The Lost Treasure of the Aztec Kings

by Wyatt Liam Anderson

  "What was that?" Daphne whispered in fear.

  "I have no idea, but I'm sure it won't take long to find out," Zoe replied.

  "Everyone, stand on guard. Be prepared to fight if we have to."

  The door opened, and it was Miles. They all heaved a sigh of relief. Daphne was so happy to see him that she ran to him and hugged him.

  "We thought something had happened to you. Jody went off in search of you, and we tried to make her stay, but she insisted you could be in danger and needed help," Daphne revealed.

  "Now, I think Jody needs our help. Hayden, how did it go?" Miles asked.

  "We were able to reach someone who could help us, and in no time, help should arrive."

  "We have to search for Jody first. I don't think she would have gone too far. Let's find her before help comes."

  "When are we ever going to get out of here?" Robert whined. "We are almost close to an escape, and another person goes missing. Do we all have to go in search of her? What if we miss this chance to leave?"

  "Don't be selfish, Robert. If you went missing, you know everyone would come along to find you."

  "Please, we've done enough talking. Can we move already? We don't seem to have much time left."

  Miles led the way, and the others shuffled behind him. His steps were quicker, and even the men had a hard time catching up with him. When they complained, he apologized but pointed out that they had to hurry up if they were ever to find Jody before they left.

  As they ventured deeper into the mine, the terrain became too steeped and slippery for movement. Once or twice, someone lost their footing and almost stumbled. Although Daphne was having a one-sided conversation with Gary as they walked, she had turned around to demonstrate something when she lost her balance and fell before Gary could grab her. She chuckled, helped herself to her feet, and continued as if nothing happened.

  "Has anyone noticed there are bloodstains on the ground?" Robert observed. "It looks like we are on the trail of a wounded animal, and it might be dangerous."

  "I don't think it's a wounded animal. It's Daphne. She bleeding."

  "That's not true. I am not…oh no, what's happening to me?" Daphne cried.

  Daphne's left arm was soaked in her blood. Daphne always carried a small knife she hid in her sleeve in the event of an attack. When she slipped and fell, she had cut her artery but was too excited talking to Gary to notice she was even bleeding. She was losing a lot of blood.

  Rhoda swung into action immediately. The slash was deep and worse than she had expected, but she was able to control the bleeding. Finally, hopefully, they would get out in time for Daphne to get to the hospital.

  Daphne moved on like nothing had happened. She even made a weird joke about falling on her knife and insisted that she would keep that knife as something to remind her of the adventures in the mine.

  "I don't think Jody came this way," Miles said. "Maybe she took the other trail and got lost. I think it would be a good idea to get you guys to safety first, and then I can come back for her."

  "Miles, I think we should hurry up. Daphne is starting to bleed again, and I don't think she can hold up much longer," Rhoda said.

  "What nonsense! Stop being dramatic over a small cut. I know you are a doctor and all that, but I am fine."

  "Alright, let's get everyone to safety first."

  They had been walking for hours but didn't seem to be getting any closer to the surface. Daphne was feeling very faint by now, and the bleeding had continued despite Rhoda's attempts to stop it before they could get medical help. Gary and Jacques supported her as they walked, but her voice was getting weaker with each step.

  Finally, they heard voices of men working and the sound of machinery in operation. This fueled a new hope in them, and they moved faster toward the sound. They followed Miles to a clearing where they saw men loading heavy trunks into trucks.

  "Wait here," Miles told them. "I am going to get help for Daphne."

  "I don't know why but I don't like the way he keeps pointing in our direction while talking to that man," Robert said.

  "Stop being paranoid and help me apply more pressure to Daphne's arm."

  Daphne was already losing too much blood, and she was fighting for her life now.

  "Miles, please help. Somebody get an ambulance!" Zoe cried.

  "What's the racket for?" Miles asked.

  "We're losing Daphne."

  “There isn't much we can do about it now, is there?”

