Beranek's Stand

American archaeologist Charles Beranek is on the verge of unearthing an ancient masterpiece of engineering that will compel scholars to revise their list of the world's great wonders. There's only one problem -- the dig is in Iran. When Islamic extremists move to arrest Beranek and his students on trumped-up charges of stealing priceless relics, they take refuge in the remnants of a clifftop stronghold. They endure violence and betrayal, but -- the odds be damned -- Beranek isn't about to give up until the ruins yield their final secret. In the end, Beranek must confront a question with profound implications: Who really owns the world's ancient treasures? The people who inherited them or humanity itself?