"Sometimes life's so unpredictable it seems to be predictable." "That afternoon I had little money in my pockets." "I had gone out for a walk, since I liked the auctions of sea objects." "It's not that I wanted to buy something." "All my belongings were in a room of a guesthouse next to the Ramblas:" "a few books, a bag with some clothes, my certificate of the merchant navy and a sextant." "That was all." " 525." "Any other offer?" "525." "Lot 297." "An important box with an english ship log, model "walker Sheraff III"." "We start from 800." "800 on the table. 850 on the table." "900 at the back. 900 at the back." "Any other offer?" "I inform you this box contains a miIeometer clock and 2 torpedoes." "950 here in front." "1,000 on the table." "We're on 1,000, gentlemen." "1,100 at the back." "1,200 on the table." "1,300 on the phone." "Any other offer?" "1,300." "Lot 298." "Irish stabiIograph of the 19th century." "The starting price is 400 euros." "On the table there are 400 euros." "On the table there are 400 euros." "425 at the back, 450 on the table." "I've got 475 written." "500 the gentleman at the back." "Any other offer?" "500 the gentleman at the back." "Next lot is number 299." "It's an aneroid barometer on an oak base." "The starting price is 300 euros." "300 euros on the table." "Any other offer?" "350 here in front." "350." "Any other offer?" "350." "Lot number 300." "Maritime atlas of the Spanish Coasts." "Urrutia SaIcedo, a cartographic gem of the 18th century." "The starting price is 10,000 euros." "Does anyone offer 15,000?" "15,000." "And 20,000 euros?" "We're talking about a cartographic gem worth 25,000 euros." "Does anyone offer 30,000?" "30,000 ready... 30,000 steady..." "Anything on the phone?" "These gentlemen don't want to miss this unique chance. 35,000 euros." "I'm pleased to see the Urrutia arouses the passion." "The price's 40,000 euros." "40,000 ready... 40,000 steady..." "There might be spherical charts of the Urrutia scattered around the world, but not the complete volume in such a state of preservation." "We're talking about a unique work whose value amounts to... 50,000 euros." "50,000 ready, 50,000 steady, 50,000 go!" "By right of first refusal, the State sells lot 300 to the naval Museum." "I'm sorry, gentleman." "Lot 301." "An important French barometer of the 20th century." "The starting price is 200 euros." "Didn't know whether to eat a sandwich or to start straight with gin... when I saw her for the second time that evening." "Too many coincidences." "Hey!" "Is he bothering you?" "To tell you the truth, yes." " Come with me." "What are you doing?" "You fool!" "Mind your own business!" "I don't like to see someone threatening a woman." "Okay?" "That guy got involved because he likes the bird." "He isn't looking for the same thing as us." "He isn't a competitor." " What do you mean?" "If you're interested in a proposal, Iet's talk here." "Who knows?" "Maybe we could collaborate." "You were fast." " Yes." "I'm always fast in bars." "And who are you?" "tell me." "Who am I?" "I'm a sailor." "A sailor without a boat." "And what does a sailor do on the land without a boat?" "He waits." "A sailor must sail." " I'm not allowed." "At least in the next two years." " Did you do something wrong?" "Was it your fault?" " legally yes." "It happened during my watch duty." "A boarding?" " A boarding!" "No." "We touched the bottom." "A stone that wasn't on the charts decided to appear under my ship." "You haven't told me your name yet." "My name's Tánger Soto." " Tánger." "My name's Coy." "What's your job, Tánger?" "I work for the naval Museum of Madrid." "That's why you were at the auction." "The Urrutia's a very valuable piece." "An important maritime atlas." "So important as to be threatened?" " There are always people like that." "collectors with no scruples." "What are you doing in barcelona?" "Apart from getting by, since I'm broke..." "I go to the cinema, I read, go to auctions..." "What do you read?" "Conrad, Stevenson, MeIviIIe, O'Brian... wherever there are boats." "You surprise me." "I know there are other books but I Iike those." "No, it's all right." "I'm sorry, I must go to my hotel." "My flight's leaving early tomorrow." "Do you want me to go with you?" " No, I'd rather you didn't." "By the way," "I'd Iike you to accept this for all your help." "Money?" "No, I'm not going to accept money." "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to offend you." "You didn't offend me." " well, thanks a Iot." "By the way, if you ever need anything from the naval Museum, count on it." "That's the way things sometimes are." "I'd known women before, of course." "I even got hooked to some of them." "But Tánger was different." "I didn't know why, but I couldn't take her out of my mind." "So I decided to go into action." "Sergio?" "Hi, this is Coy." "Listen, if you're still interested in my sextant, I'II sell it to you." "I'm going to Madrid." "I need some money." "No." "You're never right, it's not a woman." "Because I must make a living in another place." "What can I tell you?" "Yes, I know. "On land there are only problems." I know." "Okay, see you later." "UNDERGROUND" "Hi." " Hi." "They told me you asked for