Everybody laughed as he signalled for them to follow. Slowly but surely, he made his way across the grey plaza towards a gigantic Mexican flag that fluttered high above the centre of the square. Not wanting to miss a word, Tiffany walked beside him.
‘Long ago, zócalo did not mean “main square”. The word comes from Italian word zocollo, which means “pedestal”. Back in 1800s, the government planned a monument to honour Mexican independence. They set up a giant pedestal but – oops! – never put up the statue. Locals, as a joke, referred to this place as zócalo, and the nickname became popular. Before long, it was a new word in our language. Now Zócalo is the name of many squares throughout Mexico.’
‘Why didn’t they put up the statue?’ someone asked.
Paco shrugged. ‘I do not know. That was before my time. But I can tell you that Zócalo is one of the largest city squares in the world. I have heard Red Square in Moscow is the only one larger, but some visitors say that’s wrong. I am too old to measure, so I do not know for sure.’ He glanced at Tiffany and winked. ‘But it is much bigger than any square in America.’
She smiled at him. ‘How did you know I was American?’
‘Pelirroja.’
‘Pelirroja? What does that mean?’
He pointed at her hair. ‘It means redhead. You are only second one this year. The other one look like hamburger girl from Wendy’s. I called her “Wendy”, but she didn’t like.’
Tiffany nodded. ‘I wouldn’t like that, either.’
He smiled. ‘That is why I no call you Wendy! Who said I am dumb?’
Everybody laughed, including Paco, who seemed to draw energy from the crowd. A stage actor in his younger years, he loved being the centre of attention. For him, the size of his audience didn’t matter. He wanted to put on the best show possible.
He turned his back to the north and pointed over his shoulders with both of his thumbs. ‘OK, my friends. It’s time to stop looking at me. There are better things to see. Behind me is Catedral Metropolitana de la Asunción de María. In English, that is Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary. It is the largest and oldest cathedral in the Americas. It is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico. The cathedral was built in sections from 1573 to 1813. Its design is a mixture of three different styles, but I do not remember what they are. If you want to find out, you can get a tour of the cathedral. But I warn you: the priests charge three times as much as me and are not nearly as funny.’
He waited for the laughter to die down before he pointed to the east. A long building, half the height of the cathedral, stretched the entire length of the plaza. Its façade was decorated with tezontle, a porous red stone common in Mexican construction. ‘That is Palacio Nacional, or the National Palace. Once the presidential residence of Mexico, it is now a government building with offices for the treasury and collections from the National Archives. If you have the time, I recommend the giant mural painted by Diego Rivera. He is famous Mexican painter who was married to Frida Kahlo. She was even more famous than him. Do you know Frida?’
A few people nodded tentatively.
He smiled. ‘She had eyebrows like angry caterpillars.’
The group laughed and nodded their heads in understanding. Pictures and paintings of Frida – who grew up in Coyoacán, one of the sixteen boroughs of Mexico City – and her distinctive eyebrows were displayed throughout the city.
‘Anyhow,’ he said, ‘the mural represents the entire history of Mexico. It is like the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, except it is Mexican and on a wall, not Italian and on a ceiling. Actually, now that I think about it, it is nothing like the Sistine Chapel! Please forget I say anything.’
Everyone laughed again.
Over the next ten minutes, he talked about the Old Portal de Mercaderes to the west and the Nacional Monte de Piedad building on the northwest corner of the plaza. He also mixed in facts and figures about the surrounding side streets and mentioned some of the festivals and religious events that are held annually in Zócalo.
Tiffany, who knew very little about the region, thought the tour was coming to a close, but Paco was just getting to the good stuff. Until that point, everything he had mentioned was modern Mexican history. The true importance of the plaza had nothing to do with the Spanish and everything to do with the empire that had ruled the land prior to their arrival.
The Aztecs.
18
Payne and Jones straightened up Maria’s suite for twenty minutes while they discussed their plan of attack. Meanwhile, Maria called the Italian Embassy in Mexico City to find out how to get a new passport. Without one, she wouldn’t be allowed to leave the country.
‘Good news,’ she said as she emerged from her bedroom. ‘There’s an Italian consulate in Cancún, about five miles from the hotel. I can get new paperwork there.’
Jones pushed the sofa into place. ‘Great. Do you need a lift?’
‘Eventually. I’m not in a rush, though. I’m not leaving Mexico until I know why I was invited here, who trashed my suite and what happened to Hamilton.’
‘Really? Because we’re taking off today.’
She glared at him. ‘You’re leaving? Why?’
Jones sighed. ‘I miss the snow.’
She laughed, glad that he was only joking. ‘If you like, we can fill the jacuzzi with ice and you can hop in for a while. It will remind you of home.’
‘Only if you join me, you kinky minx.’
Payne grimaced. ‘No thanks.’
Jones pointed at Maria. ‘I was talking to her.’
Payne scoffed at the notion. ‘I don’t believe that for a second.’
‘Neither do I,’ Maria teased.
Jones was tempted to argue but realized it would get him nowhere. He opted to leave the suite instead. ‘I need to check something outside. When I return, I expect the two of you to be on your best behaviour. That means no more childishness.’
