approaching and stole a quick glance. He shot his head back behind the crate. Two men carrying machine guns across their chests were fifty metres away. Dennis reached down to his thigh and unclipped the holster around his leg and pulled out his Sig-pro handgun. He would have to take the two of them out with one shot each if he was discovered. He pressed the gun against his face and readied. He peered around the crate again. The two men were almost on top of him and he couldn’t believe in the halflight that they hadn’t seen him. Then suddenly they were spinning around as the four army trucks rumbled onto the sand runway. The two men began walking back the way they’d come. Dennis was now able to lean out to watch. He took his attention off the two men as he saw Von Werner and the redhead come out of the building and stand side by side. The lead truck stopped in front of them and the passenger door opened and a man in camouflage jumped out. He strode up to Von Werner and the two shook hands. The man then shook hands with the redhead. They appeared to be discussing something then Von Werner led the man in camouflage to a nearby crate. Von Werner clicked his fingers at one of his men who came forward with a crowbar and prised the lid off the crate. The man in camouflage reached in and took out an AK-12 assault rifle. He held it up, pulled out and replaced the magazine, flicked the safety switch and sighted down the gun and fired a few practice bullets. Then, pleased, he put it back in the crate. He shook hands with Von Werner again then turned and gave an order. His men jumped out of the four trucks and began loading the crates into the backs of the lorries. One man approached the trio carrying something in his arms. The man in camouflage took it from him and presented it to Von Werner. From where Dennis was watching he couldn’t see what was being offered. Von Werner appeared to unwrap something and the redhead moved forward to examine whatever it was. She gave her approval and now Von Werner completely uncovered it and held it in both hands examining it. Dennis still couldn’t see what it was. It appeared to be a large, long stick or pole or something similar in nature. Dennis fished around in his pockets until he found his mobile phone. He selected Hutchinson’s number and rang it.
Still laying on his front with the binoculars Hutchinson found his phone and answered it.
“Jim!” Dennis called in a loud whisper.
“Yes Pete.”
“Are you still watching and seeing this?”
“Yeah.”
“What has Von Werner been handed?”
“It’s a wooden pole or something. It doesn’t look to be anything special. It’s quite ordinary sort of….Holy shit Pete! I think it’s the shaft of a spear.”
“A spear…” then the realisation of what he was witnessing sunk in, “Hey! Do you think it’s a Roman spear shaft?”
“Could be,” Hutchinson replied, “You mean like the shaft of Longinus’ spear.”
These words hit home for Dennis.
“Yeah could be,” then the doubt set in, “No it can’t be can it? What would someone, a terrorist, soldier, mercenary, or whatever he is be doing with such a relic here in Palestine. No it can’t be.”
“Well it seems pretty important.”
“Yeah important enough for Von Werner to be paying in brand new Kalashnikov AK-12’s. Those things only came out this year.”
“Yeah I saw that…. Shit Pete look out!”
A shadow fell across Dennis. He turned and was able to roll out of the way just in time as a machine gun butt crashed into the crate where his head had been a moment before. He kicked out with his legs and this made the other man stumble long enough for Dennis to get to his feet. He wasn’t quick enough and the other man was on him, grabbing him by the throat and pulling him close. The grip was death like and Dennis was already struggling to breathe. The man was mocking Dennis in a language that was gutteral, the teeth bared. It sounded Russian to the journalist’s ears. Dennis brought his hands together and chopped at the man’s pressure points by the side of the neck but he met tough, heavy, Kevlar. It numbed his hands. Incredibly the man squeezed Dennis’ throat harder and he felt his face go red. He wriggled and fought