me." "Yes." "I had to come to the central Office of the Merchant Navy, to see if my appeal prospers, and I decided to visit you, as we said in barcelona." "Does it prosper?" " My appeal?" "No." "Refused." "That's what they told me." " I'm sorry." "Did that guy bother you again?" " What guy?" "That italian." "The one who talked to you after the auction." "That one?" "No, I haven't heard from him again." "Be careful." "It seems he's not used to losing." "He'II find another hydrographic atlas, don't worry." "Do you have it here?" " Yes." "Can I see it?" " Sure." "Is this what you do?" "Obtaining things?" "And I also control the antiques trade," "I visit other museums and I travel when something interesting appears." "Later I write a report and my superiors decide." "The council has very limited funds for research and new acquisitions, so I try to make sure that they're properly invested." "Satisfied?" " You paid a Iot for it." "Yes, it's true." "We don't usually spend so much." "It was printed in 1751 by Ignacio Urrutia, a geographer and a sailor." "It was the best help for seafarers, until the appearance of Tofiño's Hydrographic atlas in 1789." "Yes, it's a good copy." "There are many secondhand booksellers and antique dealers with no scruples." "When they find one they shatter it to sell the sheets separately." "But this one's intact." " There's a mistake." "Are you sure?" " Yes." "It's wrong." "Do you know the coast of Cartagena?" " I was born there." "I used to dive and take amphoras from the bottom." "So you're a diver as well." "Nothing professional, just summer jobs for tourists." "But you're experienced." " When I was young." "I haven't dived for a Iong time." " What's the mistake?" "Urrutia's uplifting is located in the Cape of PaIos, 2 or 3 meridian minutes more to the east than it really is." "I've turned that point many times." "Yes." "Did you have a limit to bid or could you have gone on?" "I'II invite you out to lunch." "You deserve it." "Okay." "I work for the Navy but I'm a civil servant." "My father was a military man." "First a commander in Africa..." "Is that why you're called Tánger?" "After that, being a colonel, he spent 10 years in italy, in NATO." "I studied there, and finally I got my degree in History." "Thank you." "tell me the truth." "Why did you come to Madrid?" "To see you." "To see me?" "Why?" "I thanked you in barcelona." "What else do you want?" "To take me to bed?" "What's got into you?" "Don't worry." " I Iike things to be very clear." "You remind me of the sirens." " What sirens?" "They attracted sailors and shattered their ships." "UIysses." "You know what I'm talking about, right?" "Where are you staying here in Madrid?" " In a guesthouse." "For God's sake!" "You're not even handsome!" "I'II tell you a story of shipwrecks and lost ships." "Before you go back to sleep in your guesthouse," "I'II ask you three questions." "You'II answer yes or no." "That'II be all." "Is it a deal?" "It's a deal." " Fine." "Have you ever heard of the Dei gloria?" "No, I don't think so." " A brigantine with 10 cannons." "It sank opposite the Spanish southeast coast in the 18th century." "Is Snowy bothering you?" " No, I Iove dogs." "The Dei gloria belonged to the Society ofJesus." "It left Havana in early 1767, with 25 crew members and two passengers." "What was the cargo?" "The cargo manifest said cotton, tobacco and sugar." "Destination:" "valencia's port." " Who was in charge?" "A trustworthy captain." "Juan Bautista EIezcano, from Vizcaya." "Where was it wrecked exactly?" " Can I tell the story?" "After it turned the Cape of Gata, the Dei gloria was chased by Chergui, an algerian corsair." "The Dei gloria's crew weren't warriors but they fought bravely." "But when Chergui, shooting from the deck, was hooked to its prey, his men ready to jump from the rail... it blew from bow to stern, taking with it the Dei gloria." "Aren't you interested in what I'm telling you?" "Yes, of course I'm interested." "Where did you say it sank?" " Southeast of Cape Tiñoso." "The only survivor was a 15-year-oId pilot." "He told the exact position of the Dei gloria when it sank." "He also said the charts used on board were the Urrutia's." "This morning you said you know that coast well." "Is that true?" "Is that the first of the three questions?" "Yes." "As a boy I used to swim in those coves." "Later I've sailed that coast hundreds of times, coasting and out at sea." "could you determine an exact position using old charts?" "If you mean the Urrutia, each possible inaccuracy of a minute, in latitude or longitude, means a mistake of a mile." "But I can try it." "It's my trade, but it's difficult." "would you work for us?" "We'II pay you, of course." "You mean the museum and you?" " Yes." "But why me?" "I don't get it." "In the Navy there are highIy-trained people." "If I hire you, I'II control you." "I'm in charge." "With the military men that'd be impossible." "Do you understand?" "Yes, I do." "But sooner or later you'II have to give them some answers." "But in the meantime I can act independently for three months, and I have some money to spend." "Not a Iot, but enough." "Okay." "I have a question." "What are you looking for?" "You say the cargo was