Dropped a part in worst possible place in engine - ideas?

[Multibeemer]

As I was on the home stretch of my valve cover and timing chain cover gasket replacement project on my 03 4.4i, disaster struck. After placing the passenger side timing cover in place, I realized I had to insert one of the bolts that holds it to the head before putting the cover in place, so as I was removing it, the chain tensioner came loose, and I'm 99% sure it fell down inside the lower timing chain cover. I've literally spent hours looking everywhere outside the lower cover, but can't find it. It made a sound consistent with a metal part falling inside a hollow metal cavity, so I'm pretty sure it's sitting at the bottom of the upper oil pan.

So, before I go to the insane amount of work (and about $200 worth of special tools I'd only use once) involved with pulling off the lower cover, I want to explore all other options.

1. Any tips for trying to fish the part out of there? I've spent a lot of "quality time" with my telescoping magnet, with no luck. A co-worker lent me his boroscope, but even with that nice instrument, it's hard to make out anything in there. I'm going to next try taping a flexible tube to my shop vac's nozzle to see if I can retrieve it that way.

2. If I have to end up removing the front cover, do I absolutely have to buy a crank holder tool to remove the crank pulley bolt (aka the "Jesus bolt")? Wouldn't having someone mash down on the brakes with the transmission in reverse while I turn the bolt using a long extension pipe do the trick? I'm guessing not, otherwise everybody doing this job would do it that way, but I have to ask.

3. I haven't found any really good pictures of what the area where the tensioner piece mostly likely fell, so I'm wondering if there's any chance I could just leave it there and buy a new one. Again, I doubt it, as the risk of it coming loose and finding its way into the chain mechanism is probably too large to take, but again, I'm trying to exhaust all options before tearing the entire front of my engine apart.

I'm guessing I'm the only person in the history of the world who's ever done this, but any suggestions from anyone with experience working on this part of the engine would be very welcome.