The blast rocked the cavern. A couple of bats dropped dead to the ground. Momentarily disoriented, the others sailed into each other. They beat their wings, gnashed their teeth. Then they flew straight up and vanished from sight.
I pulled out my flashlight. Aimed the beam at the ceiling. The light revealed several dozen small gaps. Presumably, the bats used them to reach the surface for hunting purposes. I just hoped the gaps weren't the source of the flowing air.
I twisted the beam toward Dr. Wu. He lay motionless in a pile of guano. "Doc?"
When he didn't answer, I snaked to his side. Adrenaline raced through me as I laid eyes on a deep, bloody gash on top of his skull. "Good lord."
Emily swallowed. "Is he …?"
I felt his pulse. "He's alive. But he needs help."
Chapter 99
"I just …" Dr. Wu winced as he touched his head. His eyes rolled backward and he looked ready to pass out. "I just need a minute."
"You're lucky you didn't crack your skull," Graham said.
"I know."
"I bet you've got a concussion. A bad one too."
The doc took a few deep breaths. Then he rose unsteadily to his feet. Graham and Beverly slid under his shoulders, propping him up.
A bit of air pushed against my face as we walked down a long, curving tunnel. At the bottom, the tunnel opened up into a small cavern.
A sense of revulsion came over me as I walked into it. It wasn't claustrophobia. Sure, the tight quarters, low ceilings, and endless limestone were beginning to get to me. But the odor was the real problem.
"It smells like," Graham sniffed, "rotten eggs."
"There must be a sulfur deposit around here." Beverly's nose wrinkled in disgust. "A big one too."
"The quicker we get past it, the better." Graham used his free hand to aim a beam into the cavern. "So, which houses are left?"
"Hot House and Razor House," Tum replied. "And possibly two other levels."
Ancient blankets were strewn across the floor, covering every conceivable inch of walking space. Others hung from the walls. Still others dangled from the ceiling or lay in heaps upon the ground.
I took a close look at one of the blankets. It appeared to be constructed from cotton. Various patterns had been painted on it. Although ravaged by time and insects, I could still see traces of the original dyes.
My gaze skipped past the reds, greens, and purples. It fell on a brilliant azure color.
"That looks like Maya Blue," Tum said.
"What's Maya Blue?" I asked.
"It was a blue pigment developed by some of the ancient pre-Columbian cultures. You can still find it at many Maya sites. It's incredibly resistant. It even holds up to chemical solvents and acids."
"How do you know that?"
"It's actually a famous mystery among ancient Maya scholars," Tum replied. "They know the materials used to make it — indigo and a clay mineral known as palygorskite. But the sources of those materials have long been a matter of debate."
"Well, I doubt we'll find the answer here." Emily took a few steps into the cave. "But maybe the library can—"
Dust kicked into the air as her boots struck the blankets. Hacking loudly, she stumbled forward a couple of feet. More dust shot into the air. Dust was everywhere, engulfing the cavern. The smell of sulfur was overpowering. I started to reach for my respirator.
That dust … it's sulfur dust. But that means …
"Run," I shouted.
Emily lurched forward. Beverly and Graham, still helping Dr. Wu, were close behind her. Tum and I trailed them by a considerable margin.
Dust swirled. Small shocks of static electricity jolted my body.
I picked up the pace. Static electricity struck my sides, my legs, and my arms. It accosted me from the blankets and from Tum. It seemed to come from everywhere at once.
Sulfur particles ignited in the electrified air. They shot in all directions. A few of them singed my skin. But the vast majority careened into the blankets.
Oxygen flew out of my mouth as the cave burst into flames. A burning blanket dropped from the ceiling, nearly striking my head. It hit the ground, lighting a blanket at my feet. The fire quickly consumed the dry cotton and jumped to my clothes. I felt the heat, the burning.
Tum started to lag behind. I grabbed his arm and we staggered through the fire. Smoke curled into the air. I couldn't see anything.
Through the crackling flames, I heard distant shouts. I angled myself toward them. But I'd swallowed far too much smoke. My footsteps grew heavier. My body sagged.
Somehow his foot slipped under my own. Our legs got tangled up. With my last bit of strength, I shoved Tum toward the shouts. Then I fell. More dust shot into the air. Brilliant fire erupted around me.
And then my mind slipped into darkness.
Chapter 100
The blast reverberated through the eastern end of the crater. Rubble shot into the air. Chunks of limestone crumbled to dust.
Votan waited for the smoke to clear. Then he darted to the ancient wall. "It worked," he called out. "We're through."
Dora snapped her fingers. "Bring them here."
A couple of men strode out of the jungle. They carried two deflated rubber rafts, two outboard engines, and several toolboxes between them.
Dora quickly inspected the equipment. "Okay, wait here. We're going to check out the river."
She crossed over the debris and vanished into darkness. Votan followed her to a steep walkway. It was smooth and covered with dried red flakes left over from the juice concoction.
As he descended the walkway, a cool mist appeared. The sound of rushing water grew louder.
Dora lifted her beam. A massive river flowed in front of them. It moved at a rapid pace, weaving an intricate course through large stalagmites.
Even from a distance, Votan felt its mighty power. The river was truly a force of nature. He felt absolutely certain it would take him to where he needed to go. "Bring the rafts," he shouted. "I want to be on the water in five minutes."
Chapter 101
Flames smacked against my cheek. My face shot to the side. A stinging sensation ran down my spine. Desperately, I tried to stand up. But something pinned my arms down.
"Cy."
I tried to pinpoint the voice's location. But my mind felt foggy and I couldn't concentrate.
"It's me." Beverly voice, soft yet firm, floated into my ears. "You'd better wake up. I'd hate to have to slap you."
I wrenched my eyelids open. My vision — like my mind — was a blur. I blinked a few times and noticed varying shades of flickering light. I struggled to stand up, to get away. But I couldn't move.
"Calm down," she said. "You're going to be okay."
I blinked a few more times and saw she was holding one of my arms. Graham held the other one. I twisted my head from side to side, searching for the flames. "The fire. It's—"
"Out." She tried to look nonchalant, but I saw deep concern etched in her eyes. "The blankets were bone dry. They burned away in less than two minutes."
I tried to sit up. She pushed me back down again.
"You're burnt," Graham said. "Let the doc treat you. You're lucky to be alive, you know."
Agonizing pain ripped through my right leg as cool liquid washed over it. I bit my tongue to keep from screaming. "How's …" I clenched my fists as the pain intensified. "How's Tum?"
"I'm fine." Tum grinned. "Just a little shaken up. You saved me."
"Is everyone else okay?"
"Yes. You're the only one who got burnt."
"Lucky me." I gritted my teeth. "What happened?"
"You passed out in the middle of the flames, that's what happened. Craziest thing I've ever seen." Graham shook his head. "Beverly and I dragged you here."