interior was lighted with the silhouettes of my staff her waiting for us there.

When the doors opened, the stairs were extended and Antonia followed me out of the plane taking my hand as we approached. Starting at one end, I went through the entire staff that was not on duty as there were two older couples who maintained the house. In addition to them, I had staff that managed the rest of the facilities on the island though I was told by the foreman in our last phone call most everything was automated with the best technology available. Next in line to meet us was the head of what I was calling my island security. Normally, security would be handled by Sven and Thor but as my wedding gift to everyone who worked for me. I divided them into thirds with one third providing security on the island while the rest took a much needed all-expense paid vacation to their homes to visit family or any place else they desired. I was their Deific, how could I do any less. There were a few more people to meet and greet; thankfully, the rest of the reception went quickly allowing us to head to the new house.

The ride there was quiet with Antonia sitting beside me while the foreman told us that he had finished everything as a gift to me, and was now ready to go home. He went over the other details of what had been done including three bunkers, two of which were away from the main house. There had been so much done that he was not halfway finished explaining what had been accomplished when we rounded a bend to be totally stunned as the house I had envisioned was nowhere to be seen.

The mansion standing before us was simply incredible with a wrap-around covered veranda supported by fluted Roman columns. The inside had more columns that in turn supported the glass walls that opened up to give access to the central courtyard large enough to support a pool in addition to benches chairs as well as everything else a modern Roman Emperor would need, or maybe I should say Greek Emperor as the island was in Greece.

After touring the downstairs, we cut the tour short, as Antonia and I were both tired. After saying so, the help lead us to the master quarters then quietly left us alone. Stepping inside was like stepping back in time. I could see it in her eyes that Antonia very happy with her gift. I was very happy with the way she showed her appreciation and we both fell asleep a smile on faces. I had no idea what Antonia was thinking, but for myself I wondered how she would express her gratitude when I gave her my intended gift.

The next morning found Antonia protesting my wanting to get up early and even with the drapes opened to the east, she fought the idea of getting up. I did manage to get her up but there were more than a few promises of massages and back rubs later to make it all up to her. I agreed thinking everything would be forgotten shortly.

During breakfast I gave Antonia the first clue there was something else a foot as I asked if she wanted the sea door or the land door. Having no idea she asked which one I would choose and I immediately chose the sea door.

Walking down to the pier, I had another surprise for her as her expedition ship was sitting there moored to the dock. Calling out to her crew as we approached, I let her know they were on a break for a week. She let my statement go that her ship was unattended as we boarded at the stern and not only were masks and snorkels set out but the rest of the gear for two people dive. She finally gave up as she looked at the gear there and simply asked which set was hers. Stepping up to the gear, she became all business making sure everything was set correctly. When she was sure everything was in place, we helped each other put on our gear, then shuffled to the rear quarter where a platform had been placed for divers to get in out of the water. Quite handy if the waves were small as they were right then.

After one final check of our gear, we both stepped off the platform hand in hand. The swim to the sea door did not take too long as the pier was set close by. What did take time, was the course I set for us as I led her out a bit so that she would see the harbor when she turned around. Motioning for her to surface, we did and I gave her the final clue as to what was going on, saying, "In a few minutes you will see something that only two other people had seen in the last two thousand years."

Asking what I meant, I said nothing and simply replaced my respirator and dove down a couple of feet before I allowed her to turn around to see the remains of the two galleys in the harbor. Seeing them she motioned me to the surface, only now she looked between puzzled and pissed off, asking if this was some type of joke. Okay that was not the reaction I expected though I guess I should have but I told her the truth those had been found not too long ago by Mr. Nietzel and he showed them to me. After my statement, she replaced her gear and dove down, heading for the wrecks. All I could do was follow as all of this was my gift to her and I did not want to interfere.

In all of our time together I had never seen her work and thinking about it maybe I should have but for the duration of our tanks I simply watched as Antonia worked not only the wrecks but also the sea door itself spending more time that I did when I swam in the harbor. When we returned to the ship she was full of questions about what else was there; all I told her, of course was that she would have to see it for herself. Of course, that was not the answer she was wanting but I was still enjoying watching her work over in her mind what she was seeing. Then again, after that first day I literally tuned the whole cavern out, as I did not care for archaeology at all.