worthless." "What is it then?" "That ship has haunted me for a Iong time." "And now I think I know where it is." "Some treasures can't be translated into money." "As simple as that." "well, will you join me?" "Yes." "Why not?" "After all, I have nothing better to do." "Thank you, Coy." "It's late." "I think you should go." "Hey!" "What are you looking for here?" " Excuse me?" "An encounter can be a coincidence, but two of them piss me off!" "Don't know what you're talking about." "I'm talking about being fed up with seeing your face everywhere." "What do you mean exactly?" " I'm going to lose my patience." "Haven't you lost it yet?" "What'II happen when you lose it?" " Fucking shit!" "What's up?" "I don't want any trouble here!" "We spent the whole next day locked up in her house, working on the spherical chart number 12 of the Urrutia, trying to calculate the difference between it and the current charts." "A mistake of a minute on the chart can mean a mile at sea." "In practice that can mean a world of difference." "But I was delighted, feeling her by my side, smelling her skin." "But I couldn't forget my encounter with the Argentinian." "At dusk Tánger was more communicative." "She tried to hide her emotions, but at last I felt her vulnerable." "She told me about her childhood, about Tintin." ""The treasure of Red Rackham"." "She told me it had marked her life." "Especially that panel with Tintin dressed as a diver, walking on the bottom of the sea towards the sunk "Unicorn"ship." "But it was just a mirage." "The Dei gloria belonged to the Jesuits." "She came back quickly to her obsession by the Dei Gloria." "It sank 2 months before carlos III's expulsion decree." "I thought it was the right moment to speak clearly." "The King's enmity versus the order." "The creation of a secret council that prepared the expulsion decree." "That's the context of the Dei gloria's voyage and tragedy." "What about the others?" "What others?" " What others?" "The italian who attacked you in barcelona, for instance." "Or that Argentinian who was watching your house last night." "They don't look like historians." "I bet they're not interested in the Jesuits' expulsion at all." "They have nothing to do with me." "Do you expect me to believe you?" "Do you think I'm a jerk?" "Listen." "If I pay you for this..." " You pay me?" "Do you think I'm sitting there because you're going to pay me?" "You haven't understood." "I'm just saying those guys have nothing to do with it." "They have so much do with it, if you don't tell me, you can count me out." "You're not serious." " Of course I'm serious." "I'm serious." "Don't know if you think I'm a jerk or mentally retarded." "You're here..." " You know very well why I'm here." "I'm only demanding of you clarity." "tell me what I'm getting involved in." "You demand me?" "Who do you think you are?" "What do you want from me?" " I offered you a job..." "A job!" "They might think there are treasures or something similar." "It's not a treasure but a secret I want to discover." "Okay." "tell me the truth." "Who are those two guys?" "I don't know." "It's been a pleasure meeting you." " Wait!" "You aren't leaving." "You're just bluffing." "Perhaps." "Try to find it out." " I need you." "Yes, I know what you mean." "There are more unemployed sailors and divers." "Many are as stupid as me." "I need you." " You know where I Iive." "The most dangerous women... are those who beat you when they reach the orgasm." "May I?" "Why do you appear now?" "." "What do you want?" "Nino PaIermo." "Owner of Deadman's Chest, a company that rescues sunken ships." "Our head office is in gibraltar." "A treasure hunter?" " In a way, yes." "However, it's not an adventure but a very serious job." "I invest money and do some prospecting works." "I'm a professional." "What does she have to do with all this?" "Many years ago I found the name "Dei gloria" for the first time." "There was a veiled reference to a secret it transported." "Then I knew it." "call it intuition if you want." "Something was waiting for me there." "A treasure?" " At least a ship." "An old beautiful sunken ship." "The treasure will come after that, if it comes." "But then I made a mistake." "I went into partnership with that bitch." "Soon I found out she was playing her own game." "Do you understand?" "She pinched the Dei gloria right under my nose." "I think she works for the naval Museum." "That's now." "I'm telling you about a story that started years ago." "This is a Iong-distance race, you see?" "She had an advantage, but I've recovered lost ground." "I'II win more." "I wish you luck." " Some of that luck depends on you." "I just have to look a man in his face to know..." "You understand me." "No, you're wrong." "I don't understand you." "To know what his price is." "I'm out of this." "I've resigned." "Don't tell me." "Are you serious?" "Of course I'm serious." " would it be rude asking you why?" "You said it before." "She doesn't play fair." "Get back together with Tánger." "I'd Iike to have an ally next to her." "Do you know what?" "Fuck you, her and the Argentinian that follows her everywhere." "Think about it!" "I'm talking about a Iot of money." "Snowy?" "Tánger?" "Don't worry, I'm