In the skies over war-torn Europe, a Lancaster bomber with its crew is fighting for its life. Myers Stone had exchanged his books on Archaeology to help fight this war. His role as a mid-upper gunner lets him shoot at the enemy. Unknown to him, the gunner in the forward turret holds a secret so important that he and his country will do anything to find it. Karl Wurt is new to the crew, an American of German birth who has come to help fight the war, but he holds a secret and is now following a plan that will force the Lancaster down into the hands of Hitler's forces. His secret is held inside a spy pencil. The microdots of three tablets from the era of the King of the Lydians, the famous and wealthy Croesus will give the German historians and archaeologists the location of the lost fortune of Croesus and his treasure house of gold. This is a story covering two generations. Geoffrey Stone follows his father's profession of archaeology and begins working at the restoration of Sardis, the capital of the Lydians. There he meets Chris Worthington and together they start to put the clues of the ancient civilization together. It is Chris that confirms that Croesus actually had a method to purify gold and all the myths of his wealth were probably true. Discover the history of King Croesus, his gold smiths and his defeat at the hands of the Persian king. This is a story with many facets, many lives and many loves. It uncovers both ancient mysteries, family secrets and exhumes the keys to one of the greatest treasures of the ancient world.