Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow

by James Rollins

  Jake focused his attention back on the room. The walls were covered with writing. Surely there were some answers locked in that unknown language. He had asked Balam, but no one in Calypsos could translate any of it.

  Jake’s gaze swept over the lettering and settled on the three maps carved in bas-relief into one section of the wall. His legs carried him closer of their own accord. Something about the maps…

  He again stared across the three of them, studying how the modern-day continents merged together like a jigsaw puzzle into one huge landmass named Pangaea. What was it about these maps that kept nagging him?

  Only then did Jake notice the lettering below the map. Earlier, he had been so shocked by his discovery that he was in Pangaea that he’d failed to note what was written below it. Then again, it was just more of that strange lettering.

  It meant nothing to him. He returned his attention to the round maps. His gaze swept back and forth. Seven continents formed one supercontinent. But he couldn’t quite let go of the letters below. They hovered at the corner of his eye. Eight letters in all. Eight pieces to the puzzle. Jake watched Pangaea pull together one more time, merging into one. Then the letters again.

  What if…?

  Jake pushed the letters together in his mind’s eye.

  Something tried to form. Something that looked familiar. His brain tickled with the mystery.

  Jake reached into his pocket and removed his mother’s sketchbook. He tore out a page near the back that was still blank and slipped his mother’s charcoal pencil from the book’s binding. With the page pressed to the wall, Jake scribbled the pencil across its surface to make a rubbing of the letters.

  Once done, he had a copy of the letters etched on the paper. He knelt down and creased the paper between each letter, so that he could accordion them all together into one piece. Just like the continents had formed Pangaea.

  With great care, he merged all the letters together until they formed a single word. Jake stared down at what he’d created.

  Shock drew Jake back to his feet. The paper began to tremble in his hands. He now understood what had nagged at him to return here. In his head, he broke the letters into shapes that were more familiar.

  He read it aloud. “Atlantis.”

  Jake backed away from the wall. Could it be true? Could the pyramid and the knowledge displayed here trace back to Atlantis, the mythological island, where an advanced race once ruled? He struggled to recall all he knew about Atlantis. The earliest stories were written by Plato, one of the most famous Greek philosophers. He claimed to have visited Atlantis, seen its wonders. And according to his stories, the island was violently destroyed, broken apart, and sunk into the sea.

  Jake stepped back to the map. He touched the surface of Pangaea. The supercontinent did look like an island. Was this what Plato had seen? Had the Greek philosopher been brought here…the same as Jake and Kady? And was Plato being poetic when he said Atlantis vanished into the vastness of the seas? Maybe he had meant the civilization had vanished into the seas of time.

  It was too much to absorb. Jake fell back. He turned, dazed, staring at the walls, picturing the crystal heart above. Was all this built by the lost civilization of Atlantis? Was it their technology that drew the other Lost Tribes back in time to Pangaea? Or were the Atlantean people the first of the Lost Tribes? Did they start all this? If so, where did they go?

  Question after question filled his head.

  Jake pressed his palms against his ears. He had solved one riddle only to have it shatter into a thousand other mysteries.

  “Jake!”

  The shout cut through the flurry in his head. He turned to Kady. She stood in the center of the inner wheel and held the pocket watch in her hands. She had popped the watchcase open, as if checking the time, but she squinted at something inside that bothered her.

  Jake was glad for the distraction. He crossed over and joined her in the inner ring. “What?” he asked.

  She tilted the watchcase at an angle and pointed to the underside of the lid. Jake reached to her hands and moved the watch more fully into the light. A shape had been crisply carved into the gold surface.

  Jake recognized the shape. It was an ankh, the Egyptian symbol for “life.” It was one of the most important symbols of ancient Egypt, carried by pharaohs during important ceremonies.

  “And look at this,” Kady said. She pulled the watch closer to her. “The second hand is spinning backward!”

  Jake had already noticed that, but he’d forgotten to tell Kady. It was a minor mystery when compared to the discovery of their father’s watch.

  Jake tried to pull the watch back toward him. He wanted a closer peek at the ankh.

  Kady fought him. “I don’t get it. What’s wrong with Dad’s watch? Maybe if we reset it.”

  Jake, still struggling to get a better look at the Egyptian symbol, took an extra beat to hear what Kady had said. Especially one word.

  Reset.

  He was too slow. Kady already had her fingers on the watch’s stem. It was used to wind the watch—but also to adjust the time.

  “No!” Jake warned.

  For just a moment, he remembered the adage Balam had taught Marika: Look twice and step once. It was a bit of wisdom that urged restraint and caution.

  Kady hadn’t learned it. She pulled the stem out.

  Instantly a great grinding of gears sounded. It rose not from the watch, but from the golden wheels around them. The Mayan calendar wheels began turning as Jake and Kady stood in the center. The movement was slow at first, then faster and faster. The gears churned so rapidly that any misstep by Jake or Kady could cost them a foot. And the spinning grew even swifter, turning the wheels into a golden blur.