okay." "well?" "Are you still with me or do you abandon the ship?" "Last night I was with Nino PaIermo." "What happened?" "He told me many things, all of them bad." "He also threatened you." "Aren't you scared?" "When I was a child I Ioved westerns." "Did you Iike them?" "Watching them I decided there are two types of women:" "those who scream when the Apaches come, and those who take a rifle and shoot from the window." "I chose the rifle." "That PaIermo offered me a job." "What did you tell him?" " I'd think about it." "What's that?" " My return ticket." "We worked on the spherical chart again, as if nothing had happened." "Then she suggested hiring a third person and a ship." "And you appeared, pilot." " We need a third person, a sailor with a good ship." "Someone discreet." "I told her your T-shirts had been wet more times than I've ever sailed." "I've got the ship and the sailor." "pilot is the best." "His T-shirts have been wet more times than I've ever sailed." "We'II talk about that tomorrow." "It's been a very intense day." " Yes." "I've been thinking..." "You can stay here tonight if you want." "Good night." "sleep well." "Thank you, Coy." "Tonight I Iike to know you are close." "Hi." "Mr. PaIermo?" "This is Coy." "Yes, the sailor." "I'd Iike to talk to you." "Now." "Yes, I think that's not far." "Okay, see you." "It seems you were very convincing." "We must find our opponent's weakest point." "My job's always been that, getting information from the people." "Funny how such an unknown story as Dei gloria's... has called so many people from so many different places." "Excuse me for a second." "I'm here!" "You've gone too far, palermo." "When you phoned before I thought you wanted to work with me, but I see I was wrong." " Yes, you're wrong." "And this one's because of the dog." "Finally I lost consciousness." "That fucking Argentinian knew what he was doing." "Nobody had ever hurt me that way." "Later I went to the police station." "I spent two days in a cell." "When I came out, she was waiting for me with two tickets for Cádiz." "We started the adventure at last." "But for me, Tánger was the adventure." "Thank you." "I'm sure there's this connection... between Dei gloria's voyage and the Jesuits' expulsion." "Back then, by a direct order of carlos III, a committee is created to expel the Jesuits." "It was called the "Cabinet of the Secret Inquiry"." "The Count of Aranda was in charge." "He knew the Jesuits very well, since he had studied with them." "Do you follow me?" " Yes." "The Dei gloria, Coy." "We're talking about a brigantine that travels from Spain to America... when the Cabinet has been meeting for 3 months, and it comes back shortly before the final blow falls on the Jesuits." "Put two and two together." " Yes, yes." "There's this old riddle..." "Are you good at riddles, Coy?" " Not much." "I am." "This is one of my favourites." "There's an island." "Just two kind of people live there:" "knights and squires." "The squires lie and betray all the time and the knights never do that." "Do you understand the situation?" " Yes." "Knights and squires." "Some lie, some don't." "One of the inhabitants of that island tells the other:" ""I'II always lie and betray you." Do you understand?" ""I'II always lie and betray you."" "The question is:" "who says that, a knight or a squire?" "What do you think?" "I don't know." "It seems easy but I should think about it." "Think about it." "Now?" "." " Not necessarily." "I have another riddle for you." "What'd have happened the other night if I had opened your room's door?" "If you had opened it, now you'd know." "Tomorrow at noon I have an appointment at the Underwater archaeology Centre." "shall I go with you?" " Yes, sure." "See you tomorrow." "sleep well." "You'II find it hard to believe, but Dei gloria's plans were forgotten among a pile of dusty documents." "I saw them by chance, looking for another thing." "I remembered because you phoned me." "This way." "There's another person interested in the Dei gloria." "really?" "An italian who lives in gibraltar, some Nino PaIermo." "Do you know him?" "Yes." "When was he here?" "He came to see me one month ago." "He was also looking for the plans." "Did you give them to him?" "To him?" "But he looks like a gangster!" "Don't be silly!" "The plans." " Thank you." " A good ship, right?" "clean lines, seaworthy." " If a corsair vessel caught it, it for sure had a rough Atlantic crossing." "It's strange they didn't repair it in Cádiz." "I don't want to poke my nose in here, but I think the making of dykes, for instance, can even change the sense of currents... and uncover treasures hidden for centuries." "Treasures?" "This is an investigation backed by the naval Museum." "Nobody said a thing about looking for treasures." "Neither did PaIermo." "Thanks for everything, Rocío." " You're welcome." "Bye." "The midshipman's castle was very close from here." "Do you know what that means?" " No." "Cádiz's meridian went through that place." "Don't you find it fascinating?" "What's your problem?" "I've got a message for the lady." " Stick it up your ass!" "It's a message from Mr. PaIermo." " There's no doubt then!" "Let me speak to him, please." "He suggests