by Bill Craig
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Mike Rogers was glad when King Tikal finally called a halt to their march. The hot sun was directly overhead, with temperatures well above a hundred degrees. He paused to wipe the sweat from his brow and noticed the two gruesomely carved stones that appeared to be guarding the entrance to a cave.
“This must be the place,” he told Mary Beth.
“I hate those statues! They are terrifying,” she replied. Just then Jake Fortune stepped out of the cave and waved everybody inside. Mike looked at his boss before urging everyone else inside. With a look over his shoulder at the jungle, Rogers was the last one to enter.
What he found inside amazed him. There was a large cavern lit by torches and filled with statues that had small rooms carved into walls of the mammoth cavern. At the far end there appeared to be some sort of staircase.
“Good job, Soldier,” Jake Fortune said, clapping him on the back.
“Just doing my job, Captain. We didn’t lose anybody, but there was a time or two when it was close,” Rogers shrugged, looking a little embarrassed.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Some of those natives are really good at setting ambushes,” Fortune nodded.
“So, what now?” Mike asked.
“Now, we rest.”
Jake Fortune had slept for nearly eight hours, stretched out on the stone floor of one of the small rooms. He had opened his eyes before Glory had entered carrying a torch in one hand. She looked beautiful in the yellow glow of the light, her red hair gleaming as if were aflame as well. “Have I ever told you that I think you’re beautiful?” he asked, softly.
“Not until right now,” she smiled back at him. Jake stood, as she stepped closer, then he reached out and took her into his arms and pulled her close, kissing her lips. Glory surrendered to the kiss and kissed him back.
“As much as I hate to interrupt this tender moment between you two, King Tikal wants to see you both,” Mike said from the doorway. He grinned at them both and then disappeared back into the cavern.
“Sounds like we have to answer a royal summons,” Jake said, as he reluctantly let her go. They headed for the door. The cavern was filled not only with the members of the expedition but the survivors of the Mayan city. Jake noticed that four of the king’s guard stood near the cavern’s entrance.
They found King Tikal at the far end of the cavern near where Fortune had thought that he had spotted a staircase. The Princess Mona was at her father’s side, as was Chac, their guide. “You asked to speak to us, Your Highness?” Jake said. The King turned to face him, his golden featured face impassive.
“I have,” Tikal nodded.
“About what?”
“It is time for us to separate. I shall lead my people to a sacred place of our people where we can live out our lives in peace among our own kind. I know that it is important for you to return to your people. My daughter told me that she has entrusted you with two of our sacred codices. Consider them a gift for your defense of our city.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Glory answered him.
“What about the very war-like natives that attacked both of our parties on the way here? It seems like they have the jungle route staked out and waiting on us,” Jake said.
“There is a way past them that will take you near the swamp.” King Tikal explained.
“How?” Jake asked.
“Follow me,” the king said, as he turned and started down the massive staircase that had been carved out of stone. Jake and Glory followed him down the steps.
The steps led down into another chamber, and halfway down the steps Jake could hear the sound of rushing water. The stairway ended in another large cavern. An underground river was running through the cavern. On one side, a wide ledge ran off in both directions. Jake looked at the king. “What is this?”
“This is both of our ways out past the war tribes that attacked us,” King Tikal said.
“What do you mean?”
“I will take my people south, deeper into the country. If you follow the river, it will lead you to an opening not far from the swamp. You can bypass those tribes who wish to kill you,” King Tikal explained.
“Okay. That actually sounds like a plan. Let’s go back and talk to our people,” Jake said. The three of them ascended the stairs.
Rupert Meijer frowned as he looked out the rain-streaked windows of the Zeppelin. He was the only one who remained on the ship. The others were safely out of harm’s way on the ground. The wind was doing its best to tear the ship from its moorings on the ground. With the wind as violent as it was, there was no way that the ship could take to the sky. They would have to ride the storm out where they were. He didn’t like it, but there was little that he could do about it.
At least the volcano had ceased its eruption. He had been afraid that flaming balls of Lava would fly this far and ignite the gas bags of his airship. He breathed a prayer to a God that he wasn’t supposed to believe in, thanking him for sparing his aircraft.
“I want to go with the Mayans,” Walter Bosley said.
“I’m not sure that is a good idea,” Glory told him.
“I have no family and nobody will miss me. It will give me an opportunity to study these people.”
“Walter, you’ll never be able to publish your findings,” Glory said, trying to get him to change his mind.
“I know that, Professor Newkirk. That’s not what this is about. I want to study these people up close. I want to know and understand them like nobody else has in several centuries.”
“You know that will be up to King Tikal, right?” she asked.
“I know that. I was hoping that you would be beside me when I asked him,” Walter told him.
“I will be Walter. But I can’t make any guarantees.”
“I know that,” he nodded.
Princess Mona smiled as Glory approached her. She had grown genuinely fond of the woman from the outside world. “Glory, what can I do for you?”
