Torrent

by David Meyer

  With a loud grunt, he stirred at an even faster rate.

  "And keep adding juice mix," I said to Dora. "We're going to be pumping new water in here at a fast clip."

  She nodded and returned to work.

  I twisted toward Graham. "Start the flow on my mark."

  "Got it," he replied gruffly.

  Emily, Rigoberta, Tum, and Miranda were gathered in the artificial marsh. "Get ready," I barked. "If you see even a hint of red water, holler and mark the position."

  Without a word, they slogged across the marsh and took up position along the eastern edge.

  "Okay," I shouted. "Let her rip."

  The marsh gurgled. Moments later, water gushed into the metal box. It quickly mixed with the red concoction.

  "Keep stirring," I called to Renau. "You're doing great."

  He stirred faster. Meanwhile, Dora grabbed more packets and raced back to the box. She quickly dumped their contents into the concoction.

  The concoction rose higher. It reached the second set of pump hoses. I heard more gurgling noises as it began to flow out of the metal box and toward the river.

  "Increase the pressure," I said. "Just a bit."

  Graham obliged.

  "Good. Keep it going until I say otherwise."

  I grabbed my machete and ran into the jungle. Beverly joined me. I kept a wary eye out for the nagual. Fortunately, I didn't see it.

  We reached the wall. Hours earlier, I'd carefully carved out several holes in the rock. My flashlight beam had revealed a descending walkway that appeared to lead to the river. I'd snaked hoses into the holes and tested Graham's pumping apparatus. Moments later, I'd heard the water pour down the walkway and splash into the river.

  Pushing a hose to the side, I glanced past it. I saw the red concoction flowing down the walkway.

  Beverly twisted around to guard my rear side. She held a revolver in her hands. "Is it working?" she asked.

  "It's definitely flowing." I leaned my ear against the wall. "And yeah, I can hear it going right into the river. It's—"

  "I got it." Emily's distant voice drifted into my ears. "Red water. It's over here."

  A grin creased my visage. I'd had my doubts about the operation. Many things could've gone wrong. The river water could've easily dispersed the red concoction until it was no longer visible. Also, the concoction could've gotten trapped underground or been pushed out into the middle of the marsh.

  Beverly and I ran back to the clearing and peered into the water. Sure enough, I saw a tiny trickle of the concoction oozing to the surface. "Nice," I said. "Now, we just need to—"

  "I think …" Rigoberta's faint voice caught me by surprise. "Yes, I've definitely got red water here."

  What the hell?

  I sloshed toward her.

  "I've got it too," Tum called out.

  "Me too," Miranda said. "There's a bunch of it."

  A cold realization froze me in place. Hunahpu hadn't built just one aqueduct.

  He'd constructed a whole system of them.

  Chapter 80

  "It's working." Graham tromped across the marsh. "About damn time too. The water level has dropped six inches in the last two hours."

  I nodded, pleased. A thorough search had turned up two additional aqueducts. Beverly had quickly organized supplies, divided the group into teams, and oversaw an extensive caulking process. Hopefully, we'd gotten them all.

  However, the rain wasn't about to make it easy on us. It had fallen steadily faster, turning from a mild storm into an outright downpour. I eyed the sky, silently praying it would ease up a bit.

  "I hope you're happy."

  I turned around. "What do you mean?"

  "That aqueduct system worked for centuries," Miranda said. "Think about how amazing that is. And now, you've destroyed it."

  "I …"

  She spun on her heel and walked away.

  "What's her problem?" Graham appeared at my side.

  "She thinks we're destroying a valuable archaeological find."

  "I don't like her. But she's got a point."

  "You agree with her?"

  "Everything we do alters this place." He shrugged. "Excavations are destructive by nature."

  I felt a twinge of guilt. "Then maybe we shouldn't dig at all."

  "Eventually, someone's going to dig. You know that as well as anyone. And even if you left artifacts in the ground, they wouldn't last forever. Eventually, they'd just rot away like everything else."

  I exhaled. "Yeah, I know."