a meeting in gibraltar, in palermo's office." "What are you going to do?" " I have nothing to negotiate with them." "Be careful with that guy." "Horacio." "His name's Horacio Kiskoros." "Why do you say that?" " He killed Snowy." "What?" "That guy killed Snowy?" "What are you going to do?" "will you continue as if nothing had happened, after that atrocity?" "She should be here." "She doesn't trust you." "First she wants to know what this is about." "I don't trust her, either." " Nobody trusts anybody here." "You're a fool." "She uses you Iike a puppet." " Mind your own business." "This is my business, or it was until she ruined it." "She says the same, but the other way round." "That bitch's a liar!" " I don't deny that." "Listen." "AII this has got absurdly out of hand." "We're going too far, okay?" "AII of us." "She, that disturbed Argentinian, and maybe myself." "And you, of course." "Do you know what this is?" " No." "One of the famous 'pieces of 8', typical of the pirate films." "I've found coins like this in every ocean, you see?" "I won't tolerate a couple of amateurs ruin the work of a lifetime." "That's why I'II get to the end." "Without mercy or reservations." "I swear." "Are you threatening me?" "You made me come here just to threaten me?" "No." "I called her to suggest a deal." "But she didn't even turn up." "She accepts." "But not here." "Then where?" " In a clear place, in the open air." "neutral." "Do you know Princess caroline's Battery?" "No." " It's the Rock's viewpoint." "What time?" " Tomorrow at 12." "Okay." "I'II be waiting there." "You'll be there?" " You'II know when you arrive." " You think you're so tough, right?" "But you're a puppet, like all of us." "They use us." "They use and destroy us." "I already know that." "I know your problem." "Two years suspended is a Iong time." "I'm sorry." "I reckon you're well informed." "I've got friends." "Friends with ships who need workers." "I couId help you." "I don't want your help." "You'II pay for not wanting to listen to me." "Tomorrow at 12." "Ask Tánger about the Dei gloria's emeralds, come on." "What?" "Go." "Can you tell me where you were?" "I've been looking for you." "I went to see PaIermo, in gibraltar." "Okay, now I see." " What do you see?" "Your business with PaIermo." "What are you talking about?" " I've always suspected." "Too many coincidences:" "the encounter in barcelona, your insistence in Madrid, that false fight... and now this." "Do you think I'm a jerk?" " Not a jerk." "You're sick." "Sick of suspicion." " Do I have no reasons?" "Fucking shit!" "I feel sorry for you." "I just wanted to help you." "I need to borrow some money to go back to barcelona." "I'm broke." "I'II give it back as soon as I can." "Coy..." "And put the emeralds wherever you want." "I'd bought you a present." "A logbook." "So what?" "This doesn't change anything." "Are you gonna say something?" "I'm sorry." "This time you might be right." "I know I'm very suspicious, but put yourself in my place." "I can't lower my guard." "So?" "Nothing." "I put my foot in it." "I'II get your money." ""I'II always lie and betray you."" "I calmed down." "She told me about the emeralds, as if nothing had happened." "When she fantasized about their number, size or purity... her eyes turned greenish." "At least that was my impression." "As "Torpedo" Tucumán would say, women kill you and you don't even notice you're dead." "This is Tánger." "How are you doing?" "Later she quickly got to a deal with you, as I had imagined." "But I couldn't imagine what would happen at the Rock." "Whatever happens, don't intervene." "Good morning." " What's the proposal?" "If you have one." "Straight to the point, right?" "Of course I have a proposal." "A profitable association for all of us." "Which are the terms?" "50 per cent for you, 50 per cent for us." "What about him?" " He's your business." "Why should I share with you?" "You forget I gave you some clues." "I've been doing this longer than you." "I'm suggesting a reasonable thing, for God's sake." "Treasure hunting isn't just opening the chest." "You must have contacts, bribe the right people so nobody interferes." "I have some means you don't have:" "experience, technology, the proper contacts." "But you don't know where the Dei gloria is." "You just have to tell me two things:" "latitude and longitude." "You can find that in the archives." "Your friends at the library have closed those damn archives." "You took advantage of my good faith." "You haven't had good faith since you quit your feeding bottle." "She must have told you she was in Antwerp, right?" "You know what's there?" "The biggest underground market for jewels trade." "But of course, you must get them out of the country." "I've got means." "What if I don't accept?" "We'II cling to you Iike a limpet." "If we think the business is lost, I'II make the civil Guard visit you." "You have no chance." "Not counting some physical risks." "I'm so scared!" "She's brave, right?" "No wonder she's got you well caught." "You're a bit impulsive, sailor!" "The lady has a sweeter character." "Let him go!" "Let him go!" "The gun looked enormous in her hands." "She took the keys to the Rover, threw them into the void and