Museum Rescue or 'The Golden Elephant' (eBook)

Günther Lietz (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2024 | 1. Auflage
424 Seiten
novum publishing (Verlag)
978-1-64268-460-5 (ISBN)

Infos

Stefan 'Charly' Bach is asked by Karen 'Carry' Lund to help her search for a missing friend. Together they experience adventures that endanger both their lives and their love. Experience the two of them and their friends on the hunt for a criminal organization that spans three continents. And although the story takes place in exotic locations around the world, the biggest problems will be resolved in the idyllic Taunus region of Germany. So join Carry and Charly on their travels to far-flung destinations around the world and into the deepest corners of their souls. Museum Rescue or 'The Golden Elephant'. A story in which fact and fiction meet.

Textauszug

Chapter 1.2 - The cave

"Good morning everyone," Dimitrie Maier greeted his three friends cheerfully at the entrance to a cave in the Eifel. He was German-Russian. His parents had emigrated from the Caucasus in the 1950s and had settled in Germany. Although Dimitrie was born in Germany, he had the unmistakable accent and manner of speech of any Russian who had emigrated or fled the former USSR. It was part of Dimitrie's character and made him so unique and endearing. He had also spent several weeks in the rehabilitation clinic because his collarbone was broken after a car accident. He used the conversations we had together primarily to improve his German.

"You call this a good morning? It's cold and it's pouring", Benny was obviously in a bad mood.

"I'm cold," added Carry, who was freezing in her thick jacket and hood. Her red nose and pale complexion completed her miserable overall impression.

"Come on, ice queen, a few minutes in a warm hut, a cup of tea and a proper thermal suit, then the world will look completely different," Dimitrie replied unimpressed in his slightly broken German. Charly had christened her "Ice Queen" in rehab when she had a cold for a few days and all color had disappeared from her face.

"Your word in God's ear canal," Charly interjected. So far, he had held back completely.

"What I'm going to show you will make up for it. I'm convinced of that," said Dimitrie, who, as a native Russian, hardly seemed to be affected by the cold.

And indeed, half an hour later and after a hot cup of tea, the four friends were able to explore the cave. They were all equipped with a thick thermal suit, a head torch and waterproof boots.

"So, we're going into the cave now!" Dimitrie walked forward with a firm step.

"Can we just go in there?" Carry asked with her usual caution. She wasn't going to shed her cautious nature until later.

"It's no problem, I'm a member of the team. I have permission from the team leader," he replied. "Besides, the rest of the squad will be here soon!"

"Well, nothing can happen then," Benny teased from behind.

So the four friends climbed into the cave. They didn't notice that the rain was getting heavier ...

"I hope the coachman knows the way," said Charly dryly. He had long since lost all sense of direction and relied completely on Dimitrie. The access became narrower and narrower and the masses of rock seemed more and more threatening. Now it was only possible to move one behind the other.

At least I have a nice view, thought Charly, who was walking right behind Carry, or rather stumbling. Easy, Brown, easy, don't even think about it. After all, she has a boyfriend. And so he concentrated on the path again.

"Don't worry, Dimitrie knows the way. It'll get better soon," Dimitrie reassured the rest of the troop.

And really, after another 50 meters, Carry thought the path would never end, the corridor widened again and a waterfall could be heard in the distance.

"Big surprise coming soon!" Dimitrie tried everything to keep his friends happy. And then they saw it: the dark cave was transformed into a sea of lights. They all looked up in amazement and saw a play of colors in blue, green, yellow and red.

"We christened it the chapel. I hardly need to explain why." Dimitrie's voice sounded reverent. "We discovered it four weeks ago. It's not open yet, but you can have a look!"

Everyone looked up and enjoyed the sea of colors.

In the meantime, the rest of the reconnaissance team had arrived at the entrance to the cave. The rain had continued to increase and it was no exaggeration to call it a heavy downpour.

"Boss, I don't think we're going to be able to continue exploring today. I don't have a good feeling. I think it's too dangerous. Something nasty could come down. And who knows what it looks like in the cave!"

The rain and wind had picked up to such an extent that Martin Schmidt literally had to shout at his boss Edwin Gruber to make him understand.

He shouted back: "I think you're right, Schmidt. I just hope that Dimitrie hasn't gone into the cave or is about to reappear, the car is here anyway."

"Yes, they must have gone into the cave. Four suits, four lamps and four pairs of boots are missing," a member of the research team called out to Gruber.

"Schmidt, request two ambulances and a rescue team. I don't want to take any risks. I hope they're not in the chapel yet or already on their way back. Otherwise, God have mercy on them."