  Jake still held Kady’s hands, clutching the watch between them. As the gears whirled into oblivion, Jake felt force building under his feet.

  A shout of warning formed on his lips. “Hang—”

  White light blasted upward and consumed them. The brightness instantly blinded Jake. Though without sight, he sensed that he was shooting skyward; it felt like being in an elevator strapped to a rocket engine. It all lasted less than an instant.

  Then it was over.

  He blinked against the residual glare as thunder rumbled around him.

  Thunder?

  The blinding light faded into ordinary lightning.

  As his vision cleared, Jake stared dumbfounded around him. Kady crouched next to him, equally frozen in shock. To all sides stood glass display cases and pedestals holding up ancient artifacts. A step away, the golden pyramid with its jade dragon rested on a stand.

  They were back in the British Museum!

  Back home.

  Has it been all a dream?

  Jake still held Kady’s hands. Their father’s pocket watch rested in her palm. The metal bands encircled their left wrists.

  Before he could make sense of it, a yell made them both jump.

  “No!”

  Jake swung fully around. A bull of a man ran toward them. It was Morgan Drummond, their assigned corporate bodyguard. Just seconds before they’d vanished, Drummond had been rushing toward them and yelling.

  Just like now.

  “Get back from there!” Drummond scolded. But the man pulled up short, scratched his head, then stared around the place as if sensing something was off kilter. But after a breath, he settled his gaze back on them. His expression was vaguely suspicious.

  “What were you two doing?”

  Jake slipped the gold watch from Kady’s fingers and showed it to Morgan. Before the man could get a good look, Jake dropped it into his own pocket.

  “I was just checking the time,” Jake said, and secretly nudged Kady.

  She jumped, then nodded vigorously, unable to speak yet.

  “If you were checking the time,” Drummond said, regaining the brusque command in his voice, “then you know you’ve both had plenty of time in here alone. With the eclipse over, the museum patrons will want their t
urn up here.”

  Jake looked to a window. The eclipse? If it was just ending, then no time had passed here in London at all. They’d spent more than a week in Pangaea…and returned back to the very spot where they’d started.

  Both in space and time.

  Drummond scanned the room, as if searching for something. His eyes remained narrowed, and he focused back on Jake and Kady. “Did you touch anything in here?”

  “Of course not,” Jake said, pretending to be offended.

  Kady also shook her head.

  “And nothing strange happened?”

  Jake frowned. “There was lightning. And thunder. The lights went out.” He shrugged. “But it’s not like we’re scared of the dark or anything.”

  Jake kept his expression bland, but he stared extra hard at the man. Jake remembered his earlier suspicions about Morgan Drummond. The bodyguard had claimed Jake and Kady were brought to London as a publicity stunt to draw media attention for the exhibit. But what if there was a darker purpose? Something more sinister? Had Drummond’s boss hoped they would open a portal to Pangaea? Was that the true reason they’d been brought here and left alone in the museum?

  Drummond’s eyes shone with a growing suspicion, but a commotion by the door drew his attention around. Excited voices rang out. Men and women dressed in fine attire flowed into the room.

  Drummond scowled at the newcomers. His voice grew tinged with disappointment. “I suppose it’s time I got you both back to your hotel. You have an early flight back home in the morning.”

  Jake glanced to Kady. He tugged his sleeve to hide his metal wrist band. Following his example, she did the same. Jake had already told her about the symbol he’d seen on the grakyl sword and his suspicions about the Bledsworth corporation.

  Even now, as Drummond turned to face the approaching crowd, a silvery flash drew Jake’s eye to the man’s steel tie tack. The small griffin with its talons bared was the symbol for Bledsworth Sundries and Industries, Inc. And likewise for Kalverum Rex, the Skull King.

  Drummond swung toward them. Another tinier flash drew Jake’s attention back to the man’s pin. Jake might have missed it if he hadn’t already been looking. The eye of the griffin sparked with a bit of dark fire. Jake had noted the eye during the limo ride across London. At the time, he’d thought it was a tiny black diamond.

  But now he knew the truth.

  Jake recognized the gem that made up that black eye. It was a tiny speck of bloodstone, the crystal forged by the dark alchemy of Kalverum Rex.

  Jake fought against a shudder of revulsion. Here was positive proof that some connection existed between the past and the present. But what was that link? Jake forced his gaze away, keeping his knowledge hidden.

  “So are you all done here?” Drummond asked.

  Jake shared a glance with Kady. As the shock faded, a fire had entered her eyes. He read the answer to Drummond’s question in her face. It matched his own.

  Are they done here?

  For once, Jake and Kady were united in their answer.

  No…we’ve only just begun.

  A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  Over the years, I’ve always included a note at the end of my thrillers, where I address what’s true and what’s not in my novels—so I thought I’d do the same here.