  Rhoda was appalled by Miles's reaction.

  "Captain, here they are. They were delivered in good condition. It's a pity we might lose one. The silly thing fell on her knife."

  "I knew it!" Robert shouted. "I tried to warn you all, but you wouldn't listen and now look at us. You all had blind faith in this vulture, and he's about to peck out your eyes. "

  "Amigo," Jacques spoke to Miles, but he warded him off.

  Robert was so enraged and could not help himself. He lunged at Miles, but strong arms suddenly held him back and pulled him to the ground. They rained punches on him until he squirmed and cried like a baby.

  Rhoda held Daphne in her arms as life slowly ebbed away from her. Zoe noticed there was something off about Miles. He kept staring at her stomach with an evil fascination in his eyes. Finally, she had to turn away because she was getting uncomfortable. But seeing Daphne lying down there made Zoe forget about her safety.

  "Miles, stop being an asshole. I know what you want, Miles, and I know how you can get it. But you have to make a deal."

  "What do you want?" Miles asked. His gaze dropped to her stomach again. She could see the yearning and obsession written all over his face. She was not mistaken. For some strange reasons she could not explain, Miles wanted the baby in her womb.

  Zoe stepped back a little bit.

  "If you could get her a doc—"

  Zoe clapped her hand over her mouth to stop herself from crying out.

  Daphne lay on the floor in a pool of blood. Her lifeless eyes stared out of their sockets, and the once beautiful face was contorted with so much pain.

  Rhoda was sobbing quietly beside Daphne's body.

  Gary tried hard to blink back his tears. Although he couldn't stand Daphne's endless chatter sometimes, he was beginning to grow a soft spot for her. He didn't listen to all she said, but her voice and laughter always pushed away the gloom he felt as they struggled through the mine.

  Zoe's knees gave way, and she hit the ground.

  19

  Chapter Nineteen

  Ave Fountain

  North Johannesburg, South Africa

  "Which one of you here is a geologist?" an old man with his hair greying around the edges asked.

  There was no doubt he was the same man that had tricked them by shapeshifting into faces that would make them vulnerable. He had a slight accent when he spoke. The guards feared him greatly. The men working for him shivered when he spoke. One would think it's because of the fiery dogs with him, but he didn't need those dogs to enforce his devastating effects on his prey. Where were the dogs when thwarted the plans of the first crew that was sent or the lives of all the miners crushed under the mine? Miles and his team had a difficult mission from the get-go, and now they knew the face of their enemy.

  Ithaca Tezcacoatl, son of Xipil Tezcacoatl, was one of the first humans to invent a nuclear reactor, one of its kind. He was the brain behind everything that had disconcerted the team efforts and plans that Miles and his crew conceived.

  When no one responded to his question, he smiled and walked casually toward the bar separating the big underground chamber from the small room where Miles's crew were held.

  "You're not brave. You think you are because you dared to enter this country illegally to do the bidding of your rich boss despite the subtle caution that your mind signaled to you." As he talked, he took each step, pacing from one of the ends of the iron bars to the other until he stopped in front of Hayden.

  And then he said, "You igno
red it. You ignored that nudging on your spirit, telling you to stop and reconsider your next move. And now you're here to die like the rest of them. What a waste!"

  He snapped Hayden's hand out through a space between the iron bars. He stretched his other hand toward one of his guards, who were already there to hand a hot iron to him. He placed the hot iron on Hayden's arm as he screamed. Robert tried to pull Hayden back, but Itchaca had a firm grip on the young tech guy. Hugh tried to assist Robert, but the more they tried, the more torture he unleashed on the arm until Zoe couldn't endure it anymore.

  "Alright! Alright! Stop! I'm a geologist." She sighed deeply in frustration. "How may I be of help?"

  "Ahaa," Itchaca answered. "The pregnant one."

  "Take me too," Robert added.

  Ithaca released Hayden's arm. The iron bar went up as Zoe and Robert came forward. Hugh stepped out too. They were given their backpack and headlamps.