left them there." "That's the whole story." "Now you know everything." "I don't want weapons on the Buenaventura." "tell her." "Are you okay?" "Take this." "I don't feel sick now." " That's why." "Take it." "Eat the biscuits first." "Rest and relax." "pilot doesn't want weapons on the Buenaventura, and I agree." "Weapons get you in trouble." "Or out of trouble." "There might be problems, pilot." "There are always problems at sea." "Yes, but this time they're not the only ones." "You know what I mean." "I'm getting old." "Some money would do me good." "Don't tell me you also believe in treasures." "Do you know any sailor that has not dreamt of them?" "I dream of sirens, you of treasures." "What's happening to us, pilot?" "You're right, Coy." "She's fucking bad." "How are you?" "Tánger?" "What?" " It's good you have thrown the gun." "Good night." "First day of navigation." "What seemed impossible just some days ago has happened." "We've both boarded, and we're sailing and looking for a treasure." "Can you dream of anything better?" "It was here." "The Dei gloria sank here, in this very place." "Can you imagine it's here below?" "." "I don't imagine, I'm sure." "It's been waiting for us for more than two centuries." "The bottom here's mud and sand." "It might be so buried we won't be able to dig." "It's possible, but we won't know it until we're down there." "They might have thrown the emeralds overboard before the shipwreck." "Yes, maybe." "In any case, first we must locate the vessel." "Okay." "What about the depth finder?" "They'II install it this afternoon, as well as the GPS." "We must pay for all that." " Sure." "No fisherman ever spoke about a shipwreck here, and they know these bottoms better than their house." "Is there something wrong?" " No, nothing." "Are you sure she knows what she's doing?" "I'm only sure about you, pilot." "What's that?" "That's an old ship cemetery." ""The cemetery of ships with no name"." "Do you remember, pilot?" " It isn't what it used to be." "The sea's not what it used to be." "Land." "I've divided the exploration area in 74 squares." "We'II start here, the furthest away from the coast." "Have you calculated how much it'II take?" "Between 10 and 12 days." "If the weather is nice, of course." "At least two weeks." "The weather won't be nice." "Do you think the people will suspect?" "Not at the beginning, but they will as we get closer." "We're going to be around the same area all the time." "A motor." "We can say we've lost an outboard motor and we want to recover it." "You're a couple on your honeymoon." "You've rented my ship." "Are there patrols in the area?" "Sure." "Customs police, and the civil Guard." "Yes, but pilot knows everybody, including the civil Guard." "He knows how to treat them." "That won't be a problem." "And Nino PaIermo will turn up sooner or later." "What shall we do with him?" "You two find the Dei gloria, and leave PaIermo to me." "And... about the emeralds..." "I can tell you there's a buyer." "I spoke to him in Antwerp." "When we take them out of the sea somebody will come and take them." "With enough money for all of us." "I'II be satisfied with a new ship." "The Buenaventura's a wreck." "You'II buy that ship, pilot." "I promise." "What's Tánger doing?" " She's reading in her cabin." "What do you think of her?" "She knows what she's doing, or at Ieast she acts like that." "I'm so in love with her." "Coy, there are women with strange things on their heads." "Others have gonorrhoea, and then you get it." "We started to check the bottom 4 days ago and we've already cooled." "At least Pilot and me, because Tánger doesn't give up." "I think it's impossible to find the Dei Gloria under this immensity." "It's like looking for a needle in a haystack." "Eighth day of navigation." "The storm has exploded, in all senses." "We've argued." "Now we're heading for the coast." "Pilot wants to go to Cartagena." "Papers and stuff, he says." "He's lying." "He can't be without his nephew." "He has a soft spot for him." "And still no news of Nino Palermo." "What are you looking at?" "I'm watching you." "tell me what has changed in the sea." "I didn't say that exactly." " Yes, you did." "tell me why it's different now." " It's not now." "It was different when I started to sail." "The truth is it's difficult to stay away." "Away from what?" "Now you've got the telephone, the Internet, the fax..." "AII that." "So you enter the nautical school because you want to leave, to know many places, ports, you want to know many people." "Many women." "Have you met many women?" "Right now I don't remember how many." "Many whores?" " Some whores, yes." "Any black women?" "black, Chinese, of mixed race..." "Many classes." "As "Torpedo" Tucumán said, the good thing about whores is they ask you for dollars, not conversation." "How are the black women?" "Do you want to know?" "Some of their cunts are pink." "Why do you Iike to boast about being vulgar and rude?" "I don't boast." "Who was "Torpedo" Tucumán?" ""Torpedo"..." "He was my mate in ships, fights and bars." "When we were young we travelled around the world together." "Now there aren't sailors like that." "Nor fights." "I'm going to the toilet." "tell me." "What?" "A