The Grave Robbers of Genghis Khan by P. B. Kerr Read Free Book Online Page A

they’re afraid of me. No, it’s that I don’t want them to be scared of the possible consequences of the work they’re doing. I don’t want what happened to me to put anyone off from this important work. They’re all handsome fellows. Apart from the two women who work there. And they’re beauties. I just don’t think any of them wants to end up with his face burnt off by a pyroclastic flow.”
    Nimrod nodded. “That’s most admirable, Snorri,” he said. “Most admirable. Well, look, we need to examine a section of this lava sample under a light-polarizing microscope. Urgently.”
    “You’re worried about the golden color, aren’t you?” said the professor. “And that ancient Mongolian legend.”
    “Yes. I am.”
    “You really don’t believe that such a thing could ever happen, do you?” The professor shook his head. “Not a man of science like you, Nimrod.”
    “What legend is that?” asked Philippa.
    Nimrod didn’t answer. He was still frowning at the gold lava samples.
    The professor continued to shake his head. “Surely such a thing couldn’t ever be possible. Could it?”
    “What legend?” repeated John.
    “I don’t know about any Mongolian legend,” said Axel. “But I can tell you what really isn’t possible. It isn’t possible to cut through this rope.”
    “What are you talking about, Axel?” said the professor.
    “This rope,” said Axel. “It appears to be indestructible.”
    Nimrod winced as if he had been stung by a bee. In his haste to “find” a length of climbing rope to throw to John and mindful of the fate that had befallen the other rope, Nimrod had managed to create a rope that was impervious to molten rock, not to mention the sharp edge of Axel’s lock knife.
    “I’ve tried cutting it,” said Axel. “And I’ve tried picking the fibers to pieces with the point of my knife. I’ve even tried burning it with my cigarette lighter.” He handed the lighter to the professor. “Here, you try.”
    “Oh, we’ve no time for that now, surely,” said Nimrod.
    But the professor was not to be denied his opportunity to try to burn the rope himself.
    “You’re right,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
    “We really ought to get down to the observatory,” insisted Nimrod. “To test the samples.”
    “I wonder what else this rope might withstand,” mused the professor. “It really is remarkable. And you found this in the souvenir shop, Nimrod?”
    “Er, that’s right,” said Nimrod.
    John thought to help his uncle by offering an explanation that managed to sound even more improbable than a rope that could not be cut or burnt.
    “Yeah,” he said, “I’ll bet it’s that amazing new, indestructible, high-tech, top secret rope I’ve been reading about in some of the American climbing magazines. A top scientist invented it for the U.S. special forces after his son was killed climbing on the island of Antigua. It’s called Nine Lines, I think, on account of the fact that it’s made of nine separate cords and because it seems to have nine lives. Like a cat.”
    Philippa closed her eyes and wondered if she should use djinn power to make her brother shut up. Sometimes it was a little hard to believe he was her twin.
    “Antigua?” said the professor.
    “Yeah, it’s an island in the Caribbean, near Montserrat.”
    “I have good reason to remember exactly where it is,” said the professor. “That’s where I lost my face.”
    “Oh, right,” said John. “Sorry.”
    “It’s just that there aren’t any mountains to speak of in Antigua,” said the professor. “In fact it’s one of the least mountainous countries in the world.”
    “Well, it might not have been there exactly,” said John, backtracking a little. “It could have been on another island.Like the Bahamas. Or the Maldives. I dunno. Anyway, it wasn’t a mountain he was climbing. It was a palm tree, I think. A very tall palm tree.”
    “Well, that explains it,” said the