“One of my people doesn’t want to go back. He wants to go with you and study your people. I have told him that if he goes, it will be for good, that there will be no return to the outside world.”
“Did he understand that?”
“He says he does,” Glory replied.
“I will speak to my father and see if I can secure his permission,” Mona said, standing.
“Thank you, that’s all I can ask.”
New York City.
“I should like to go see one of your famous New York City museums,” Saleem said.
“That’s a splendid idea. No matter how elegant it is, sitting in this stuffy hotel suite is just going to make us both crazy,” Jacobs agreed.
“So, where do you suggest?”
“I think the Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side would work nicely,” Jacobs said, after a moment of thought. “I believe that they currently have a large Egyptian exhibit at the moment.”
“That would be a welcome taste of home. How will I ever thank you, kind Sir!” Saleem told him, enthusiastically.
“Get your coat and we will be on our way then,” Jacobs said, with a smile. This was the most excited he had seen the young man since they had met with President Roosevelt at Peabody Griffin’s penthouse. A few moments later they were exiting their rooms. Jacobs made sure that it was locked and had even put a do not disturb sign on the door. As they walked down the hallway towards the elevators, Jacobs reflected silently that there was only a small chance that anyone would be able to locate the written record of what the Nazi archeological was trying to find in Egypt. Rather than put it in the room safe, he had hidden it while Saleem slept, so even the Egyptian agent didn’t know where it was located.
The two men took an elevator to the ground floor and had the doorman flag down a taxi for them. The Yellow Checker Cab was clean enough, as far as taxis go. The driver was a gregarious man with a flat cap and a thick Brooklyn accent, a stub of a cigar hanging from the corner of his mouth. Jacobs to
ld him where they wanted to go and the driver pulled away from the curb and into traffic. They were unaware of a dark-colored sedan that pulled into traffic behind them.
The Yucatán.
Walter Bosley had been talking to Jake Fortune when Glory approached the two men. “Walter, your request has been granted.”
“Request?” Jake looked puzzled.
“I asked if I could stay with the Maya to study them. No other anthropologist has ever had an opportunity to live among a tribe of people thought to have been extinct for centuries,” Bosley explained.
“You know if you stay, it will mean that you will never return to civilization?” Fortune asked him.
“I know. I find that modern civilization is vastly over-rated. I prefer to stay among these people. They are very knowledgeable about things that modern science is just beginning to explore.”
“In that case, grab your gear. The princess says that they will be leaving soon,” Glory told him. After shaking both of their hands, Bosley hurried off to grab his pack and personal gear.
“What a strange bird,” Jake shook his head, as he watched the man go.
“No stranger than anyone else on this trip,” Glory smiled at him. “So, when do we leave?”
“I’ve got Mike, Don, and Cliff gathering torches. There is no telling how long we’ll be traveling underground. The aquafirs here are extensive. The native tribes currently make it too dangerous to travel through the jungle.”
“So, you trust what the king told us? That the underground river leads to a cave above the swamp?”
“He has no reason to lie to us.”
“If you trust him, that’s good enough for me,” Glory said, with a nod.
“So, you are the one who wishes to stay with my people?” Princess Mona asked as Walter Bosley walked over to the group of Mayans.
“Yes, I am. I am fascinated by your people,” Walter explained.
“Then welcome to our tribe. Come, you will walk with me. Our march will be long and filled with danger and peril as we travel to join more of our people many leagues away from here.”
“We’re ready to go, Captain,” Don Franklin said as he walked up to them.
“Good to know, Don. Okay, round everybody up, and have them collect their packs and any gear they don’t want to leave behind. We leave in five,” Fortune commanded.
“See you then,” Glory gave him a mock punch on the arm and went to gather her things. Fortune just laughed quietly as he watched her go, and then left to gather his own things. He realized he didn’t have much that remained. Just his pistols and a couple of boxes of ammunition. He had reloaded the empty magazines of his Colt automatic before going to sleep and had put loose rounds for his Colt revolver in drop pouches affixed to his belt.
His pack and other gear had been in his room in the village when the volcano erupted and it had perished in the lake of fire that had filled the valley. He hadn’t thought of going back for it, in fact, he hadn’t even missed it until now. He headed for the stairway that led down to the underground river and the ledge that traveled in both directions.
Within five minutes, the survivors of the expedition were gathered at the bottom of the stairs with him. Jake face them all, holding up a lit torch. Most of them looked tired and scared. He didn’t blame them. They were about to go into the unknown, following a ledge along an underground river that they had no real idea if it would lead them back up into the real world or not. But they did look game to try, and that was something that he felt would get them all through it.
There was no telling what new dangers they would face. But he had a feeling that they would face them bravely. He offered them a smile. Of the eight remaining, three were part of his security team. But they would give their lives to protect the other members of the expedition, as would he.
