"Can we go somewhere?" Dr. Wu licked his lips. "Preferably a long way from here?"
Graham ignored him. "Hunahpu must've sent a few people to investigate these caves. They probably came out looking like atomic bomb victims. So, he imprisoned these meteorites — thinking they were death gods — behind gold plates."
"And since gold blocks radiation, it even worked in a way." My face twisted in thought. "But how could he have known to use gold?"
"He could've used lots of things." Beverly fiddled with the mass spectrometer. "Any number of materials from the crater could've provided protection from gamma rays. Most likely, he just chose something that was readily available."
"I bet the Xibalbans built a shield before the Mayas came here," Emily said. "It probably wasn't as fancy or as effective. But it explains why Hope's plate was inscribed on both sides. The Xibalbans carved one side. The Mayas carved the other one."
"Xbalanque could've pulled off a few plates at a time," Emily added. "That would've left the shield largely intact. And as long as he didn't spend a lot of time doing it, he would've been able to avoid excessive radiation."
I felt a distinct chill in the air. My initial thrill at finding the library had worn off. Now, I was starting to worry about what it could do to us if we stuck around.
"I'm detecting traces of neodymium and ruthenium in these samples." Beverly's voice tightened. "And like the uranium ore, they're available in unusual isotopic ratios. There's far more neodymium-143 than I would expect. Same with ruthenium-99."
Graham growled. "Less babble, more English."
"I can't be sure. But I think the meteorites are more than just collections of strange metals and minerals," she said. "I think they're reactors … natural nuclear fission reactors."
Chapter 107
It took me a full ten seconds to find my tongue. "How can nuclear reactors exist in nature?"
"There's a precedent," Beverly replied. "Back in 1972, scientists found a bunch of dead natural reactors, or georeactors, in Africa."
"You're talking about the Oklo reactors," Graham said slowly. "I remember that. It was big news at the time."
"That's right. They started almost two billion years ago. They ran for hundreds of thousands of years before dying out."
"How is that possible?" I asked. "Modern power plants require tons of scientists and equipment to sustain the fission process."
"Nature can do amazing things." She stared at the domes. "We know the meteorites contain a highly-concentrated uranium deposit. The river water could act as a neutron moderator. As the neutrons slowed down, they'd collide with other atoms without just bouncing away. That would cause atoms to split open. And thus, a nuclear chain reaction would take place."
I stared at her. "How do you know all this?"
"Like I said, I studied it." She gave me a knowing look. "But what I did with that knowledge is classified."
I nodded slowly. "How would a reaction sustain itself?"
"It would generate heat, causing the river water to boil away. That would slow the reaction. Once the area had been cooled, the water would return and the reaction would begin all over again."
Emily looked doubtful. "If you're right about this, why haven't the meteorites exploded yet?"
"Enough water must boil away to slow runaway reactions." She shrugged. "In other words, the system is self-correcting. Unless there's a change, it should be able to continue as is until the amount of uranium-235 becomes too small to sustain reactions."
I had more questions. Hell, I had hundreds of them. But I forced them out of my brain. "Are you sure about this?"
"I can't prove it. But I'm pretty sure."
"Okay." I took another look at the gold plates lining the domes. "Here's what we're—"
"Shh." Emily held a finger to her lips. "Do you hear that?"
My ears perked. Above the flowing river, I heard soft slapping sounds as objects repeatedly struck the water.
Tum furrowed his brow. "What is that?"
"Boats." Emily gritted her teeth. "And they're heading this way."
Chapter 108
A small wave rose up. The raft rose with it. Seconds later, it crashed back into the water. Icy liquid sprayed over Votan and his fellow passengers.
His left hand kept a firm grip on the safety ropes. Using his right hand, he trained his flashlight on the river. Unfortunately, the darkness obscured most of the surroundings.
Following the river downstream had been a precarious experience. He'd swept down numerous waterfalls and steep plunges. The river had curved endlessly and eventually, he'd lost his bearings.
He leaned forward as the river sprayed him with more water. He kept his head low. Did his best to ride with the churning waves.
Up ahead, he saw the cavern open up into a larger space. Massive domes lay directly in front of him. Light glinted and he saw gold. His heart beat faster. Gobs of sweat formed on his forehead.
One man directed the craft to the side of the river. A second man jumped out, grabbed a rope, and quickly tied it around a stalagmite.
Votan climbed out of the inflatable raft. He helped Dora out and waited for the second boat to land. Then he cleared his throat. "You're looking at the Library of the Mayas. It's the most important discovery in the history of our people."
Awed silence fell over the group.
"The biopirates want it for themselves," he continued. "Same with the archaeologists. But it doesn't belong to them. It belongs to us. It will give us access to the greatest brains our people ever produced. It'll tell us more about our history than all the experts combined. It'll lead to cures and other things we've only dreamt of."
At that instant, Votan knew he was the right person to take charge of the library. Emily didn't deserve it. Neither did Miranda.
"Get out there," he shouted. "I want a report on the library's condition in ten minutes. After that, we'll start the dismantling process."
Chapter 109
While the others ran deeper into the cavern, Tum darted in the opposite direction. He ran to the passage they'd used to enter Metnal and slid past the L-shaped rock. Pressing his back against the wall, he took refuge in the dark shadows.
It couldn't be a coincidence that the library housed a pair of ancient georeactors. Hunahpu had obviously lacked the knowledge and tools required to destroy the death gods in their physical form. So, he'd trapped them inside golden cages instead. Now, Tum needed to finish the man's work. Unfortunately, there was just one way to do that.
"I'm sorry, Hunahpu and Xbalanque," Tum whispered as he withdrew a small hunk of semtex from his pocket. "The two of you created a magnificent pyramid and an even better library. But it's time to destroy them. It's time to bring in the fifth world."
Chapter 110
I felt a stiff breeze at my back — but also in my face — as I darted deeper into the cavern. I had a sneaking suspicion the airflow behind me came from the crater. Votan must've broken through the ancient wall and used boats to navigate the river. I hoped the airflow in front of me came from somewhere outside the crater.
The water roared in my ears as I ran alongside it. The river's size and power awed me. I could hardly believe I'd ventured into it without some kind of safety line.
I snuck a peek over my shoulder. Votan stood on the ledge next to the river. He directed his gaze at the gold domes.
The cavern wall jutted out. I ran next to it, praying he wouldn't see me. Moments later, it curved in again, providing me with a bit of cover.