Finding the Fourth Ring

On July 10, James sent out a new message with the latest TheO voicemail attached, opening up the avenue for researching and recovering the fourth ring sculpture:

Hi everyone,

I guess they really don’t believe that we’re on to them because they keep leaving voicemails… I found this one this morning… so here you go! Hopefully we can get it re-recorded quickly! They’re so suspicious these days! I’m traveling so I can’t be much use, but Eli is always available to help out (when he responds to emails, that is).

You’ve all had some really good ideas for how we can get around the new regulations… let’s keep in touch this weekend while you all figure out where this ring is being kept, then we can come up with a plan of attack from there. I’m pretty sure that I will not qualify as a senior executive member, nor will I be able to get to that level in time.

Like I said, we’ll be in touch.

-James

The voicemail was in Russian, and although I know relatively a lot of people who speak the language, nobody could get the translation down.

After some complicated research and analysis, community members figured out 1. the password, 2. the general location, and 3. the Russian translation (which revealed the specific location – the Esperanto Society HQ in Buenos Aires).

But after Eli Hunt speculated in an email that the Society had helped the original Codex authors with their translations, but also were members of “the other side”, we realized that it wouldn’t be quite as easy as the previous three rings.

Diego and James exchanged emails, in which James shared: “I have made some inquiries and I fear that I am not even a high enough ranking member to be a Transporter, therefore the un-initiates under me such as Mauro will not be able to pass the authentication test either…” Diego and the others formed a plan – they would pretend to be a band interested in learning Esperanto, attend a lesson on Saturday, scope out the building, and steal the Ring!

So, this Saturday, they headed over; VictorSueiro Twittered the whole time:

Thinking that maybe the US team could drive a few more miles and come to BA to get the other one… 03:46 PM July 25, 2008 from web

Rocking with my band…(stil waiting!) 04:55 PM July 25, 2008 from web

Waiting for a bus. about 09:11 AM July 26, 2008

At capitol city – buenos aires. Waiting for mauro. 09:45 AM July 26, 2008 from cellity

We found mauro! Going to the meeting point -metro- 10:14 AM July 26, 2008 from cellity

Waiting for diego. 10:30 AM July 26, 2008 from cellity

Making plans. Going to the esperanto society in a while. 10:57 AM July 26, 2008 from cellity

Going in… 11:10 AM July 26, 2008 from cellity

I ve found the ring in a toilet! 11:32 AM July 26, 2008 from cellity

Runing in a while… 11:53 AM July 26, 2008 from cellity

Runing the city labyrinth. 6 km and runing. 02:39 PM July 26, 2008 from cellity

They also posted photos and videos, including a great one of them running through the streets with the Ring!

Congratulations to the whole Buenos Aires team on a job very well done!