Codex

by Bill Craig

  “I trust her motives, but I am not sure that she is willing to take only one of the stones. I fear that she might want both.”

  “Both stones would mean bad news, right?”

  “It would.”

  “I will make sure she only takes one. Will that work for you?”

  “Yes, it would,” Chac nodded. “The stones have a religious significance to my people. At least one must remain to keep the blessings of our God Kukulkan on our people.”

  “I’ll talk to her and make sure she understands.”

  Just then the ground began to shake and rumble beneath their feet! It could only be one thing! An Earthquake! Boulders began tumbling down from higher up the mountains, crashing down towards them. The tumbling boulders hit trees, knocking them down and dropping bodies out of the upper branches. To land broken on the forest floor.

  Jake grabbed Glory by the hand and dragged her to shelter behind a fallen tree. The earth shuddered beneath their feet as boulder crashed down around them. Jake was sure that Chac would swear it was the wrath of Kulkukan, unhappy with what they were there to do. Jake didn’t believe that for a minute. He pulled Glory tightly to him, determined to protect her from any dangers that the quake might unleash! To be honest, he enjoyed the feel of her body pressed tightly against his own, the heat that rose from her flesh through her clothing. He looked into her wide-open eyes, and almost before he realized what he was doing, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her in a long soulful manner. He was surprised when she kissed him back with equal passion. Finally, they broke the kiss. “That was for saving my life,” Glory said, breathlessly.

  “You’re welcome,” Fortune told her with a handsome smile. The earthquake had ended as quickly as it began, the forest was strangely quiet after the quake. All the animals had fallen silent once more, as if they were waiting for another quake. Jake stood and pulled Glory to her feet. “We need to check on the others,” he told her.

  “Yes, we do. I’m sorry, Jake. I never realized how deadly this trip could turn out to be,” Glory said, softly.

  “I know that, Kid. Nobody did,” Jake told her. They began checking on the others. Four scientists were dead, as well as two of the security team. Several of the bearers also had been crushed by boulders and trees. They were down to a group of ten people.

  In just a few moments, their numbers had been halved by nature. “The gods are angry,” Chac told them, as they gathered together in a group.

  “That isn’t good,” Glory sighed.

  “No, it is not. You are lucky that the bearers have not fled into the jungle,” Chac told her.

  “So, I understand,” Glory nodded.

  “The Gods are angry, Señor Fortune. I do not know what we will face if and when we reach the city.”

  “That’s really nothing new,” Jake told him.

  New York City.

  The first man off the transcontinental flight carefully scrutinized the tarmac around the plane, as he exited down the steps that had been wheeled up so that the passengers could disembark. A worried looking dark-skinned man followed him down the steps, glancing nervously about and clutching tightly at a dark leather briefcase. “This way, Saleem,” the first man said, leading him towards a glass door into the terminal. Only when the two men had entered the terminal building were the remaining passengers allowed to leave the plane, amid a lot of questions about who the mysterious men were.

  Inside the terminal, the first man kept his head turning about on a swivel, as they approached the exit to a line of taxis out in front of the airport. The leader selected one at random and the two men piled inside and he gave the driver an address in mid-town Manhattan. The taxi pulled out and headed for the city. They were unaware of another taxi that swung out behind them, staying far enough back to remain inconspicuous.

  “Are you sure that this Mr. Griffin can help us?” Saleem asked.

  “He can, and he’ll do so with the full backing of the United States government,” the leader said. His name was Michael Jacobs. He was a member of the State Department.

  “Does he know that?” Saleem asked.

  “Mr. Griffin does. He is very aware of the menace that the Nazis present,” Jacobs replied.

  “But I thought your country didn’t want to get involved in world affairs,” Saleem shook his head.

  “President Roosevelt isn’t as close minded as some members of congress. Myself, among others, have been keeping him abreast of the deteriorating situation in Europe,” Jacobs replied.

  “That is one reason why I approached you for help. My own government fears Hitler’s designs of conquest and his troubling obsession with occult artifacts.”

  The taxi stopped in front of a large mid-town skyscraper and the two men disembarked after Jacobs paid the fare and added a generous tip. They entered the building and headed for the elevators.

  The man that had followed them went into the lobby as well, but stopped at a bank of telephone booths. He stepped inside one and fed change into it before dialing a number from memory. “You were right, Boss. Something is up. Those guys you had me watching for went straight from the airport to Griffin’s building, and their elevator stopped at the penthouse,” the man reported. He listened patiently for a few seconds as he received new instructions. Then he went over and bought a newspaper from a kiosk inside the lobby and took a seat in a corner chair, keeping a watchful eye on the bank of elevators.

  Jacobs and Saleem exited the elevator into a great luxuriously appointed hallway. A moment later, a man appeared as if he had been expecting them, which he had. “Mister Jacobs, Mr. Griffin has been expecting you. I’m Floyd Webber, his personal assistant,” the man introduced himself.

  “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Webber. Has the other member of this meeting arrived yet?” Jacobs asked impatiently.

  “He has, and both of them are awaiting your presence. If you will follow me?” Webber turned and headed down the long hallway.

  The Yucatán.