We were actually setting up for another dive with new tanks, when Antonia asked, "You said there was a second door?"

I had to laugh at myself as I had forgotten all about the tunnel entrance, having had so much fun watching Antonia doing her investigation. Saying that there was a second entrance and where it was had Antonia nearly dragging me along in her excitement. Arriving at what Mr. Nietzel was calling a warehouse was a gross understatement as he had had an entire building built around the tunnel entrance concealing any possible work there from prying airborne eyes. The inside of the building was something of a letdown as the building spanned the ravine where I had been shown the tunnel; the inside was still dirt, undisturbed, but still dirt.

Mr. Nietzel was waiting there for us and Antonia took the time to question him about what he had seen on his first trip into the tunnel. He told her the same story he told me adding at the end that to his knowledge no one had been inside since my visit. When he was done telling her his tale he climbed aboard the front loader and with a chain hanging down from the bucket he proceeded to pull the boulders out one by one, saying he was worried if he might be damaging part of the entrance. I thought he had a valid point and I stayed out of his way while Antonia, who had overheard what was said, was only more puzzled. Of course, I was fine since all of this was for her benefit.

With the boulders out of the way, I offered Antonia the chance to lead and although she took it, I could see in her eye she had figured out that I had been here before. Stepping inside the tunnel our progress slowed to a crawl as Antonia stopped to look at everything as we moved farther in. What had taken Mr. Nietzel fifteen minutes to cover, Antonia took thirty and could have taken more if I did not keep prodding her along. Our progress came to a complete stand still once she saw the first skeleton with the spear lodged in it.

We nearly had our first fight at that point when I suggested we could bypass the skeleton for now and come back to it later. Antonia was having none of that because if someone slipped then the discovery would be damaged, never to be pristine again. Mentioning that I had already bypassed the skeleton twice already really set her off talking about the importance of the find. I just wondered what she would do and how long it would take once she made it to the intersection let alone what was in the cavern with the harbor.

After studying the remains for how long I had no idea, Antonia finally stated we could move on after videotaping the entire area including close ups of all aspects of the body. I was just thankful to be moving again. Antonia did make one interesting find already that I would never have of thought of and that was the tunnels had been mined at one time then filled in with soil only to have it removed some time later. Neither one of us had any idea why the tunnel had been filled in, but in looking where she was pointing I could see that she was right, as there was a lot of dirt dried to the stone. With Antonia's discovery, I payed closer attention, to the point I even noticed there were some grasses in the dried mud that had died a long time ago.

The remains at the intersection proved even more of a distraction to Antonia as she spent time videotaping everything and even offering commentary on the armor covering the bodies saying the roman armor was too late a time period to be facing the Greek armor. I had made note of it when I first came down here but overlooked it just something from ancient times. By the time she stated we could move on I was wondering if the one eight hour tape would be enough once we got to the harbor, let alone going down the long tunnel to the bodies in front of the two iron doors.

Before we found out if she had enough video tape, Antonia asked me which way she should go. I motioned the way to the harbor, thinking that, if nothing else, I could swim out under the sea door and get lunch. Before we got to that, there was the issue of the dropped recorder as Antonia rounded the bend and saw the rest of the cavern. Personally, I think the view from this side with the sea door where it was along the sunlight reflecting off of the bottom and the walls left a much more powerful image. With the camera falling to the ground, I was guessing Antonia shared my opinion.

If fact she said nothing until I moved behind her putting my hands around her waist. Then all she offered was a whispered, "My God."

Breaking the spell, I whispered in her ear, saying, "Being married to me, all this is yours."

Leaning back into me, putting her hands on top of mine, she stated with her humorous voice I loved, "I wonder how many kids this place is going to cost me."

I offered to settle on possibly a baker's dozen.

We spent the rest of the day in that room and it was finally the growling of both of our stomachs that distracted Antonia enough to take the rest of the day off though from what I could see from the sea door, I figured it had to be right around twilight. Suggesting we swim out through the sea door, she agreed taking her camera with her as it was one of those designed for use in and out of the water. Once we were in the water, we had to stop for her to dive on the galleys but without the tanks, masks and everything else, the dive did not delay us long though I had to remind her we would be back in the morning.