Spanish man." "A Spanish man told me years ago." "explain what you mean, I don't get it." "With the cattle prod." "With the Iast discharges he told me the secret of the Dei gloria, in return for..." " His life." "And you killed him, right?" "You're a jerk!" "And you're very wrong with PaIermo." "And with me." "And you're also wrong with her." "7 days have passed since we went back to work." "We've explored almost the whole area and done 14 dives to check... suspicious echoes, but haven't found the smallest trace of the Dei Gloria." "This is about to finish and I only fear how Tánger will react... when she throws in the towel, since Pilot and I've already done so." "What?" " Nothing." "It's not there." " It must be there." "This is absurd, Tánger." "We both know sooner or later we must accept the evidence." "There's no possible mistake." "You revised the calculations." "The correction tables can be wrong." " They aren't." "The position given by that pilot could have been wrong." "He made a mistake, he was human." "The Dei gloria can be so buried we've passed over it without noticing." "No, that's impossible." "The magnetometer would have detected those bronze cannons." "We've done something wrong." " That's obvious." "But tell me what." "I don't know." "But if there's a mistake, we made it." "If we finish the search tomorrow and we haven't found anything, we'II have to start again." "How?" "I don't know." "So far we've been lucky with the civil Guard, but that can change." "Besides, we haven't paid him anything." "Don't keep on at me." "I need to think." "I know it's down there." "Waiting for me." "well, see you tomorrow." " See you tomorrow." "Give him my regards!" "I want to have a bath... with steam all around, as if it was fog." "And I want you in that fog." "Take me to that hotel." "Let's go." "I've drunk so much..." "I just want a rude and silent hero to embrace me." "Do you have an answer for the riddle of the knights and the squires?" "There's no answer to it." "You're wrong." "There's always an answer for everything." "What are we going to do now?" "." "What we've been doing all this time." "Keep on searching." "Where?" "Onshore again." "Sunken ships aren't always found at sea." "Tomorrow we'II visit an old friend of mine." "Good morning." "We have an appointment with Néstor Perona, Professor of Cartography." "Is he in his office?" " He's in the meeting room." "Thank you." "Very well." "congratulations." "You've applied my tables correctly." "I get the same as you:" "a modern longitude of 1 degree, 21 minutes west of Greenwich." "Then we have a big problem." "There's nothing there." "Then you must extend the search area." "The ship could have drifted since its last known position." "A storm?" "A combat with a corsair." "Then many things could have happened... between checking the position and the combat." "I guess there's no doubt they used the Urrutia's charts." "There's no doubt." "There are direct testimonies of the crew." "Are you sure it's Cádiz's meridian?" "There can't be another one." "Cádiz fits in the shipwreck area." "The old meridian, I guess." "Or have you mistaken it with San Fernando?" "Of course not." "Okay." "Because you made that big mistake in Venice." "It's not the same." "I guess you tell me only what you find advisable." "I understand that." "But if you gave me more information about that ship..." "It was a brigantine coming from the andalusian Coast, sailing northeast." "Spanish flag?" " Yes." "Who was the shipowner?" " It was a Jesuit ship." "A Jesuit ship!" "I don't think it's funny." " It is, Tánger." "Of course it is." "What's up?" " Don't worry." "Let me enjoy this moment." "A Jesuit ship!" "You won't find that ship in those coordinates." "It's never been there." "So?" "The Jesuits had an infrastructure devoted... to what today is called counterespionage." "Do you get it?" "I don't know what you mean." "Honey, that ship sailed following a system of internal secret codes, as did all the Society's ships." "In a few words, the Jesuits used their own meridian." "So the corrections we've applied with your tables... can't be made according to Cádiz." "Of course not." "Use the secret meridian the Jesuits used in 1767." "That's to say, 5 degrees, 40 minutes west of Greenwich." "It passes just a few metres from the tower of SaIamanca's cathedral." "It can't be!" " I'm afraid it can." "But that means..." "You've been looking for that ship 36 miles west of where it really is." "By the way, last week your husband also came here, but I didn't see him." "You know very well we divorced 4 years ago." "Nino Palermol I can't believe itl lf it was true what she was telling me, they'd met at the University, in Italy." "Classmates, the same adventurous passion, and so on..." "How many times must I ask to get some information about what's going on?" "Is this Tintin?" "Are you treating me like a comic book character?" "What do you want to know?" "." " Now I know he's your husband!" "My former husband." "There's a great difference!" "I don't care." "I'm not needed in all this story." "But..." " Go to hell!" "THE RED FISH RESTAURANT" "To the Dei gloria!" "What's the bottom in this area?" "Sand and stones, with seaweed