"One hundred and fifty feet. Descending." Squawked the ancient speaker on the bridge of the Olivia. Joshua glanced across the instrument panel but his eyes were riveted to the I-pad screen as the rover followed his dad into the depths.
"Are all the rover's lights engaged?" Joshua asked Bones.
"Nope. Everything but the floods—the spots are better for distance—I do not want to create a white haze around him." Uncle Stu peered intently at the screen.
"One hundred and sixty feet... clarity is good but it is getting noticeably darker. I think the lights are interfering with my night vision. Let's kill the rover lights and see if you can still follow me."
"Roger that—killing all rover lights. Caleb, you okay?" Uncle Stu wanted to keep the kid's mind connected to the surface.
"Okay. Wish I could see what you guys are seeing!" Caleb peered into the depths and watched as the rover's lights blinked out. He waited for his eyes to adjust. Maybe he'd be able to make out the pinnacle of the pyramid in the dim light.
"One hundred and seventy feet… wait a minute… these pyramids are gigantic! They are beautiful…" Teddy's voice was filled with awe.
"One hundred and eighty feet—the layout of the city is coming into view—yep, it's definitely a city—linear geometry everywhere. Just doesn't happen in nature." Wonder fought with the scientist in Teddy for control. "Are you guys getting this?"
"Most of it—but not the way you are experiencing it. Time check—you have about fifteen minutes—how do you want to spend it?" Uncle Stu was all business.
"One hundred and ninety feet. I am level with the top of the center pyramid—rectangular structure at the very top… possibly a temple." Teddy's voice slowed as he lost himself in time.
"Fair piece of luck to find a temple-like structure at the highest point. Caleb—can you see anything from your vantage?" As dive coordinator, Uncle Stu had to keep an eye on all divers.
"I think I can see a dim outline of a pyramid, but it's probably just my imagination. I did see a tiger shark pass by about half a football field away—at least I think it was a tiger shark. It was at least fifteen feet long." Caleb was babbling to help cope with the isolation mixed with a tinge of fear.
"If he comes around again, tell him your uncle and your dad will be up in a moment and make a much more filling dinner." Teddy was a dad first and foremost. "Bones, I think you are right—the temple is too good to pass up. Let's approach with lights."
"Roger that. Spot lights coming on now. Caleb, you should be able to spot your dad below."
"I can see him—tiny speck far below." Caleb's voice carried a somber tone.
"Amazing! Are you guys seeing this?" Joshua and Uncle Stu watched as the lights revealed a rectangular temple set atop a stepped pyramid right out of Indiana Jones. What had only been a dim outline shown suddenly bright blue in the searing white light.
"Am I seeing this right? Is that pyramid blue?" Uncle Stu rubbed his eyes in cartoonish disbelief.
"Andesite. I would guess. Mostly found in shades of grey, but often blue or bluish grey. Wonder how far the color goes down?" Teddy looked long and lovingly down the pyramid's flanks.
"Flood lights coming on. Wow! Somebody went to a lot of trouble to collect a lot of bright blue andesite—that goes down as far as the light can penetrate!" Uncle Stu punched Joshua in the arm.
"Why aren't we seeing more coral growth on something like this? Is the andesite too hard?" Joshua asked.
"Too deep for coral, not enough light for photosynthesis." Teddy took out his dive knife and pried at the stones trying to get his knife blade in between the stones. "Just like at the other sites we've seen, no mortar and you can't get a razor blade in between these stones. Definitely megalithic builders. These stones are relatively small, maybe four to five hundred pounds each, but I bet they run into the tons as you go toward the base of the pyramid."
"Time check—you have about seven minutes left at depth. You should probably circle the structure to see if there is any opening." Uncle Stu kept the trains running on time.
"I'll go around and then over the top—there may be an opening up there as well." Teddy was thinking of astronomical observatories he'd studied at Chichen Itza and Tikal. "Take a look at this corner work—stepped out to make a pillar—at least a six inch overhang on the roofing blocks… I wonder how they supported the ceiling?"
"We have it on film. Get moving. You have five minutes at depth left."
"My clock says seven minutes, but okay." Teddy knew Bones was just doing his job, but he also knew he was being conservative on time to keep Teddy on track.
"Five minutes." Bones was tight lipped.
"Coming around to the South face—more exceptional stonework at the corners—turning the corner and coming onto the East face…" Teddy sucked in his breath. "Are you seeing this guys?" Teddy was referring to a yawning chasm that lay before him, a massive doorway into the temple that appeared dark and foreboding. "Bring the rover around guys, I need some light in there."
Joshua and Bones watched the doorway come into view. Bones ran a cursor across the screen and took a measurement as the rover's lights penetrated the interior.
"I am getting approximately twenty two feet high on the door and about ten wide... What is that?" Bones pointed at the screen speaking to nobody in particular.
"An altar?" Teddy's voice had a quaver.