“Okay, people, let’s get a move on. We’ve got a long march ahead of us,” Fortune said. Holding his torch ahead of him, he turned and started deeper into the cave.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
New York City.
Jacobs and Saleem exited the cab in front of the Museum of Natural History. The great stone building was an imposing edifice. The two men walked up the steps to the main entrance, as the dark sedan pulled to the curb and two men in black raincoats exited from the back seat. They closed the doors and followed. The car remained where it was.
The two men entered the museum, walking quickly to keep Jacobs and Saleem in sight. They had their orders and they were going to make sure that they did not fail their mission!
Jacobs glanced over his shoulder before turning a corner and spotted the two men. He immediately recognized them for what they were: Nazi spies! As soon as they were around the corner he urged Saleem to move quickly towards a set of Marble stairs leading up to the second level. Saleem looked at him, questioningly, but complied, knowing that danger was no doubt lurking nearby.
They had just started up the stairs when one of the men came around the corner and spotted them, reaching into his coat and drawing a pistol. The man charged at them, thrusting the weapon towards them. Jacobs shoved Saleem forward as the weapon fired. The bullet ricocheted off the stone wall amid the loud sound of the gunfire. Marble chips rained down on Jacobs as he drew his own automatic and fired back, the sound of his .45 even louder inside the building. The first man went down, blood spraying from his chest. Jacobs and Saleem scrambled up the stairs.
“What is going on?” Saleem demanded, as he reached the second floor.
“Nazi spies trying to capture you,” Jacobs replied, urging the other man to his feet and taking off at a run.
“That is not good!”
“No, it isn’t,” Jacobs replied, reaching out and grabbing Saleem’s shoulder and dragging him into a medieval exhibit. With luck, they would be able to hide and get behind the second man. At least he hoped so! He had Saleem crouch down behind an antique suit of armor and he did the same, keeping his Colt .45 at the ready.
Herr Grubber passed his fallen comrade, as he ran towards the stairs. He had his own Lugar out and ready, a round in the chamber. People were running and screaming, trying to exit the museum. He had to fight his way up the stairs. Where would his prey have gone? Had they fled? No, that was unlikely. More than likely they were in hiding. All he had to do was find them.
A blue uniformed security officer was running down the hall towards him. As soon as the man spotted him, he skidded to a halt and started grabbing for the revolver holstered at his waist. Grubber leveled his Lugar and fired, drilling a bullet in the guard’s head. The dead man fell and Grubber moved forward, more cautious now.
“Come out, come out wherever you are . . .” he called, sneering. There were several rooms opening off the corridor. Which one would they choose to hide in? He stepped forward, his smirk now an ugly rictus that stretched his face almost into a mask of death.
Grubber stepped into the first room. It was dedicated to the American West. It didn’t take long to determine that the room was empty. It was time to move to the next one. He headed for the door.
Jacobs knelt behind the suit of armor. The checkering of the wooden grips was biting into the flesh of his pals as he prepared himself for what was coming. It was just a matter of time. He had heard the shot and the sound of a man falling in the corridor outside. Another death to be laid at the hand of the Nazis.
Saleem looked at him from his hiding place, his eyes wide with fear. This was more than the man had signed up for. Jacobs felt bad for the man. The man was terrified. Jacobs took a deep breath and let it out slow.
A shadow moved just outside the doorway. Jacobs made ready to fire. Slowly a man slid into the room . . .
The Yucatán.
Jake Fortune held the torch up inside the cavern, using it to light the way for the people behind him. The tunnel seemed to grow hotter, the deeper they went. Steam rose from the water below, and water dripped from the ceiling and ran down the walls. The stone beneath their feet was slick with it.
“Jake, you’ve got something on your mind. What is it?” Glory asked.
“I wish I knew. I’m not one hundred per cent sure that we can trust what King Tikal told us,” Jake replied.
“Sometimes, you just have to have faith, Jake,” Glory replied.
“I guess I know that. Except trust is not something that comes easy for me,” Jake explained.
“I know that. But just this once, I want you to trust me,” Glory told him.
“I do trust you, Glory.”
“Okay.”
Occasional holes in the ceiling where roots had penetrated into the cavern allowed in pillars of white sunlight that periodically dappled the surface of the underground river. Stalactites hung from the ceilings, and sometimes broken pieces littered the ledge they were using for a walkway.
Ahead of them they heard a loud splash in the river. Whatever it was had been beyond the glow of the torches. Glory moved a little closer to Jake, as a feeling of uneasiness crept over her. It didn’t seem to bother Jake, not that she could tell. She was coming to realize that he didn’t let things bother him. Instead he just faced each challenge as it presented itself.
“Hold up, everybody,” Jake called suddenly. Glory peered into the darkness, trying to see whatever had caused him to call a halt.
“What is it?” she whispered.
“I thought I saw something moving ahead of us. This isn’t a place you just want to stumble onto something without being ready. Mike, come up here,” Jake called behind him.