  He stared at me for a few seconds. "So, what do you think?"

  "About what?"

  "Is this our last treasure hunt?"

  "I don't know." I exhaled. "That whole incident in the Maya Mountains left a bad taste in my mouth. But saving the sarcophagus made me rethink everything. I'm hoping I'll make up my mind once I see the library."

  "It's going to take more than that."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I've seen a few unexcavated Maya ruins in my time. And you know what? From the outside, they don't look like anything, just a series of rolling hills. Steep hills to be sure but still, just hills."

  "What's your point?"

  "Once upon a time, those buildings were pretty magnificent. But when the Classic Maya civilization collapsed, they were left to rot. Gradually, they became hills of all shapes and sizes. But they didn't disappear. Instead, they lived on like tumors, festering beneath the surface."

  I frowned.

  "That's what makes excavation so important," he continued. "It brings a sort of peace to ruins. It shines light on long-forgotten wounds, offering an opportunity for understanding and renewal."

  "They're just ruins. They can't feel anything."

  "Maybe not. But an excavation is the only way to retrieve artifacts in context. Without that, we'll never fully understand a building or the people who lived within it."

  I nodded slowly.

  "In other words, excavation—physical or otherwise—is the only way to truly understand something."

  "I know." I knew what he was talking about and it wasn't Maya ruins. "I just wish it wasn't so hard."

  Chapter 81

  Hunahpu didn't just bury the entrance. He buried Xibalba too.

  I stared out over the former marsh, awestruck by the sight before me. Our excavation had bore fruit. The area, despite the rain, was mostly dry. Using the tractor, Rigoberta had cleared the soil and debris from the pyramid's immediate vicinity. In the process, she'd exposed an ancient structure. Evidently, Hunahpu had decided to just bury it rather than tear it down.

  It appeared to be a bunk. Most of it was still buried several feet underground. But it was less than five feet in height, adding further evidence that the average Xibalban had been relatively short in stature.

  "Here." Beverly handed me a mug. "Tell me what you think."

  I lifted it to my nose. My face screwed up in disgust. "What is it?"

  "Coffee."

  It didn't smell like coffee. More like water with dirt in it. "Who made it?"

  "Me. It's just instant coffee. I heated it over the fire."

  I took a sip. The water was only lukewarm. And what little flavoring it had reminded me more of kidney beans than coffee beans. But I was tired so I welcomed it. "Thanks."

  As I gulped it down, my mind briefly wandered. I thought about the nagual, about how it had killed Crowley and the two dogs. Between the two bullets and the snare trap, I suspected it was dead. Still, I resolved to keep an eye out for it.

  I walked to the edge of the excavation. Sealing off the aqueducts had done the trick. Water, including the continuing rain, had quickly flowed out of the marsh via a complex drainage system.

  Afterward, we'd dug a test hole and established Hunahpu's construction methodology. It was rather ingenious.

  First, he'd built the basin around the former city. He'd connected it to the river on the east side via the aqueducts and temporarily blocked them off. On the west side, he'd b
uilt drains leading deep into the ground.

  Second, he'd placed three feet of soil at the bottom of the basin and topped it off with three feet of crushed gravel and Xibalban bones.

  Third, he'd heaped several feet of soil on top of the gravel and bones and planted a variety of wetland plants into it.

  Finally, he'd unblocked the aqueducts. The combination of downward flow and sudden channel restriction pressurized the water, causing it to spray outward with strong force. The water had flowed evenly into the porous gravel and bones, saturating them, the plants, and the lower soil layer. It then exited via the drain.

  Over time, the plants had grown. Their roots and stems soon formed a dense underground mat. The artificial marsh became self-sufficient.

  I couldn't help but respect Hunahpu's skills. He'd been an artist of exceptional quality, using the entire crater as his canvas.

  I walked to the partially exposed Xibalban bunk. Some of the interior dirt had been cleared away and I noticed an object protruding from the southwest wall.

  "It looks like a broken bi-facial point, probably an arrowhead," Beverly said from behind me. "I think it's made of chert."