  A guard held the leash on the two fiery dogs that had hollow eyes, large canines, and bushy manes. Another guard led the way as Zoe, Robert, and Hugh followed with the dogs howling from behind and trying to snap out of their leashes held by the second guard.

  They moved toward the mining area at the adit. While Zoe assessed the structures with a magnetic compass, Hugh and Robert waited patiently with their rock hammers in their hands. Finally, the dogs were seated while guards observed the miners.

  Zoe moved from side to side, being careful of the slope that descended at a twenty-foot depth. She advanced toward the edge of the slope and unzipped her backpack. The dogs became unsettled to the guards' dismay. They were so restless that they dragged the guard that held the leashes toward Zoe. She quickly tossed a handful of sticks down the slope while she grabbed the guard and shoved him toward Hugh and Robert, who were glad to use their rock hammers skillfully on his head.

  Zoe went for the other guard. She tried to bring him down, but he was stronger than her. He pushed her against the wall and choked her with both hands until he felt a hard kick on his groin. He let go and received several kicks from her boots before Hugh and Robert took over.

  ___________

  The corpse inside the pit was beginning to swell. The men heard the footsteps of someone approaching and quickly reorganized their position to cover up the body. Two people sat on it while others stood in a slant position, hiding the corpse from view.

  Nicholas closed his eyes and began to recite Hail Marys repeatedly. Then, those who had any form of belief prayed to what they believed in. Jasper also shut his eyes and mumbled a few words.

  Another guard dressed in formal clothing appeared with two older men. They communicated in a foreign language for some time as they scrutinized the men in the hole with their eyes. Finally, one of the older men pointed at a native inside the pit. They chuckled.

  The suspense heightened amongst the prisoners, each hoping not to be the one. The same man pointed again, but this time he directed his finger at Nicholas.

  Nicholas squeezed one eye in prayer and peeped with the other eye. He raised his voice in prayer the moment he noticed he had been selected. Without further hesitation, the guard dropped a rope that landed on his target. If he dared to remove it, they would pour hot oil on him. After a little resistance, they pulled him up. Midway to the top of the pit, the older men discovered something that changed their minds about him. Maybe he was too short and might be rejected by their deity. Nicholas teared up as he reached the floor of the pit again. And then, the finger pointed in the direction of the biggest man in the hole—Jasper.

  When the guard tried to pull him up, Jasper hastily pulled the rope, along with the guard. The older men called the attention of other guards. Six more responded immediately. They began to pour hot oil on Jasper, and while they were at it, Jasper unloaded multiple blows on the fallen guard. He punched and marched him to death, enduring the agony inflicted on his body. Others had moved away while this lasted. Jasper's flesh smelled like grilled meat. They could see the blisters that formed around his flesh as the hot oil fried him consistently. He eventually stopped when he couldn't lift his hand anymore due to contraction. They threw in the rope and instructed one of the natives to tie around the guard that fell. They realized he was dead by the time they'd pulled him up. They also carried the other corpse that had been inside the pit for a while.

  Surprisingly, they left without bothering about the next person to pick in replacement. Nicholas cried over his friend, who was still breathing but could not get up or even lift his hands. Nicholas pulled out his shirt and began to fan air on Jasper's injury to relieve him of the pain. The three natives with him also did the same. When their hands were weak, they took turns.

  Suddenly, they heard the sound of a helicopter approaching the site. Nicholas was sure it was for him and his colleagues. The chopper closed in on the facility, and when it appeared on sight, Nicholas tried to wave his shirt inside the pit. He and the others joined in making as much noise as they could to call the pilot's attention.

  ___________

  Jody limped in pain. She dried the floor to sit and rest her leg before she continued. She tried to avoid putting pressure on her ankle. It caused a great deal of agonizing pain. She knew it was a bad idea to sleep, but she forced her eyes closed still. She opened once more. She thought she heard something. It sounded as if someone was dragging something on the floor on the other side of the wall. She noticed for the first time that she was sitting a few feet away from a mine cage that looked rusted.

