Aziz confirmed that it was, in fact, the tomb of Cleopatra is as great a tale as Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut. However, our story has a very different outcome. Let me explain … Our celebration was cut short, interrupted by the explosive sound of gunfire, as the military police shot their rifles into the air. They then turned their guns on the crew. The commander climbed to the top of the scaffolding and spoke in Arabic. His voice was stern and authoritative. The workers quietly shared glances with one another. After the commander finished, he spoke to us in English. “For those of you that do not speak Arabic,” the commander said, “I will give you the abbreviated version in English. From this point forward, you all will do as I say, no questions asked. You obey my orders, and I will allow you to live. If you try to escape or disrupt our operation in any way, you will be dealt with swiftly. We are not interested in preserving the integrity of this tomb. We are only interested in the treasure that is buried inside.
