Searching for the elusive criminals who left her famous father comatose after a bomb blast, cultural arts historian and quasi-archeologist, Amanda Oliver stumbles into a world of thugs, tomb robbers, obsessed archeologists and greedy collectors seeking a priceless Etruscan sarcophagus. Putty Face's footsteps crunched on the gravel behind me. His erratic breathing, panting like a thirsty animal, paralyzed me. I opened my mouth to protest but no sound came. In a split second, the pressure of his hands on my back told his intentions. He shoved hard.
I pitched forward and the ground under my feet disappeared. My arms flailed clumsily when I grabbed out for something to stop my fall but met only air. His fierce thrust sped my descent and I tumbled uncontrollably, bouncing off bare rock outcroppings, each slam increasing my dizziness, bruising and weakening me.
Mercifully, I blacked out.