  She staggered up and moved over to the equipment. It was a bit stiff when she tried to pull the lever. On her second try, the cage moved some inches on the shaft. She put one leg in, matched the lever, and quickly rolled into the cell in one quick reflex. It stopped midway but close to an opening where she could see two men pulling a trolley. With a great deal of strength, she leaped toward the cliff of the opening and got caught on the edge. If she let go, she might not survive the fall. So, she tried to pull herself over to the other side. It was sloppy, but she made it to the floor with a calculated slide.

  Finally, she got up to find the men pulling the trolley. She followed the track that the trolley had left on the floor to a large chamber where fourteen others were piling up lead into a metal pot. She turned to her right and saw Miles inside a dungeon enclosed by iron bars. A shirtless man with a bronze chain on his neck guarded the dungeon. She was about to make a move when she heard footsteps and hid behind a giant piece of rock. Two other guards came into the chamber. One of them seemed to be angry with Miles for nothing. Jody did not understand their language, but they seemed to be complaining about something.

  Jody unzipped her over-suit. She also removed her headlamp since the chamber was well lit with oil lamps in various corners. Next, she removed her bra, exposing her full breasts. Finally, she tied the upper side of her over-suit around her waist and cupped her breasts in her hands. She slouched a bit and pretended like she was crying as she entered the chamber. The guard with a bronze chain on his neck spoke a native language in a concerned tone. Jody continued to keep the play on until the guard approached her. She quickly grabbed the chain, turned him over to her back while she held on to the chain.

  At this point, the workers in the underground chamber had stopped what they were doing and began to watch. Miles also looked in astonishment.

  The guard struggled to pull himself free. Jody held on tight as two other guards launched forward. She snapped the chain off, breaking the guard's nose before choking another guard with the same chain. When the third guard tried to stab her with a knife, she pulled his colleague instead, thereby burying his knife on the chest of the second guard. Jody lashed the bronze medal on the third guard before he could find a weapon. She choked him as well and broke his neck in one quick snap.

  The workers cheered her for the entertainment and possibly for setting them free. Then, they joyfully left the work they were doing and exited the room. Jody searched the guards for the key.

  "Don't worry, I go
t this one," Miles said as he moved back before launching forward to break the chain that held the iron bars in one kick.

  ___________

  Zoe, Robert, and Hugh went back for their colleagues. Still armed with their rock hammer, they entered the room where they were held. They quickly overpowered the two men that guarded the door.

  Jacques, Gary, and the others were happy to be released, but it was the kind of relief that had sadness coated over it.

  "Where’s Hayden?" Robert asked with a tone that came out with grief as if he could already guess the disappointing response to his inquiry.

  He took him.

  Robert melted with sorrow. While they were still trying to figure how to get back, their colleague, Miles, walked in, holding Jody, who was limping beside him.

  "Not one more step," Hugh warned, raising his rock hammer in a threatening manner.

  "Well, I'm guessing he tricked you too. Ask me something he can't know."

  Hugh grimaced. There wasn't much he could pick up from the past that wasn't already common knowledge. His face suddenly lit up.

  "Where did you drop the last gift that I gave to you?" Hugh asked.

  Jody looked confused.

  Miles said, "I trashed it."

  "Why would you do that?"

  "Are you kidding? I can't smoke the foot of a cigar."

  Hugh shook hands with Miles. "Sorry, I had to be sure."

  "I understand. I would suggest you start making your way for the exit. If he's got Hayden, I know where he has taken him." When no one made a move, Miles insisted, "Go on. Get out of here."

  "I'm not going anywhere without Hayden," Robert said.

  Jacques, Zoe, and the others began to make their way for the exit.

  "Come on, Jody. Go on," Miles urged. He turned to Hugh and asked him to take Jody with him.

  Reluctantly, Jody limped away, holding Hugh for support.