“Okay! Stop, please!”
Carlos threw her face down onto the floor, laughing at her as she lay helpless on the ground. She lay there, tears rolling down her face. Carlos and Diego then stood Helen to her feet. Diego strapped the rucksack of gold to his back as he followed Carlos and Helen back into the cavern area.
Meanwhile, Jason and Danny reached the bottom of the stone steps. The whole cavern was lit up before them with flamed torches blazing away as they cautiously entered with their weapons drawn. Danny couldn’t keep his eyes off the marvel that he saw before him. Jason was fully concentrated on the task ahead of him. His eyes were scanning the whole area for any sign of movement, when he heard voices coming from the other side. He was about to warn Danny to keep low, when he heard Helen shout out to him.
“Jason! Help me!”
He swore out loud as gunshots were fired from all directions.
“That idiot of a woman couldn’t keep her darn mouth shut could she!”
Jason urged Danny to back out from the cavern. They were now positioned on either side of the entrance. Jason chanced to take a look inside, but was held back as a shower of bullets penetrated the sides of the walls.
“Them sons of bitches have automatic weapons!” Said Jason.
Danny blindly fired a few shots, but Jason stopped him for fear of hitting Helen instead. After a few minutes, Carlos shouted out.
“Hey mister! Back off or the lady dies right now! Show yourselves and drop your weapons!”
Jason answered back, “how about you let the woman go, and I won’t blow your head off!”
Carlos laughed.
“You have big words mister. You Americans always the same with your big mouths. Me and my friend here we not afraid. We kill you down here where nobody finds you. Put down your guns, and I let you live.”
Jason was about to explode. His face turned red with rage as he reloaded his Colt, ready to charge out shooting.
“Jason!” said Danny, “wait! Think of Helen. I know you can take them out even without my help. But you’re putting Helen at risk. We can get them later. Think about it, will you!”
Before Danny could continue. Jason was already out in the open. He had the two men in his sights at almost forty yards away. All it took was a single shot to the head, bringing Diego down in a second. Helen screamed as she saw the bullet penetrate his skull.
On instinct, Carlos grabbed her, using her as a shield. He had underestimated his opponent. Carlos knew by experience that only a handful of men could make a shot like that. He took hold of his dead friends rucksack and slung it over his shoulder while holding Helen at gun point. Jason kept Carlos in his sights, ready to take a shot. Danny came out, standing between the gun and Helen’s assailant.
“Danny move! Or I’m gonna shoot right through you!” said Jason, as sweat ran down his forehead.
“Jason! Don’t risk the shot, we can get him later, listen to me for god’s sake!”
Carlos called out, “lower your gun, or I shoot her right now!”
Helen spoke out to him, “Jason! Listen to Danny, please!”
He slowly threw his weapon to the ground and backed away from the entrance while Carlos and Helen approached them.
“Move further inside! Do it now!” Shouted Carlos.
They moved further away from the entrance while Carlos and his hostage walked slowly out of the cavern. Helen disappeared into the darkness, her eyes filled with tears. Carlos then took out a small plastic explosive, lighting it. He threw it against the wall of the cavern entrance. The explosion was enough to bring down the above wall blocking the entrance. Debris and dust engulfed the cavern as Jason and Danny tried to run for cover.
Carlos and Helen made their way out into the jungle again. He tied her hands together. Helen thought this must be it, this is where he is going to kill me. Instead, he took hold of the rope and walked in the direction where they had come from.
She held back, saying, “where are you taking me? Why won’t you let me go?”
Carlos continued walking, pulling her by the rope.
“I take you back to America where my boss is waiting for you. Now hurry. There is a private plane waiting for us.”
The dust began to settle as Jason and Danny gained consciousness after having been blown at least twenty feet by the blast. Jason came around first and went over to his friend Danny checking for any signs of injury. He sat Danny up who was shaken by the blast.
“Are you hurt?” asked Jason.
“No, I don't think so. What about you?” said Danny.
Jason replied. “I’m okay, but that bastard is gonna pay, big time!”
CHAPTER NINE
A small fixed winged aircraft took off from a deserted field with Carlos and Helen on their way to the States. She was guaranteed to be set free once her abductor was satisfied with her assistance. The aircraft had to stop for refueling, and then continued its flight to Florida, where they landed on a remote runway next to an abandoned hangar. They were met by a large black van. Helen couldn’t see the driver through the dark tinted windows and could barely walk from exhaustion after traveling for more than six hours nonstop.
At his large house, Tony Barrette was awaiting Helen’s arrival. A guest room had been set up for her to keep her as comfortable as he can. Tony needed to gain her trust, as he wanted Helen to be truthful when decoding the ancient tablet. He has been waiting years for an opportunity like this to happen.
Meanwhile, back inside the cavern, Jason begins to check the damage caused by the explosion. The large stone blocks from the wall above the entrance crashed down, making it nearly impossible for them to leave the same way they came in.
Jason said, “I should have shot that son of a bitch while I had the chance. He and Helen could be anywhere by now, and for all we know she could be lying dead on the other side of those rocks.”
Danny made an effort by clearing the smaller rocks, while Jason took one of the flamed torches and walked down to where the statues were standing. He suddenly stops where he is, feeling an icy chill all around him. Certain someone is standing behind him, he quickly turns around expecting to see Danny, but nothing, Danny is forty feet away removing rocks. Jason quickly dismisses it, blaming the aftereffects of the blast. He begins to exam each statue; his archaeological instincts takeover and soon forgets their situation. The engravings on the figures are incredible, the craftsmanship is stunning. He steps back a few paces to admire the statue in full view. Suddenly he thinks he sees something moving in a dark corner further inside the cavern, but like before he dismisses it for a rat or small rodent. He moves over to the next statue, and so on, one statue after the other.
Then he calls out to Danny, “hey Danny! All okay over there?”
“Would be faster work if you gave a hand!” said Danny.
Jason thought otherwise.
“What do you say we have a look around for another way out? Removing those rocks could take forever,” said Jason.
Danny agreed and walked down over to Jason. They each took a flame and began to look around. Jason thought it better if they both split up. So they each took one side in an attempt to speed the search up.
While both agents were busy looking for another way out, they failed to notice the dark figure hovering above the dead body of Diego. It was his death that brought the underworld spirit.
After death, the spirit leaves the body wandering and lost until it is shown the way into the spiritual realm.
Jason and Danny each entered one of the burial chambers but found no other way out. Danny was amazed at the sarcophagi, wondering how on earth did the ancient Mayan people manage to carry these solid marble coffins all the way down the long flight of steps. Jason, on the other hand, was positive there was another way out. He met up with Danny in the outer cavern.