‘What are you checking?’ Payne wondered.
Jones opened the front door. ‘None of your damn business.’
‘Oh, I get it. Don’t ask, don’t tell.’
Jones stammered, trying to think of a witty response. When none came to mind, he stormed into the hallway and slammed the door shut.
Maria looked to Payne for an explanation. ‘I don’t get it.’
‘Get what?’
‘That expression. Why did he get so mad?’
Payne smiled at her confusion. The term ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is commonly used in the US military to describe its policy towards homosexual behaviour. Military personnel are forbidden from talking about sexual orientation or homosexual acts of any kind. This is to prevent harassment or discrimination throughout the ranks. Of course, that didn’t prevent soldiers from joking about it. Especially smartasses like Payne and Jones, who didn’t give a damn about the sexual preferences of the troops around them, as long as they did their job.
Payne chuckled to himself. ‘I’d be happy to tell you, but it’ll be much funnier if you ask him about it – since the two of you dated for a while.’
She shrugged and agreed.
‘Speaking of dating, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?’ Payne asked
Maria instantly tensed. ‘That depends on the question.’
He sat on the arm of the couch. ‘Why did you two stop seeing each other? One minute it seemed like you were hot and heavy, and the next it was over.’
In a flash, her face flushed with emotion. She didn’t have to see her reflection in a mirror to know it. She could literally feel her cheeks burn. It was so intense it felt like an allergic reaction. Maria tried to hide her embarrassment from Payne by turning away and scooping up some magazines off the floor, but she didn’t turn quickly enough.
‘Why?’ she asked over her shoulder. ‘What did David say?’
‘Nothing. That’s why I’m asking you.’
She tried to play it cool. ‘Does it really matter?’
‘I don�
�t know. That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Trust me, I’m doing it for his own good.’
‘How do you figure?’
‘I’m just trying to see if there’s a pattern. I figure, if his relationships keep ending in the same way, maybe I can do something to help. He’s a great guy. He deserves to be happy.’
She fiddled with the magazines. ‘He isn’t happy?’
Payne laughed. ‘Not when it’s cold outside.’
‘I meant in general.’
‘Happy, sad, it’s tough to tell since he’s always joking around.’
‘You’re right about that – he loves to joke. That’s one of the things I miss the most about him. He kept me laughing constantly.’
Payne leaned to his right and tried to see her face, but the angle of her body prevented it. ‘You miss him?’
She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. ‘Of course I miss him. I miss all of my friends when I’m out in the field. My job can be lonely at times.’
‘That’s not what I meant.’
‘Trust me, I know what you meant. I’m not stupid.’
‘I didn’t say that you were. In fact, I find the opposite to be true.’
She turned and faced him from across the room. ‘Was that a compliment?’
He studied her face. ‘You sound surprised.’
‘I am,’ she admitted. ‘You’re not exactly known for flattery.’
‘Hold up. Was that an insult?’
She shrugged off the claim. ‘Not necessarily. I’ve met many men who weren’t known for their flattery. Some of them were wonderful. Others were idiots.’
‘Which am I?’
She smiled coyly. ‘I’d rather not say.’
He laughed at the comment. ‘That doesn’t surprise me. You’re not exactly known for your openness.’
‘Well, I … Wait. What?’
‘I asked you a question two minutes ago, and I’m still waiting for an answer. Why did you and DJ stop dating?’
She glanced away. ‘It’s complicated.’
‘Isn’t it always?’
‘Not like this, it isn’t.’
‘Try me. I’m not as dumb as I look.’
She shook her head. ‘I’d rather not.’
‘Come on. Give me a hint. Was it you?’
‘Jon.’
‘Was it DJ?’
‘Jon!’
‘Was it mutual?’
‘Enough! Can’t you see I don’t want to talk about it?’
Payne held up his hands in surrender. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to freak you out. I’m just trying to protect my friend.’
‘Protect him from what?’
‘Take a wild guess.’
She pointed at herself. ‘Me? You’re trying to protect him from me?’
‘See! You are smart. I said you were, and you are.’
‘Trust me, Jon. You don’t have to worry about me. I want the best for David. I really do. I’d never hurt him on purpose.’
‘Really? Then what’s with the mind games?’
‘Mind games? What are you talking about?’
‘Give me a break. You know exactly what I’m talking about.’
She shook her head violently. ‘I don’t. I swear to God, I don’t!’
He sensed she was telling the truth. ‘Last night’s phone call. Why did you call me?’
‘What?’
‘You heard my question. Why in the world did you call me?’
She paused, searching for the words to explain her rationale. ‘I don’t know. I was scared and needed advice from someone who’d been in dangerous situations, and I thought you would be less emotional than David. I figured he might flip out if I told him my life was in danger, and I didn’t want that to happen. I didn’t want him to feel that pain. Besides, I didn’t even know if he would answer my call. We haven’t spoken in a very long time.’