spots." "Right, pilot?" "No." "Seaweed grows as you get closer to Cape Negrete, but there it's clean." "There's stone and sand, as Coy said." "And some heaps where the green Iobsters are." "What?" "Green Iobsters?" "That's right." "Green Iobsters." "It's the only place where you can find them." "Have you been there?" " Sure." "A long time ago." "It's a good place, really." "The lobsters tasted good, but the customers didn't like their colour." "What kind of green was it?" "mould green, very different from red or blue, the colours they have after being fished." "That's why fishermen ate them." "Do you remember the place?" " Of course I do." "Cape of Agua, and then the Reef of Junco Grande, steer 10 degrees north." "Drop the anchor and that's the area." " What's the depth?" "There isn't much water." "Some 20 metres." "What's up?" " Lobsters." "Green Iobsters." "calm down." "I'm calm." "I think I haven't been calmer in my Iife." "So what's happening?" "The lobster's shell has mimetic faculties." "That green colour can come from the bronze cannons." "The Dei gloria's waiting for us there." "By the green Iobsters." "Not a trace of cannons." "We must go on." " I had no air." "Had to come out." "Haven't you seen anything like a cannon?" "No." " Are you sure?" "As years went by..." " Don't worry." "Leave this to me." "pilot!" " I'm coming!" "It's fucking freezing down there." "I'II wear my hood." "These shitty goggles let the water come in." "Are you sure you haven't seen anything?" "You too?" " Okay, I'II take the goggles." "Dei Gloria. lt was perfectly written on the cannon." "To the future!" "Thank you." "And now we must make a list of the essential equipment." "please, not now!" "." "Don't worry, leave this to me." "I know their boss." "calm down, it's a routine patrol." "Trust in pilot." "calm down?" "PaIermo surely has to do with this." "How are you doing, Pedro?" "Is there any problem?" "No, there isn't." "There's a couple of newlyweds." "Somebody told them there are green Iobsters round here." "They wanted to see them, but nothing." "old sailors' tales." "I've never seen them." "Do you fancy?" " Not on duty." "But next time we meet on land get me a brandy." "Sure." "See you, Pedro." " See you." "I'm going to buy some things." "See you later at the hotel." "Tánger!" "hello?" "I'm sorry, wrong number." "What?" "We need some money." "How are we going to buy the material?" "Ask for an invoice and we'II pay tomorrow when we pick it up." "Hurry up or they'II close." "See you later then." "shall we meet at 8?" "Bye." " See you tomorrow." "Don't work too much." "Hard days are coming." "Bye, captain." "See you." "She's obviously fooling me for the nth time." "She hides something." "But what can I do by now?" "Today we made love as if it was the last time." "As if we were running towards the end." "After working separately, in turns, for 10 days, this morning Pilot and I will go down together." "Yesterday evening I discovered a dark block full of accretions." "I tried to extract it alone but finally I couldn't." "Today Tánger was very nervous." "She wanted both of us to go down." "What are you doing?" "It's a good hiding place." "A torch won't call anyone's attention." "I think we'd better dock in a more discreet place." "San Pedro's pier, for instance." " Okay." "Where are you going?" " She gave orders." "She prefers a more discreet place." "This is about to finish, pilot." "I reckon you've done a good job." "Let's get on well." "Now we're partners." "Partners in what?" " What do you think?" "You've done your part, very well." "But now the professionals appear, to rescue the emeralds that have been waiting for centuries..." "Don't talk garbage." "Watch out." "I warn you, our Argentinian friend is out to get you." "And talking about us..." "What do you say, gorgeous?" "We've already lost too much time, darling." "Horacio." "What's up?" " Where are you going, sailor?" "Horacio, I need 6 hours." "Then let them go." "Don't move." "I'm so sorry, Coy." "I'II miss you." "Bitch!" "We must admit she's out of this world." "She's a bitch, right, but an extraordinary bitch." "I was the first to fall, Iike a child." "Later this poor devil, still hooked to her." "And now you, Horacio." "How could she trick you?" "will you shut up or shall I shut you up?" "I know when it was." "It was in Cádiz." "That afternoon by the cathedral, right?" "Yes." "That's when everything started, right?" "I know why she said 6 hours." "She's leaving." "Yes, we both saw her get off the ship that night." "She's leaving." "Or do you think she's tricked everyone but you?" "Don't move!" " That bitch doesn't need anyone." "Coy!" "How are you?" " I'm fine." "PaIermo?" "Don't waste time with me." "Go after her!" "Let's go, pilot." ""l know you'll come back to me, since I have what you want."" "Son of a bitch!" "I'II be satisfied with a new ship." "I don't need anything else." "Didn't she offer you a ship?" "Don't worry, you'II have your ship." "What about you?" " I don't know." "We'II see when she's back." " Is she coming back?" "As long as I have the emeralds." "What do you bet?" "I've known many stories about women." "When you were just a baby, during a stopover in Shanghai," "I met a Japanese woman."