  But before I get started, a bit about myself. Though I earned my degree in veterinary medicine, I’ve always been an armchair archaeologist. I’ve loved all things buried and lost to time. In fact, I maintain a Cabinet of Curiosities at home, where I display all manner of the weird and strange: from giant fossilized specimens to tiny, pinned insects. And gracing the top of the cabinet is a massive 100,000-year-old mammoth tusk from China. Every day, the cabinet reminds me of that joy of the grand adventure that is life in this world.

  So as you might guess, the young adventurer Jake Ransom is close to my heart—and for Jake, I saved my wildest and best adventure of all.

  In a nutshell, Jake’s who I was as a kid. Someone ever curious about the world, a bit impatient, bold at times, wary at others, slightly geeky but knowing it and unable to change. He also is plagued by an older sister who thinks she knows more than she does. Growing up with three brothers—and three sisters—I understand that relationship all too well. The arguments, the resentments, but ultimately a deep and unshakable bond of family.

  But back to Jake. At heart, Jake is a true adventurer, someone ready and willing to take the path less traveled…no matter how much trouble he might get into.

  Like Jake, I love to travel and I love archaeology. But like Jake, my travels over the years have gotten me into a few jams. I’ve swum in jungle rivers only to discover a crocodile basking in the sun on the riverbank. I’ve gotten myself trapped—in caves, hanging from ropes, and jammed in a crack unable to move. While scuba diving, I’ve come close to stabbing my hand on one of the most poisonous spiny fishes in the world (one poke will kill you in seconds).

  Jake is just the same—maybe a bit too adventurous for his own good—and he’ll get himself into just as many scrapes as close calls. It will take all of Jake’s ingenuity, skill, and friendships to pull him through the dangers and adventures to come.

  The series is chock-full of the fantastic, but it’s also grounded in reality. Each novel centers on a different lost culture from Earth’s past. First up are the ancient Maya. Throughout the book appear various Mayan glyphs, the symbolic writing of these Mesoamerican people. The glyphs in the book are real, and each plays an important role in the adventure. Likewise, details of the Mayan culture—from the clothing they wear to their astounding skill at astronomy—are all factual and integral to the story. Additionally there are several fun facts, too—like how the ancient Maya invented chocolate and chewing gum.

  As to the science in the novel, all the dinosaurs that appear are real creatures from the fossil record, and the discussions about spectrums of light, refractions, and mixing of colors are all based on fact.

  Lastly, for this series, I’ve also created my own cryptic language, snatches of which appear in this novel. The alphabet breaks down to English equivalents, so the more industrious readers can translate these bits of language to reveal secret messages.

  So that’s just a hint of the truth behind the fantastic world of Jake Ransom. I hope you grab a backpack and come join me—the adventure is just beginning!

  —James Rollins

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  This adventure with Jake Ransom was an exciting journey into the unknown for me, a departure from the familiar—but as usual, I didn’t head out into the woods alone. Friends and family, a long list of them, were at my side from the first step to the last. First, I must acknowledge my entire critique group: Penny Hill, Steve and Judy Prey, Dave Murray, Caroline Williams, Chris Crowe, Lee Garrett, Jane O’Riva, Michael Gallowglas, Denny Grayson, Leonard Little, Kathy L’Ecluse, Scott Smith, and our newest and youngest member, Sally Barnes. I’d also like to give a special shout-out to Steve Prey and Janice Prey-Wolfe for all their help with the map and its artwork. Beyond the group, Carolyn McCray and David Sylvian have marched to either side of me and kept the road clear of all obstacles. And finally, a special thanks to everyone at HarperCollins, especially my editors, Ruth Katcher, who started this journey with me, and Barbara Lalicki, who finished it. And I’d be remiss not to thank two other people who have been with me every step of the way: my agents, Russ Galen and Danny Baror. And as always, I must stress that any and all errors of fact or detail in this book fall squarely on my own shoulders.

  About the Author

  JAMES ROLLINS and his new protagonist, Jake Ransom, share many of the same passions. The author’s interest in archaeology led him to amass his own Cabinet of Curiosities, which includes a 100,000-year-old mammoth tusk from China.

  His New York Times bestselling books include THE LAST ORACLE, THE JUDAS STRAIN, and BLACK ORDER. James has a doctorate in veterinary medicine and his own practice in Sacramento, California. An amateur spelunker and a ce
rtified scuba enthusiast, he’ll often be found either underground or underwater.

  You can visit James Rollins online at www.jamesrollins.com

  Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.

  Credits

  Jacket art © 2009 by John Rocco

  Jacket design by Hilary Zarycky

  Copyright

  JAKE RANSOM AND THE SKULL KING’S SHADOW. Copyright © 2009 by James Rollins. Map by Gary Tong. Illustrations by Joel Tippie. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

  Adobe Digital Edition April 2009 ISBN 978-0-06-185817-8

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