Chief Berks was furious and demanded a full report immediately once Jason and Danny returned to the States.
The local police were contacted and informed of what had happened at the newly discovered site. Jason and Danny were to be kept updated on any new leads that might spring up.
So the next day Jason and Danny took the next available flight home and were to report back to work on their arrival.
As for Helen, she soaked herself in a hot bath for a full hour before emerging from her unlocked room. She found Carlos waiting for her further down the hall. On seeing her, he immediately rose to his feet and escorted her down the stairs and into the dining room where Tony was waiting.
Tony said, “Miss Shireberg, please take a seat. Dinner will soon be served.”
Helen took a seat at the furthest end of the table, still curious to know why she had been kidnapped from Mexico, and been brought back to America. She stood up as anger built up inside her.
She said, “who the hell are you? I demand to know why you kidnapped me. I’m damn sure it wasn’t to invite me to dinner!”
Carlos came up from behind her, forcing her back down in her seat again.
Tony smiles and introduces himself.
“My name is Dr. Tony Barrette. I am a doctor of anesthesiology by profession, but my real passion is communicating with the dead, spirits from the other realm, a medium if you may call it. I have a very special gift also. I see things, spirits from the other side that no one else can see. In other words, it’s the dead that seek me out. I am able to show them the way to the other side.”
Helen looked confused and said, “what has all this bullshit have to do with my kidnapping?”
Tony again smiles. “I need your expertise professor Shireberg. I have a small task that I would like you to solve for me.”
It was Helen’s turn to laugh. “Really now! And what may that be?”
Before he could answer her question, a young man walks in serving them dinner and a bottle of red wine.
“Let us eat first and after I will show you something very extraordinary.”
Tony then looks over at the young man. “Thank you, Travis. I will call you if I need any further assistance.”
Over at the Miami headquarters, Jason and Danny entered Chief Berks office. They expected the usual hassle from their superior. Jason was ready for it, but Danny kept one step behind. Jason produced the full report on Matt’s desk. Surprisingly, Matt didn’t say a word. He asked them to leave while he took his time reading the report.
Jason went to pour himself a strong cup of coffee, when his cell phone rings. He answered to the Sergeant in charge of the Mexican police.
“Agent Mallock, this is Sergeant Guero from the Mexican Police force. I believe we have news about the missing archaeologist professor Shireberg.”
Jason puts down his cup of coffee.
“You know where she is you mean?” asked Jason.
Sergeant Guero continues. “Well, not exactly agent Mallock. Eyewitnesses saw a woman being forced into a small aircraft by a well-built man of Mexican origin. That very aircraft was later reported to be seen over the Mexican border heading to the United States. Professor Shireberg is no longer in Mexico.”
Jason thanked the Sergeant and then explained to Danny about the phone call.
They finished dinner, and Helen again urged Tony for an explanation to why she was kidnapped. Tony then stood up, ready to leave the table.
“Please Miss Shireberg, follow me.”
They left the dining area, and Tony opened the door leading to the basement. He led the way down the wooden stairs, with Carlos at the rear. They then entered a room filled with old objects of the past, dating back to the beginning of the century and even to the early Aztec and Indian tribes. He had in his possession Mosaic masks, knives and pottery, even real human skulls. The collection was huge and went on forever. Helen was amazed at the collection and age of the items.
She asked, “how have you managed to collect these things? They should be inside some museum on show for the public to see, not locked down in a basement.
Tony explained to Helen. “I cannot tell you how I came to acquire all these possessions, but believe me, I have been searching many years for something that finally has come to me out of sheer luck. You may have noticed that most of the items in this room have to do with the summoning of the spirits. What I have acquired holds the key to enter the spirit realm, not just mentally, but also physically. There is one problem though.”
“And what may that be?” asked Helen.
Tony looks at Carlos, who then takes a stand behind her.
Tony responded, “it needs to be deciphered. The hieroglyphs are not like any I have seen before. That’s where you come in, Miss Shireberg. I need you to translate an ancient tablet.”
Helen looks curiously at Tony. “What tablet?” She asked.
He then walks over to a locked cabinet and takes out the stolen item. As Tony unfolds the cloth that is wrapped around the ancient object, Helen immediately recognizes the same piece which had been taken from the underground cavern.
Helen begins to have gruesome flashbacks of her two colleagues that were found murdered at the camp site. Their throats slit. Blood soaked shirts dripping on the floor. Tears start to swell in her eyes. She instantly makes a run for Tony, only to be held back by Carlos, who was just a few feet from him. She lashed out with her hands in front of his face.
“You are the one responsible for the deaths of John and Paul! You son of a bitch! Do you really think that I’m going to help you with your insane quest of entering the spirit realm? You’re crazy! You need to be locked up!”
The next thing Helen feels is pain across her right cheek. Tony slaps her so hard that blood starts to drip from her lips.
“Sit her back down in her seat!” Shouts out Tony.
While continuously staring at him, Helen wipes the blood away with her sleeve.
“Miss Shireberg. This is how it’s going to be. You will help me with what I want or else!”
Helen looks at him, her eyes red with rage.
“Or else what? Kill me? Go ahead do it. The secret you murdered my friends for will be taken with me to my grave!” Said Helen.
A smile appeared over Tony’s face.
He said, “I don’t think so Miss Shireberg.”
He went over to Helen and placed a picture in front of her of a very pretty twelve-year-old girl. Helen was shocked.
“How did you get this picture? That’s my niece, my sister’s daughter.”
Tony slammed his hand down hard on the table.
“You will help me, or it will be the second child your sister will lose this year. She lost her baby boy only five months ago. I have done my research professor Shireberg. Now do we have an understanding between us?” demanded Tony.
Helen had no choice. She picked up the photograph of her niece and herself together at the beach.
“I swear, If you harm one hair on her head, I won’t rest until your buried six feet under.”
Tony took the picture away, and instead of it placed the Mayan plaque in front of her. She picked it up, turning it over, inspecting it to make certain it was the same one she had discovered. After a while she began to translate it to herself, when suddenly she stopped.
“I can’t carry on. It’s not all here,” she said looking at it with care.
Tony replied, “it’s all there. You just can’t see it that’s why.”
He then took the plaque away from Helen and with a quick jerk he pulled it apart revealing the smaller hidden plaque inside. He handed it to Helen, who was stunned at the marvel of the ancient Mayan. She gently placed it on the table, afraid it might break into small pieces if held too long in her hands. Tony sat down beside her.