“I take it nothing remarkable your way?” Matthew asked.
“No, but listen.” Robyn pointed to the wall.
Matthew heard it without much effort. “A waterfall.”
“Yeah.” Her eyes brightened. “That’s what Cal and I thought.”
Matthew spun and did a few paces, turned back around. “So two tunnels meet up in one place? Now, there’s a waterfall. Maybe we’re back where we started.”
“Don’t even say that,” Robyn moaned.
“Everyone spread out. Check the walls. Look for more of those gold emblems.”
“Are you sure that’s the way you want to go?” Robyn asked.
Ian barreled his way past Juan and Lewis. “The girl’s got a point,” he said. “Who knows what the hell’s gonna happen if we push one of those again.”
Robyn glared at Ian. “You should know.”
Matthew caught the contempt in Robyn’s eyes. It was twofold: first, Ian closed off her and Cal in a tunnel, and second, she hated being called a girl. He’d have missed her so much if something had happened to her. Matthew smirked subtly to her, and when they made eye contact, he somehow knew that she’d realized he was reading her mind.
“Who’s to say that if we found another emblem and pushed it, this whole place wouldn’t flood or something? We’d drown,” Ian said.
“Or…” Cal dragged out the word. “We come out behind a waterfall and find the City of Gold.”
Robyn glowered at Ian. “We sure as hell can’t just stay here forever.”
Matthew began searching for an emblem to open another passageway. At least he hoped to God that’s what it would do and nothing more. Robyn was right, though. They couldn’t stand here forever. Both tunnels led back to dead ends. Literally.
“I found something,” Lewis called out. “Should I push it?”
Matthew worked his way around the group, locking eyes with each of them. Then he nodded to Lewis. “Do it.”
-
Chapter 59
LEWIS PUSHED THE GOLD EMBLEM. At first, nothing happened, but then the mountain shook.
“We’re going to drown.” Ian’s voice came out flat, as if he had resigned himself to death.
Matthew shook his head. Veronica Vincent had always struck him as capable, but this hired hand was a joke. His respect for the woman would have fallen a few notches if he’d had any respect for her in the first place. Her greed and hunger had put them in this position. Or did the blame really rest with Ian? Matthew had never encountered him before so he must have been a new hire. Vincent must have a weeding-out process, but somehow, Ian had slipped through. It made Matthew think there must have been more to Ian than met the eye. And that was a dangerous prospect.
The wall in front of them opened up. A refreshingly cool mist sprayed Matthew’s face, and along with it, the heady aroma of myriad foliage enveloped him. When the stone wall retreated into the floor, it was replaced by another waterfall.
“You were right!” Robyn whooped and slapped Cal on the back.
A pathway of hewn stone went to the right, its surface slick with algae.
Matthew let all the others go ahead of him. Robyn was just in front of him.
She glanced over her shoulder and spoke to him, but it came to him as a whisper with the thunderous rush of falling water. “There must have been a direct route that we missed along the way. Maybe if we had gone left when I said, you know, Let’s go left.”
Cal must have managed to hear her, because he yelled back to them, “She’s probably right. When you pulled that rope latch, who’s to say a door didn’t open up in the left tunnel?”
“Hey, whose side are you on?” Matthew started laughing, confident the city lay before them. The past no longer mattered.
Along the path, lush vegetation grew from the rock walls once more. Matthew placed his hand on the wall to steady his steps, cognizant of where he came in contact with it. Warnings about poisonous insects entered his mind.
His fingertips brushed a leaf, and it curled shut. He smiled. Everything here was teeming with life.
Matthew had lost sight of the Bolivians and Ian, but they must have made it out from behind the falls because one of them called out, “This is paradise.”
With the crashing of the water, he couldn’t make out who had said it but the message was in line with what he was already thinking. Its meaning held more impact when Matthew stepped out from behind the veil of water, though. Its cool mist still on his skin, its moisture in the air.
At the sight before him, his heart was beating so fast he thought it might simply cease pumping.
At the base of the waterfall was a huge lagoon about the size of half a football field. And the cavern itself was three or four times the size of that. Much larger than any of the other caves they’d found thus far. The walls were shrouded in every imaginable shade of green as plant life sprouted from the cracks. Their leaves shimmered, iridescent in the sunlight that streamed in from above. A rainbow of colors made it seem as if the world had suddenly gone from black-and-white to Technicolor.
The entire space had a Jurassic Park–feel to it. It was apparent that all had forgotten this place except Mother Nature. Nothing was stopping her down here.
Matthew looked at a flower next to him. It was a bright yellow, its form one he had never seen before in all his travels. It was three feet tall with its petals splayed out, exposing a pink center. Its stem was a quarter inch around, and its leaves were the size of his palm.
Even the grass was supersized. It was taller than he was, its height reaching at least seven or eight feet. There were trees down here, too, that seemed to bask in the sun’s radiance. Vines dangled from their trunks.
The waterfall fed into the lagoon that flourished with aquatic life. Fish that resembled koi the size of scooters, and others in hues of red and blue, dimpled the surface of the water. Their large mouths opened here and there for bits of green that floated on the top. He could’ve sworn the water had a golden hue.