  They spent the next few minutes salvaging what supplies and gear that they could and redistributed it so that everyone was carrying part of it in their packs. Jake hated having to take the time to do so, but he was aware that the earthquake would have slowed the Nazis down as well. Still, he was just as happy once they got moving, even though they were facing unknown dangers ahead.

  With their reduced numbers, their chances of fighting off the Nazi forces behind them were lessened. It would be better if they could get into the city, find the temple, and remove at least one of the emeralds and then get out before the Nazis cut off their escape route!

  Chac started up the trail once more with Jake and Glory right behind him. The sun was high overhead now, but the jungle was still quiet, something else that bothered Fortune. The quietness signified that there was hidden danger lurking nearby.

  Chapter Twenty

  As they wound their way up the mountainside, Jake began to notice a sulfurous smell in the air, as well as what appeared to be a thickening gray cloud starting to fill the sky above them. Soon bits of ash were drifting down like snowflakes from the sky above. “You didn’t tell me this supposed city was built on a live volcano,” Jake said to Professor Newkirk.

  “I didn’t know,” Glory replied. She brushed an errant red curl out of her face which was wet with sweat.

  “This entire range is made up of the fire mountains,” Chac spoke from in front of them. Finally, he stopped and stood aside, pointing. “We are here.”

  What their guide, Chac, was directing their eyes to was the entrance to a narrow valley filled with stone buildings. In the distance, they could see many people moving around. This was no lost city! Glory was shocked! The city was still inhabited! Jake heard Glory’s sharp intake of breath as she looked over the massive stone structures.

  “It’s magnificent,” Walter Bosley said, as he pulled off his glasses and polished the lenses with his handkerchief. Then, he put them back on. “An ancient large Mayan city still inhabited by the descenda
nts of the original builders! What a fabulous find! Professor Newkirk, this expedition is turning out to be everything you suggested it would be!”

  “I hope it will,” Glory said, quietly. She had hoped that the village would be deserted, so now she would have to rethink her plans. This was no mere village.

  “Stealing is a lot harder when there are folks around, isn’t it?” Fortune said, quietly as if reading her thoughts.

  “We still must keep those jewels out of the hands of the Nazis.”

  “Did you ever consider that if we approach them in the right way, those folks down there might help us do just that?”

  “No, I hadn’t.”

  “Well, let’s go down and have Chac introduce us and see if we can win them over to our side,” Fortune told her. Glory nodded and then the young Mayan began to lead them down the path into the valley.

  Eric Klausen made sure that Schmidt and his soldiers stayed to the front of the ragged marching line along the trail they had followed since leaving the Zeppelin. He no longer trusted his young subordinate, not after his actions the night before. Klausen shivered, as he remembered how close he had come to dying the night before. Fregattenkapitän Meijer had been no help at all, refusing to let any of his crew members accompany the expedition to go after the Americans. After losing two men the night before, he said he could not spare anyone. It had been a most frustrating ordeal.

  Klausen wondered how many of Schmidt’s men were loyal to him as a group leader rather than to the Army of the Reich and the SS. It was a most troubling thought. Still, if they were able to secure the Eyes of Kukulkan for the Führer it would be worth it. And, once they had the two emeralds, he could always kill Schmidt in order to complete his mission.

  New York City.

  Hiram King frowned as he took the call from one of his many agents. This agent had been stationed at the airport, watching for anything out of the ordinary. Hiram King had his crooked fingers in many pies, not the least of which were the manufacturing industry. While he had heard the isolationist rhetoric coming out Washington, King knew better. It was only a matter of time before America was drawn into the upcoming war in Europe.

  He had been selling information to the Nazis and their allies in order to make sure of it. Once America was involved, the manufacturing industry would book as the country went on a war footing.

  “Report,” King ordered.

  “Two men got off a flight from Egypt. They reached the terminal before anyone else was let off the plane. One looked to be Egyptian, the other was American. They took a taxi to the residence of Peabody Griffin and got off on his floor. What are my instructions?” the agent asked

  “I want you to stay there, see when they leave and where they go. Mr. Griffin continues to be a thorn in my side,” King said. He disconnected the call and ambled over to the window to watch the sun setting over the city. He wished that he had heard from his agents in Mexico, but so far, there was no word. Not even from the Nazi that had approached him to obtain the services of his agents down there.

  The Yucatán.

  The sun was setting as Chac led them into the city. Immediately, armed guards appeared, carrying obsidian daggers and spears. Their painted faces were grim, as they surrounded the group of explorers and archeologists and scientists. Jake Fortune kept his cool, and he put a hand on Glory’s shoulder restraining her from saying anything. Things were at a delicate juncture. It would be best to let Chac do the talking for them, at least for now.

  Chac spoke to the leader of the guards, and they conversed back and forth in an ancient tongue for many minutes. Glory’s eyes widened as she recognized the language they were speaking in. Not more than a dozen people in the world would have recognized it, let alone been able to speak it. It was the tongue of the Ancient Maya. Obviously, she was even more impressed with their young guide. It was also clear that she understood what was being said.

