The Crown of the Romanovs

Lake Baikal

In order to tour the area around Lake Baikal where traditions place the remains of the treasure of the tsars, the members of the Diadem Project boarded the so-called Circum-Baikal train the next day.

Originally one of the seven segments of the Trans-Siberian Railway, this train is today reduced to an 89 km tourist route along the southern shore of Lake Baikal, passing through thirty-eight tunnels and stopping at each of its five stations: Slyudlyanka, Kultuk, Maritui , Ulanovo and Baikal. It is an old, coal-powered locomotive that carries a few wagons, sometimes no more than two. The tour had a young blonde guide named Vera who mentioned the characteristics of the sites they were going through. At a time when the train was running down a cliff the young woman warned.

“Take care when the train goes up the cliff and especially when we go down, since the slope is very steep. Please ride seated until we leave this area.”

The comment made in English for the benefit of the group members, as there were no other passengers in sight at the time, allowed them to begin a dialogue with the girl. Particularly Irina brought the singing voice and was gradually bringing the topic of tourist attractions to what really interested them.

“We have heard something vague about an alleged treasure hidden in this area.”

She soon realized that she had touched on a key topic. The girl, a local, was more than eager to talk about it, undoubtedly one of the biggest attractions of that picturesque trip. She began to narrate the story that the travelers knew by heart, and she did it with a remarkable degree of information. Everyone pretended to hear her amazed as if they were hearing something unheard of.

“ But the Russian government also believes in the existence of that part of the treasure?” Asked Irina.

“They try to deny that a part of the gold had escaped from their claws a hundred years ago, but the way they control everything concerning the alleged sites where it can be found denies their words.”

“There are also books that deny the existence of that part of the treasure.”

At this point Vera was delighted to be able to discuss what undoubtedly was her favorite topic, so she spoke with enthusiasm.

“Bah! Anyone can write a book saying what is good for them or what they tell them to say. But those of us who were born and raised in the area know the anecdotes that come to us from our great-grandparents, and all of them coincide in the frantic search for this treasure, not only by the Bolsheviks and their descendants of the USSR government, but also of all kinds of adventurers of different nationalities, some with great financial means. They wouldn't spend as much time and money if they didn't have firm leads.”

In view of the girl's predisposition to speak on the subject, Irina decided to try to advance a step.

“Tell me Vera, in which area of the lake do the local legends place the train fall.”

The young woman unfolded a tourist map of the area of the type that was given to the passengers and indicated an area on the north coast of the southern portion of the lake.

“The Circum Baikal reaches the last stop called precisely Baikal. There you have to cross a river and then continue along the coast that becomes progressively steeper. In fact for that reason the train no longer runs through it.”

“But the Trans-Siberian crossed it at that time!”

“Yes.”

"And are there routes that border the lake in that region?" Irina always asked the questions, because it was evident that she had established good emotional contact with the girl.

“Maybe we can't call them routes due to lack of maintenance, but there are trails that a four-wheel drive vehicle can travel.”

Vera stopped.

“I see that you have interested you in our legends, but let me make two recommendations.”

Getting the attention of her interlocutors, she continued.

“One is to be careful with the state of that path, the slopes are very steep and have frequent collapses and obstacles due to fallen trees and stones and more than one vehicle has ended up falling into the lake. That is precisely why the train with the treasure fell a hundred years ago. Those trains were very unsafe and wobbly.”

“And the second warning?”

“Be careful with possible spies that may be following you.”

“ Government spies? From the FSB?”

"You never know who they work for." Vera's tone was sincere. "They may have more than one hat on their heads.”

Returning to Irkutsk after the rail excursion, members of the expedition felt that for the first time they had made some measurable progress. Now they had an indication, although only approximate, of one of the specific areas where the legends located the destination of the fallen train.

The next day they prepared the truck for the trip, carrying supplies for a couple of days and the weapons that Suzuki had received from his mysterious supplier.

When they were already getting into the vehicle, Boris Demidov nudged the Japanese man lightly.

“ Look discreetly in that direction.”

In doing so, Suzuki saw a young blond man about seventy meters away who, while pretending to be reading a newspaper, seemed to be glancing at the truck that was about to leave. The professor nodded indicating he had noticed the detail and said in a whisper.

“It may be just a bit of nervousness on our part before going on a risky trip, but we will take that into account.”

He sneakily took a photo of the observer, zooming his cell phone camera to its maximum.

They left at nine o'clock with all the equipment and supplies. They had left their luggage at the hotel as they were to return at most in two days.

The first part of the route was already known as the route layout was parallel to that of the Circum Baikal train. Once past the Baikal station, the last of the railway route, they crossed the bridge and entered a new area for them. The climate was gradually deteriorating, which produced a certain apprehension, particularly in the two women.

“The path is gaining in height and is narrowing. It will end up becoming a cornice path.” Irina warned.

“And the sky is covering and the light decreases. I fear a storm.” Lakshmi added.

Jack, who was driving asked.

“Do you want us to return or stop on the road?”

After a brief discussion Igor finally stated what seemed to be the consensus.

“Tomorrow perhaps the Siberian shaman is arriving. Perhaps today is the last chance we have to explore this path.

Jack resumed the march but the ladies' predictions were fulfilled. The trail rose from the lake level and became narrower and narrower, and at the same time full of stones, including some large ones that forced the heavy vehicle to be guided around them despite the limited space available.

A storm of wind and rain suddenly broke out. The gusts circulated through the forest that spread across the side of the mountain and hooted among the tall pines. The already uneven ground of the road became slippery, demanding a great effort from Jack to stay on the path. The strong wind ran madly along the path, which, being free of trees, put less resistance to the movement of the air, and this made the heavy truck oscillate as if it were a bicycle. Lakshmi was looking at the floor of the truck so as not to look up through the windows, and Irina nervously rubbed her fists.

"We can no longer return," Said Jack, understanding the feelings of his fellow travelers. "We can only flee forward."

Visibility was severely limited by rain and sleet streaming through the windows and Dieter, who was riding in the passenger seat, was constantly wiping the windshield with a cloth to remove internal condensation fog.

Nothing foretold the hairpin curve that was suddenly found immediately in front of them. Jack abruptly maneuvered the steering wheel trying to stay on the track but the soggy ground and wet grass on the side of the trail caused a slide down. The driver was the first to see the side of the slope that plummeted onto the surface of the lake that was visible down there, about a hundred meters away.

The truck slipped out of control down the nearly vertical ravine. Lakshmi gave a terrified scream and Suzuki looked as if hypnotized at the side of the reef they were rushing through. Irina could only make a prayer in Russian. They all took charge of the disastrous end of the excursion they had started that morning and the fate of the Diadem Project.

A deafening noise from above crowned the catastrophe scene.