Dragging his eyes from the lagoon, he surveyed the rest of his surroundings. The lagoon didn’t reach the back wall of the cavern, and beyond it, there seemed to be dense growth. Similar to the other cavern, brown clay lined most of the perimeter of the lagoon like a path.
With the water now on his left, he noticed what appeared to be manmade structures to his right.
Buildings…
He was certain his heart jumped a few beats. This was it. Paititi. They were standing where no one had stood for centuries, in a city that belonged to what was now an extinct people.
“We did it!” Robyn’s voice was a squeal.
The Bolivians high-fived each other and were jumping up and down.
Cal was speechless as he pointed in the direction of the buildings.
Matthew felt as if he were standing at a distance observing, having something like an out-of-body experience. The intensity of the emotion was sublime, whimsical. Daniel’s claims about the power of the place were officially confirmed.
But if this was Paititi, where was the temple? It had to be here.
He stepped around the lagoon, and aligning himself with the waterfall, he observed a smaller waterfall to its right. Both emerged from the wall, moss dangled at their entrances, and darkness loomed beyond that. Ferns sprouted along their rocky ledges.
As Matthew headed toward the left of the space, he got a better look at the dense growth against the side of the cavern. He’d guess there was a structure underneath, but unlike the freestanding buildings, it was rather large and its profile unique. Despite the centuries of organic growth, it was tiered and pyramid shaped, except for toward its left side where the vegetation took on mysterious contours. To the front, there was a dock. This was a building and it was the length of the lagoon.
Could it be?
Matthew set off in a run, following
the clay path until it ended. From this vantage point, he saw where the structure met the lagoon.
Robyn kept pace beside him. “Look near the water.”
He did as she said and saw it immediately. Supports for the dock glittered in the sunlight. “Gold.”
“We did it, Matthew! We did it!” Robyn threw her arms around him, and he lifted her up and spun her.
Everyone started laughing and yelling. Reality was sinking in. The City of Gold, known by many different names—including that of Paititi—really did exist, and they had discovered it.
His smile took over his face, but he reined in his excitement. “We still have to be cautious. We don’t know what’s waiting for us.”
He sensed Ian moving closer behind him. “Lead the way.”
Matthew stood straighter. But it wasn’t Ian’s tone that had his attention. It was the muzzle of the gun being pressed into his lower back. The weapon had been submersed in water, but Matthew knew it would take more to stop it from working.
Matthew nodded and the gun was removed from his body. At least for now.
With a quick look over his shoulder at Ian, Matthew pulled out his machete. The grass was tall and dense. The bulk of this space would be impassable without a blade. He made the first swipe, and his gaze fell to the ground. It was just as the jungle had been, all grass and dirt. But while it was definitely a thriving atrium down here, Matthew sensed eyes on him.
Butterflies of all colors fluttered through the air. They were as large as watermelons, but their size had no apparent impact on their ability to fly. As if curious of their visitors, one paused next to Matthew, its wings pulsing together as it hovered there. Matthew studied its eyes as it observed him. They were the size of marbles.
He turned around to see if anyone else was catching this and was met with Robyn’s smile. When Matthew shifted his attention back to the butterfly, it was gone. But as he was about to make another pass with the machete, the air surrounding them filled with butterflies. In this quantity, their pulsing wings made a soft humming sound.
What a magical place…
Then something that sounded like the screech of abrading metal echoed through the space before ending with a crescendo and directing Matthew’s attention upward. Perched on a vine feeding off the cavern wall was a macaw looking down on them. Two others came to join him. They had flown through the opening above and landed on vines near their friend.
Though Matthew had his face turned up to the birds, he felt something move across the toe of his boot. Glancing down, a snake about three inches around was slithering over him. He didn’t catch its full length as he had looked down with only enough time to see the back end of it. It was headed toward the lagoon.
This really was an ecosystem all its own, and Matthew was caught up in absorbing its many marvels. It still teemed with life, even though it had been sheltered from humankind for centuries.
He swung his machete again, and Robyn joined in beside him.
“We did it, Matt. We did it.”
He nodded. Acknowledging that fact would never grow old. “I think we just might have.”
Yet, despite their seeming success, something told him to be more cautious than ever.
-
Chapter 60
WILLIAM COULDN’T WAIT TO GET home and confront Daniel. The man had to know more than he let on. He spoke with his son quite frequently. William had observed that, despite their seeming efforts to keep their interactions clandestine, Matthew often needed Daniel’s services for some reason. But Lauren could have handled anything that Matthew requested of Daniel. She was, after all, there to feed them and take care of their needs. Daniel was more of an overseer to ensure the property was maintained and functioning well.
Until recently, William hadn’t thought anything more of Daniel and Matthew’s relationship. Why would the two of them be keeping anything from him anyway? The concept was ridiculous.
William’s town car pulled up to the front of his estate. The driver came for his door, opened it, and said, “Good evening, sir.”