  "Good observation." Turning my head, I studied the rest of the visible wall. "There's an obsidian dart too. A real nice bit of craftsmanship."

  She pointed her flashlight at the northwest wall. "Look at that."

  Several marks were etched deep into the rock. They weren't hieroglyphics. Instead, they came together to form rather rudimentary drawings. They were far less artful than the ones in the summit shrine.

  I focused on one in particular. Dark-skinned people lay on the ground, obviously in a state of distress. There were bits of color above them. "That looks like red rain."

  My eyes shifted to another drawing. It showed a second group of people, surrounded by small yellow circles. The circles appeared to be airborne and small lines indicated they were moving as well. "And those are orbs," I said slowly. "Just like the ball lightning we saw."

  "No wonder the Mayas thought this place was hell."

  I left the bunk and walked under a large tarp. A frenzied atmosphere hung over the area. Graham, Tum, and Renau stood on the east side. Graham kept a lookout while the other two men carefully removed dirt from the wall and placed it into wheeled containers. Dora, Rigoberta, Miranda, and Emily took the containers to a separate station. Then they labeled them, noted their position, and covered them with small tarps.

  It wasn't a perfect excavation. But it was exceedingly fast. Plus, the dirt, debris, and artifacts were being kept in good condition for later study. All things considered, it was a decent piece of work.

  My heart pounded against my chest as I turned toward the pyramid. Behind some dirt, I saw a large stone block, adorned with ornamentation. A mural rested on its surface. Although the elements had laid waste to the colors, I could still make out what appeared to be a skeleton.

  A strange hat topped the skeleton's head and he wore a long skirt attached to a basket. In one hand, he carried a stick. People lay at his feet. Blood poured from their faces. Fires consumed their bodies as they reached up to him. I didn't have to be a Maya expert to know I was looking at an image of one of the death gods.

  For a moment, I listened to the telltale sounds of excavation. Soft grunts. Low voices. Shovels striking the soil. Pens scribbling notes.

  The Maneros took a break. Adopting a leisurely pace, they walked back to camp. I grabbed a shovel and took Renau's place. Beverly put a container on the ground and I slid some dirt into it.

  I worked for fifteen minutes. My shovel started to clink against the cement basin as I helped remove the final section of soil. Then Rigoberta got down on all fours. Gently, she cleared the remaining dirt from the area and our entire group stared at the sealed entrance.

  Graham twisted around from the jungle. "Are you just going to stand there? Or are you going to see where that thing leads?"

  Rigoberta climbed into the tractor. The rest of us secured steel cables to the block. She turned on the engine and reversed the vehicle. The block resisted for a minute. Then it slowly slid out of the pyramid and onto the ancient cement basin. A black void appeared.

  Blades beat at the air. I ran to the edge of the overhanging blue tarps and stared into the sky. A large black helicopter appeared. It cut through the thick mist and hovered above the dry marsh.

  "Oh my God." Beverly appeared at my side. "It's …"

  "Votan," I replied tightly. "He found us."

  PART IV

  The Library of the Mayas

  Chapter 82

  I twisted toward the others. They stared back at me, utterly dumbfounded. "Get to the jungle or we're all dead."

  Emily ran across the cement basin. Miranda, Tum, Rigoberta, and Graham were close behind her.

  I twisted west, but a hand grabbed my arm.

  "Where are you going?" Beverly asked.

  "Dr. Wu and the Maneros are back at camp. I need to warn them."

  "I'm going with you."

  I shook my head.

  She frowned. "Didn't I tell you to stop trying to protect me?"

  "I need you to do something else. Gather everyone east of the pyramid, just inside the jungle. Keep them together. I'll be there shortly."

  She gave me a long look. "Okay."

  As she darted after the others, I ran west and climbed out of the basin. Then I hustled toward camp.

  Helicopter blades beat at the air. Powerful winds swirled. The heavy rain shifted course and began to circle me until it felt like I was standing in the middle of a maelstrom.

  "Cy?" Dr. Wu ran outside his clinic. "What's going on?"

