‘We will get truth,’ said Colonel Wu, his curt tone making it clear further discussion of the matter was over. He turned and headed inside.

‘Nice to meet you too,’ Eddie called out to his retreating back.

His daughter shot him a disapproving glare.

‘My apologies, Mr Chase,’ said Hui. ‘We did not mean to ignore you.’ She shook his hand. ‘Now, please come inside. We have a lot to talk about.’

A bank of elevators was set back inside the bunker’s entrance. The sarcophagus and the prisoners had already descended; Hui called another lift. ‘I will give you the background on our discoveries,’ she said. ‘If I tell you something Cheng has already mentioned, please stop me.’

Nina nodded. ‘Go ahead. I’m very interested to hear the full story.’

‘China began nuclear tests in this region in 1964. It was while examining the crater left by a test in 1976 that something incredible was discovered.’

‘The buried fortress?’

‘Yes. A structure twenty metres beneath the sand, constructed from materials unknown at the time. It contained several sarcophagi made of the gold alloy now called orichalcum, thanks to your discovery of Atlantis; a harder metal we call adamantium – my son chose the name—’

‘From Wolverine’s claws,’ said Cheng, with a slightly embarrassed smile.

‘—and a crystalline substance,’ Hui continued. The elevator arrived, and everyone filed in. ‘The occupants of the sarcophagi were all dead, but as the records we recovered were translated, it became clear they expected to be revived.’

‘Has everything been translated?’

Hui nodded towards Zan. ‘We are as fluent as we can be in their written and spoken languages. Zhi is an expert. I am . . . fair. Cheng is better.’ Her son grinned. ‘But we also have a computer program that can translate.’

‘You’ve heard them talk?’ asked Eddie.

‘As well as inscriptions, there were audio recordings of the Nephilim voices.’

‘Clay cylinders that use a needle and a metal cone for recording and playback, right?’ said Nina.

‘Yes. Did Cheng tell you about them?’

‘No, I’ve seen them before.’

Hui was surprised. ‘You have already found a Nephilim site?’

‘Not Nephilim,’ Nina told her. ‘I knew them as the Veteres. They weren’t the same species as the occupants of the sarcophagus, though. They were smaller, more slender.’

‘And they looked like space aliens,’ Eddie added.

Nina fought the urge to sigh.

However, Hui nodded. ‘We have theorised that the modern image of a spaceman is an ancient racial memory of the Nephilim. We do not know for sure – but it is more likely than aliens coming to earth in flying saucers.’

The Yorkshireman was disappointed.

His wife couldn’t resist smiling at him. ‘Told ya.’

The elevator stopped. ‘We have also analysed the technology found in the structure,’ Hui went on as the doors opened. ‘It was all damaged beyond repair, but we still learned much from it. We could not replicate any of its functions, though – until recently.’