"So guys, time to go. Team should be there too and should be here soon. Too tight for all of us then!" Dimitrie urged them to set off.

"Do you hear that, it's getting louder and louder," Bennie's voice became quieter and quieter.

"I can hear it too, like a tap being turned on full blast," Carry replied in a shaky voice.

As soon as she had said it, the noise grew into a rumble. The next moment they heard stones falling. Benny was hit hard.

"Come on, get out of here!" Dimitrie's voice was soon raised. He grabbed Carry by the arm and ran towards the exit, closely followed by Charly.

"Help!" the three of them suddenly heard Benny shout.

"Something must have happened to him," Charly shouted to Dimitrie. "Get Carry out of here, I'll take care of Benny!"

"You're mad, get out of here!" shouted Dimitrie. But Charly was already on his way back to help Benny.

Then Charly noticed how the ceiling of the entrance to the chapel came loose faster and faster. With a pike jump, he landed right in the middle of the chapel and only with great difficulty was he able to avoid being hit by stones. Where they had been standing just a few minutes ago, there was now water and Benny was right in the middle of it.

"The water keeps rising, we have to try to get out of here!" Charly shouted to Benny.

"I can't, my leg. I've got a stone in it!"

At that moment, the rumbling stopped. The entrance was completely buried except for a small gap. Only the water continued to rise.

"We can't get up there. The stones are too unstable, we'd just slip. And you won't be able to do it with your leg," Charly said.

"Then at least you try," said Benny in a shaky voice.

"Nonsense, I'm not leaving you alone. Besides, stones could come loose and hit you. No, the only option is outside help. Hopefully Carry and Dimitrie will make it!"

In the meantime, Carry and Dimitrie had reached the exit of the cave. Carry was now so exhausted that she had to lean on Dimitrie.

Thank God, those two are out. But where are the rest?" asked Gruber.

"I have to get in, two more inside. Give me the ladder," Dimitrie shouted to Gruber after dropping Carry off at the first ambulance.

"What's the situation?" he asked.

"Rubble, rubble everywhere and the water is rising in Kapelle!" Dimitrie no longer bothered to speak without an accent. "I have to get back inside!"

"This is madness, don't talk nonsense. It's too dangerous. Jesus, come to your senses!" Gruber's voice almost broke.

But Dimitrie had already grabbed a ladder and a rope and ran towards the entrance to the cave.

"Crazy dog," Gruber shouted, addressing Carry.

"That's true, but if anyone can do it, it's him," she replied in a weak voice.

"Well, I can't condone this," the head of the rescue team called over to Gruber. Why didn't you stop him?"

"Why? Try stopping the rain, it should have the same effect!" Gruber replied and said quietly, "God help him!"

"I've heard it. I can only agree with you," said Carry.

In the meantime, Dimitrie had reached the site of the entrance, which had been buried by rubble and debris. He saw a small gap at the top that was still open. If he could reach it with the ladder and the masses of stone did not give way, he would have a chance of rescuing his friends. But he also knew that sooner or later the pressure of the water, which was constantly rising inside the chapel, would cause the wall to collapse.

Come on, old boy. You're running out of time, he thought.

With this in mind, he carefully placed the ladder and climbed up.

Inside the chapel, the situation became increasingly critical. Benny and Charly no longer had solid ground under their feet. Benny was also writhing in pain. His leg was obviously broken and an infection seemed to be spreading through it.

"Benny, keep holding on to me. We'll make it." Charly tried to keep encouraging Benny, even though he hardly believed he could be rescued himself. He knew that if the scree wall could no longer withstand the pressure of the rising water, they would be swept away and buried under the masses of rubble. In addition, the cold water was soaking up his strength like a sponge. He was also at the end of his tether.

"Hello, anyone down there?" Charly thought he was dreaming. Was that Dimitrie?

"Yes here, right under you," Charly shouted with the last of his strength.

"Right, here's the rope," Dimitrie replied and threw the end of the rope in the direction of Benny and Charly.

If I survive this, I'll teach the guy proper German, Charly thought to himself. And despite the precarious situation he found himself in, he had to grin.

He tied the end of the rope around Bennie's chest and shouted: "Pull him up!"

The next moment, Benny lifted himself up as if by magic.

"OK, I've got him!" came the reply from Dimitrie.

"When you have him safe, take him out first. Then take care of me, you understand," Charly could hardly speak from the cold.

"No, if both," was Dimitrie's...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 4.11.2024
• Verlagsort: Neckenmarkt
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• Schlagworte: Belletristik • Günther Lietz • Krimi • Spannung
• ISBN-10: 1-64268-460-0 / 1642684600
• ISBN-13: 978-1-64268-460-5 / 9781642684605