  Fortune gave her a look as he held her hand, knowing that she would translate once she thought it was safe, as would Chac. Soon, they were being escorted to a large stone building that looked to be a grand palace of some sort. Fortune suspected that they were being escorted to see the chief of the city, or perhaps the entire tribe.

  The guards had made no move to take their weapons, which could mean any number of things. For one, they might not even have realized that Fortune and his security force were armed. They didn’t look like they would know much about modern weapons. Or, for another, they figured they could kill them before any weapons were brought into play. Jake figured it was a combination of the two.

  “What were they saying to each other?” Fortune asked Glory out of the corner of his mouth.

  “Chac was getting us an audience with their king. His name is Tikal. I’m not sure how much the guards believed of what he told them,” Glory replied furtively.

  “Is that good or bad?”

  “That remains to be seen.”

  The Royal Palace was a large affair, full of intricate carvings, precious metals and fabulous jewels that showed both the history and the gods of the ancient Maya people. There were many guards watching their every move as they were escorted to see the king. Finally, they were there. A great emerald throne filled the main chamber. A tall, well-muscled, and imposing man sat upon the emerald throne. He wore a crown made of gold and embedded with several various kinds of precious gemstones. When he spoke, his voice was deep and sonorous, carrying well throughout the entire palace.

  Chac listened to the guttural and strange language, waiting until the man was done before translating. “I am King Tikal. Why have you come to our sacred city?”

  “We came in search of a city lost in the mists of time. We had no knowledge that people still lived here,” Glory said. She waited patiently while Chac translated.

  “The drums say you came seeking treasure,” the king replied.

  “Perhaps, that was our intent before we knew that this city was still inhabited. Now, we seek only to protect you from those that come behind us. They want to desecrate the Temple of Kukulkan and take the green jewels known as the Eyes of Kukulkan and use them to conquer the world,” Glory explained.

  “Who are these men that follow?” Tikal asked, looking at Chac.

  “They are very dangerous men with weapons unlike you have ever seen. They mean to take the statue of God Kukulkan from the temple and take it back across the great sea to their leader. They will kill everyone in the valley to accomplish their ends,” Chac replied.

  “Word has been sent to stop them. Only the unrest of our God Kukulkan kept the Eagle Warriors from killing your party. This was a sign, according to Fire Wind, our Holy Shaman,” the king said.

  “So, what will you do with us?” Chac asked.

  “You shall be our guests until the gods determine your fate,” King Tikal replied. Jake breathed a big sigh of relief upon hearing that translation. Glory took his hand and squeezed it hard, telegraphing her own sense of relief.

  The guards escorted the adventurers to quarters, separating the men from the women. Jake wasn’t as happy about that. He would have preferred it if they all could have been kept together given the uncertainty of their fate. It would be much easier to try to escape if they were all in one place.

  “What do you think, Boss?” Mike asked.

  “I think, for now, we make the best of it and go along with the wishes of our hosts. I really don’t see how we can do anything else,” he shrugged, glancing at the door and the armed guards who stood outside.

  “Yeah, I get that. It was bad enough losing Shaw and Connors in the earthquake. I don’t want to lose anybody else on this trip if we can help it.”

  “Neither do I,” Fortune agreed.

  Glory Newkirk looked around at their surroundings. The women had been sequestered in part of the palace and it was quite opulent, more so than she had ever expected. There was a communal bathing pool with servants, as well as separate rooms and they were given the opportunity to dress in the clothing of th
e Mayan people that were their hosts.

  Glory for one was glad to get out of her smelly clothing and into something clean and fresh. The cool bath waters had certainly lightened her spirits and given her a sense of relief.

  She had spoken to the other women in the party and reassured them that things would work out for the best. Glory hoped that she was right. She needed to talk to Jake and see if he could figure out a way to complete the mission that they had been sent on.

  Wolfgang Schmidt continued to lead the group of Nazi soldiers along the trail. They had found the devastation caused by the earthquake, as well as the bodies of both the people that they were chasing and those of natives that had been hurled from the trees and been broken on striking the ground.

  That there were natives of the region this far inland was no surprise to him. He had expected as much. Why they were there and why they had not targeted the Americans was the question that he wanted answers to.

  The wind still howled overhead and clouds were once more beginning to fill the sky. Except these clouds seemed to rain down thick flakes of ash, as though a volcano had given birth to them. It made Schmidt even more wary as they followed the trail.

  They were nearing the top of the trail when an arrow flashed out from the surrounding forest and pierced the neck of one of his men! They were under attack! The Nazis lifted their weapons and began spraying fire into the jungle on both sides, not knowing if they hit anything, but hoping to drive their attackers away.

  The warrior, G’hotu smiled as he saw his arrow strike true in the enemy’s neck. He was not however, prepared for the response to his actions. Strange projectiles riding on bolts of lightning and thunder ripped through the jungle around him, forcing him to take shelter on the ground behind a stout log of a fallen tree!

  He drew another arrow and fitted it to the string of his bow and pulled it back. He let it fly and watched as it pierced the chest of another intruder. The man went down with a scream of pain and G’hotu crawled away, moving ahead of the men and seeking a new place to bedevil them from. He knew the rest of the Knights of the Jaguar would do the same.