The old trucks bounced along on the rough dirt and rock roads as they pushed further and further into the jungle, then toward a harbor where boats took them to Nan Madol. Once on Nan Madol, they were taken to the megalithic structures dating back to the first century.
“It appears he may have taken some of the human remains that were buried here,” said Pikut. “We have no idea why he would do that. It’s sacrilege.”
“Were there artifacts with the bodies?” asked May. “Perhaps jewelry or pottery?”
“None,” said Pikut. “The massive idol stood outside these gates. It might look similar to those you’ve seen on Easter Island or one of your totems from Alaska. It would take at least a dozen men to move it.”
As they continued down the ancient stone path, he stopped near the end, pointing to the earth. Huge tire tracks were alongside the path.
“Somehow, they were able to get a large truck onto the island. The stone would have been right here. It is estimated to weigh more than four tons.”
“Four tons? How in the hell would they get that on a truck?” asked Bron.
“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” said Pikut. “It would be nearly impossible, and then to get it off the island would be implausible.”
“Maybe they didn’t,” said Ham. The man turned to stare at him, and May opened and closed her mouth. “Maybe he took it to another part of the island, hid it, hoping to return for it or even ransom it off.”
“He’s right,” said May. “They could have moved closer to the center of the island, hoping to return later with a helicopter capable of lifting it.”
“What is the value?” asked Chief. All eyes turned toward him. “I mean, if he’s going to all this trouble for a big rock with a lot of carvings on it, what’s the value? Is it some special type of rock? Does it have any jewels or gold in it?”
“No,” said Pikut. “But it does have text on it that tells of an ancient treasure that will make any man a king.”
“I remember this legend,” said May. “Nan Madol was originally known as Soun Nan-leng or reef of heaven. This was the political seat of the Saudeleur Dynasty.According to Pohnpeian legend, Nan Madol was constructed by twin sorcerers Olisihpa and Olosohpa. They were brothers that arrived in a large canoe looking for a place to build an altar so that they could worship Nahnisohn Sahpw, the god of agriculture.
“According to lore, the two brothers eventually built their altar, levitating huge stones with the aid of a flying dragon. Some believe that the magic is still here and that it can be found by anyone who is capable of reading the text on the stone.” May looked at Pikut and smiled. “Did I get that right?”
“You recited that perfectly,” he smiled. “I am honored that you found our culture worthy of study.”
“Pikut, all culture is worthy of studying,” she smiled. “Has anyone ever tried to read the stone and find the magic of the brothers and the dragon?”
“Not that I know of,” said Pikut. “Our people know that it is forbidden to speak of the stone to others.”
“Then what we have is most likely Myer attempting to either read the stone and discover the magic himself, or he’s going to ransom it back to you,” said Ham. “Is there anything else missing? Any other objects that were taken?”
“Only one thing,” said Pikut. “And to our people, to our culture, it is far more important than the stone or the massive idol. The crown of the first people was taken. It is made of gold, coral, lapis, turquoise, and an unknown stone at its front.”
“Unknown?” frowned Ham. “What does it look like?”
“It has an unusual blue color and, at times, has thin fibers growing from it.”
“Jesus,” muttered Jalen. “I think you’re talking about blue asbestos. It’s chemical name is crocidolite. But it’s deadly. The dust from the stone can kill anyone in the same room.”
“This just keeps getting better and better,” frowned Ham. “Why in the hell would he want that?”
“How did I not see this?” asked Sadie, staring at the group. “How did I not see what a terrible person he was?”
“Some people are good at hiding who they really are,” said Chief. “When they truly want something, they’re able to live multiple lives. You figured that out in time.” He smiled at Sadie, and she nodded, appreciating her friend’s pep talk, but it didn’t make her feel much better.
“Have you notified the U.S. government?” asked Ham.
“No,” said Pikut. “We tend to handle things ourselves here.”
“No offense, sir, but this may be a situation that you can’t handle yourself. It’s obvious that this man had help if he was able to move that stone. If he has additional men on this island, you may be in more danger than you think.”
“Nan Madol is a protected site,” said Pikut. “There is no food or drinking water on the island. Anyone wanting to stay here would have to transport fresh water and food to the island itself. They would have to stay on the main island and come back and forth. We would see them.”
“How can we get a good view of the island?” asked Sam.