Payne rubbed his eyes in thought. After having doubts about her intentions, he realized maybe she wasn’t playing games after all. Maybe she honestly didn’t realize how much damage her phone call had caused. Although slightly naïve, her explanation made a lot of sense. ‘Just so you know, calling the best friend of your ex is never the best thing to do, especially in the middle of the night.’
She glared at him. ‘Sorry if I bothered you. I promise it won’t happen again.’
He shook his head to let her know she’d missed his point. ‘Maria, your call didn’t bother me. It bothered him.’
‘It bothered David?’
‘Of course it bothered him. You were in trouble, and you called me instead of him. How do you think that made him feel?’
She groaned in understanding. ‘Not very good.’
Payne lowered his voice to a whisper. ‘But he was willing to swallow his pride and fly down here to make sure you were OK. If you ask me, that says a hell of a lot about him and his feelings for you. Please keep that in mind over the next few days.’
She nodded. ‘I promise I will.’
‘If not – if you start messing with his heart in any way – I swear to God we’ll be on the next flight out of here, even if I have to kidnap him myself.’
19
Jones returned to the suite a few minutes later, completely unaware of the conversation that had taken place in his absence. Although he sensed some lingering tension in the room, he was too excited about his discovery to ask about it.
‘I think we caught a major break,’ Jones proclaimed. ‘I figured a nice resort like this would have lots of surveillance, and I was right. They have cameras in the hallways, in the stairwells and in the elevators. Unless the bastards jumped out of a plane and landed on your terrace, the odds are pretty good that we’ll be able to see who trashed your suite.’
‘That’s great,’ Maria said. ‘Do you think the hotel will show us the footage?’
Jones shrugged. ‘Only one way to find out.’
Payne nodded. ‘Why don’t you let me handle that? You two have better stuff to do.’
Maria tensed, unsure what he was implying. ‘Such as?’
‘Show DJ where Hamilton parked his car. Maybe you’ll find something useful inside.’
‘Sure, no problem. But I don’t have his keys.’
Jones grinned. ‘We know. That’s why we’re going to the car while Jon is at the security office. He’ll distract the guards while we break in.’
She laughed. ‘Sounds like fun.’
‘It will be if we don’t get caught. Mexican prisons are the worst.’
‘Are you speaking from experience, or … ?’
Jones glanced at Payne, then back at her. ‘Let’s just say I’m glad you didn’t call us from Tijuana because we’re no longer welcome there.’
‘You’re banned from Tijuana?’
‘We were,’ Jones said as he opened the door for her. ‘But only for a decade.’
‘A decade?’ she screeched. ‘What did you do?’
Jones temporarily ignored her. ‘You coming?’
Payne shook his head. ‘Not quite yet. I still have to call DC. I’ll text you when the coast is clear.’
‘Remember to grab the briefcase.’
‘Will do.’
‘Oh, and give my best to Randy.’
Payne laughed. ‘I’m sure that will make his day.’
Technically speaking, Randy Raskin didn’t work in Washington, DC. He actually worked across the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, inside a windowless office in the sub-basement of the Pentagon, but due to his classified position as a computer researcher for the US military, the data he compiled frequently found its way to the White House and Capitol Hill.
Amazingly, most of his friends thought he was nothing more than a low-level programmer, working a dead-end job in the world’s largest office building – because that’s what he was required to tell them. In reality, though, he was a hi-tech maestro, able to track down just about anything in cyberspace. Thanks to the next-generation technology at his disposal and his high-security clearanc
e, Raskin was privy to many of the government’s biggest secrets, via a mountain of classified data that was there for the taking if only you knew how to access it. His job was to make sure the latest information got into the right hands at the best possible time.
Over the years, Payne and Jones had used his services on many occasions, which had eventually led to a friendship. Raskin often pretended he didn’t have time for them or their bi-monthly favours, but the truth was he admired them greatly and would do just about anything to help them. In fact, one of his biggest joys in life was living vicariously through them, whether that was during their stint with the MANIACs or their other recent adventures around the globe. That included keeping tabs on them at all times.
Raskin answered his phone on the second ring. ‘Research.’
Payne smiled. ‘Señor Raskin. How are you today?’
He leaned back in his chair. ‘I was doing great until I heard your voice. Now I’m worried about how many laws you’re going to ask me to break during our conversation. I hope you know Big Brother is recording this.’
‘Wait a second. I thought you were Big Brother.’
Raskin shook his head. ‘Sadly, I’m more like Big Brother’s little brother. He accumulates all this cool information about the world, then I sneak into his room and play with his toys.’
Payne laughed. ‘That describes you perfectly. You’re such a little pest.’
‘I can’t believe you just called me a pest. You’re not even on active duty, yet you call me more often than Central Command.’
‘That’s because CENTCOM is running a war, and I’m bored at the beach.’
Raskin leaned forward and hit a few keys on his wireless keyboard. Instantly, a map of the world appeared on one of the screens in front of him. A moment later, the camera zoomed in on the east coast of Mexico, revealing a blinking dot in the city of Cancún. The camera kept zooming closer and closer until Raskin was able to see Payne’s precise location on a digital map of the city.
The Death Relic Page 9