William tipped his head forward and got out. The truth of his employee’s statement had yet to be ascertained.
Inside the front entrance, Lauren greeted him with a glass of scotch. It was his favorite beverage and one that he periodically sipped on in the evening between time spent in his study and bedtime. Tonight, he’d had his driver call ahead to ensure that two shots on the rocks in a crystal tumbler were ready for him upon arrival.
“Here you go, sir.” She extended the drink and exchanged it for his coat.
Lauren had been around when William’s wife, Ann, had died ten years ago. She had been consoling and comforting, and she always respected his privacy and showed genuine interest when he spoke. As a politician, he had the ears of many people, but he rarely had their hearts.
With her dark hair, brown eyes, and pale skin, Lauren was a plain woman. She didn’t waste time painting her face. There were times he noticed faint lipstick on her mouth, but she was uncomplicated. Down-to-earth. It was the most attractive quality about her, and it had the power to override all others, including her sensitivity. But because of her warm and compassionate nature, she bruised easily. A word spoken out of turn, or even the wrong look, could hurt her. He had inflicted these wounds more than once and he had regretted it each time. Maybe one day he’d learn to harness his moods so he didn’t take them out on her.
He lifted his glass to her. “Thank you, Lauren.”
In another lifetime, perhaps, they would have been lovers, but too much of Ann existed in his heart to release his inhibitions. Unlike other men in his career field, he valued morals and monogamy. It led to loneliness at times, but William always made it through those low periods. Usually because he’d spend afternoons talking with Lauren. It was safe to say that she held more intimate knowledge of the real him than any previous lovers. They may have had his body, but they never possessed his soul.
Shortly after his wife had passed, he’d sought comfort in the arms of women, before he’d known any better. Even when with other women, bitter emptiness had stabbed his heart. Ann was irreplaceable. But the damage was already done. William was certain this had driven the wedge between him and Matthew. Maybe someday his son would understand. He hoped Matthew never experienced that pain and motivation, though. As for Lauren, she deserved someone willing to commit to her. And ever since those first early trysts, he realized that part of him had died along with his wife.
“Daniel’s in the den,” Lauren said.
He didn’t respond. He simply appreciated the slight hue in her cheeks when she smiled.
He took a deep breath, knowing his evening was about to take a drastic turn. With his back now to Lauren, he walked toward the den and took a sip of his drink. Its heat blazed a trail down his throat to his stomach, which was already churning.
While he had never relished being the tough guy, Daniel owed him some explanations. It was just a matter of how far William was willing to take things. Was he prepared to let Daniel go?
The door creaked when he opened it. Daniel was sitting in a beige wingback chair.
This room of the house was the most compact, and it had been his wife’s favorite. What he’d seen as tiny, she’d viewed as intimate. What he’d found suffocating, she’d thought cozy. Since her passing, it had become the place where he’d have serious discussions. Beyond holding the memory of his wife, the room’s charm was nonexistent, and nothing was capable of changing his initial opinion.
Three large arched windows, now hidden behind plum drapes that were drawn, made the room feel closed off from the outside world and compressed the space even further than the floor plan. And despite the towering height of the ceiling, the antiquated wooden beams managed to shrink the room. A matching chair sat beside the one Daniel occupied. A sofa sat on each side of the rectangular room, as well. In the center wer
e nesting coffee tables. At the far end, a wood-burning fireplace with a handcrafted mantle boasted a fire. One Daniel must have started.
William loosened his tie, laid his suit jacket over the other chair, and took a seat on a couch. He didn’t say a word as he did this. Smartly, Daniel didn’t say anything, either.
Once seated, William took another sip, smacked his lips, and prepared to sink his teeth into this much-needed discussion.
“I want to talk to you about Matthew.”
“What about him, sir?”
“Do you know where he is?”
“He’s on a dig in Italy, is he not?”
“Is he not would be accurate. Do you want to try again?”
Daniel’s eyes drifted to the fire. The action said it all.
William set his glass on the table in front of him. “He’s not in Rome, but I think you know that. Where is he?”
Daniel didn’t speak, his jaw clenched tight.
“I understand that you must have some sort of confidentiality arrangement with him, but need I remind you that I pay your salary?”
“No, sir.”
William hated having to bring up the topic of money, but if it worked… “Unfortunately, you are forcing my hand, Daniel.”
“You would fire me?” Daniel’s eyes widened, and he sat straighter.
William shrugged. “I need answers. I cannot have conspiracy under my roof. I am the mayor of Toronto.” His voice rose with each word. His anger was becoming an all-consuming fire more powerful than the one that burned in the hearth.
And the following silence was more deafening than his roar.
Daniel cleared his throat. “I am not at liberty to say, sir. I apologize for that. But you hired me to maintain this household, and by withholding this information, that is what I am doing.”
William studied the man. There was fear in Daniel’s eyes, but more significantly, there was determination. He kept glancing away, too, indicating he did know more than he was saying.
“Did you know that one of Matthew’s friends is missing? Matthew may also be in danger. Do you want something to happen to him?”
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