  "Votan is here." I slid to a stop. "Where are the Maneros?"

  "I thought they were with you."

  "Dora." I cupped my hands around my mouth. "Renau."

  There was no response. I ran to the dome tent. It was empty. I darted to their personal tent and checked it as well. It was also empty.

  "They must be hiding in the jungle." I watched the helicopter descend into the now-dry marsh. "Follow me."

  "But—"

  "Now."

  Yanking his arm, I sprinted toward the jungle, zigzagging along the way. I was surprised to hear no gunfire. During my last encounter with Votan, he'd started shooting almost immediately.

  I cleared past the tree line and sprinted east. I ran past the pyramid. Then I veered north. "Where is everyone?" I called out softly.

  Leaves rustled to the northeast. "Over here," Beverly called back.

  We ran a little further until we reached Beverly. She stood with the others behind a couple of tall trees. "Have you seen the Maneros?" I asked.

  She shook her head.

  Emily stared at me with uncertain eyes. "Are you sure that's Votan?"

  "The helicopter is an exact match for the one that attacked us in the Maya Mountains."

  "But how'd he find us?"

  I avoided looking at Miranda. But deep down, I had a feeling she was responsible for his appearance. It made sense in a twisted sort of way. She had a motive to get rid of the library. And Votan had the means to do it.

  "I don't know," I replied.

  The blades grew louder, chopping at the air. Leaning out, I watched the helicopter land in the marsh, not far from our camp. Its blades slowed to a halt. Masked men streamed out of its metal belly.

  "What are we going to do?" Miranda asked.

  "We're outnumbered. Outgunned too." I thought hard. "Does anyone have a phone?"

  Emily shook her head. "I left mine back at camp."

  I turned toward Rigoberta. "Didn't you and Pacho have one?"

  "Yeah." She licked her lips. "Unfortunately, I think it's still in his tent."

  "Without a phone, we can't call for help." Beverly pulled her revolver from her belt. "And without a working helicopter, we can't leave."

  "Maybe we can hide." Emily looked around. "This place is pretty big."

  "Good idea," Tum said. "How about that old wall?
Maybe we can fit through one of the holes."

  "They're too small," Graham replied. "And we don't have the tools to widen them."

  The jungle offered a myriad of hiding places. But I knew we couldn't hide forever. Eventually, Votan would track us down.

  A soft scream rang out.

  Beverly plastered her back against a tree trunk and peered out into the marsh. "It's Dora," she said tightly. "Renau too."

  "Where are they?" I asked.

  "They're running this way. They're …" A horrified look came over her face. "Oh no."

  "What is it?" Graham asked.

  "They've been captured." She turned to face us. "Votan's got them."

  Chapter 83

  "How'd he find us?" Emily's face was flushed. "No one—not even the rescue crew—knows our location."

  "It doesn't matter how he found us," Miranda said in an exacerbated tone. "All that matters is that he's here."

  All heads turned toward her.

  "We have to assume he came for the library," Miranda continued. "If we give it to him, he might spare us."

  "He won't." Graham took a deep breath. "Trust me. Beverly, Cy, and I have dealt with this maniac before."

  "I know. But he might cut us a break if we convince him we're stranded here. After all, our helicopter is busted. Plus, the crater is sealed off."

  "It's worth a shot," I said. "How do you feel about approaching him?"

  "By myself?"

  "It's your idea. Anyway you're famous. He's more likely to pay attention to you."

  Miranda looked uncertain. "Okay."

  "We'll stay here," Beverly added. "If anything happens, drop to the ground and we'll cover you."

  "Does anyone have a piece of white cloth?"

  I reached into my satchel and removed one of the rags I used to clean my hands while working in the soil. Quickly, I tied it to a long branch.

  Miranda took the impromptu white flag from me. Then she stood up and took a few deep breaths. "Wish me luck."

  Slowly, she picked her way through the jungle. Moments later, she walked past the tree line and skirted around the edge of the ancient cement basin.

  "Good riddance," Beverly said. "Now, what's the real plan?"