He selected a spot a few feet away from where his clothing and coffee lay. Close enough that his body odor would be masked by the rich aroma of the drink, but far enough away to temporarily avoid detection.
He waited.
Finally, he heard something. It wasn’t much, only the most minuscule intake of breath. He didn’t hesitate. He struck with all his might in the direction of the sound.
His fist struck flesh and bone with a satisfying crunch. He had been longing to get back at Gideon for the long hours of abuse. It felt good to even the score a little.
There was a smacking sound like wet meat as Gideon hit the floor. Stone knew at once he had done serious damage.
“Oh, my Lord, Gideon! Did I kill you?”
His hands found the fallen body, and he frowned. His fingers touch soft, smooth flesh. This wasn’t Gideon. This person was young and small.
“Cover your eyes, Brock Stone. The light will be blinding.”
Stone did as instructed. Even with his hands protecting his shuttered eyelids, he saw a faint red light. Relief flowed through him. Gideon had told him he wasn’t blind, but still, it was a comfort to be able to see again.
When he finally opened his eyes, a single candle burned like a sun from a ledge high above. A rope dangled from the ceiling.
Gideon knelt over a young woman with long, black hair and big brown eyes. She sat rubbing her chin and staring balefully at Stone.
“I thought it was you,” he said to Gideon.
“This is Dalha. Her name means Moon Goddess. It was her all along.”
“You’re telling me I’ve been getting my tail whipped by a teenage girl?”
“I am twenty years old. Well, nearly twenty.” Dalha smirked. “At least I am old enough to dress myself.”
Stone had forgotten he was naked. He let out a yelp, covered himself, and hurriedly tugged on his filthy clothing.
Dalha laughed. Gideon shook his head.
“Congratulations, Brock Stone,” Gideon said. “You have found the first treasure and your new birth is completed. Now you may begin to learn the world anew.
“That’s wonderful. Think we could manage my next lesson with a bit less corporal punishment.
“That depends on you.” Gideon’s eyes twinkled. “Now, you must come with us. Your new life lies on the other side of that door.”
27- The Tomb
Stone’s heart was pounding like a bass drum as he carried the juvenile Bigfoot back to its den. The young creature was growing more alert, but still suffered the effects of sedation. It could only walk a few steps before collapsing. There was no way the young ape would ever make it home on its own.
He smelled the Bigfoot before he saw them. The juvenile didn’t exactly smell good, but its captors had bathed it and kept it clean. Now the feral smell was overwhelming. They were close by now, watching him.
“If you have any sort of language, I would be much obliged if you would tell your troop that I’m one of the good guys,” he said to the juvenile.
As he made his way to the Bigfoot’s den, shadows appeared all around him. He wasn’t certain if he was being stalked or escorted. He fervently hoped for the latter.
The Bigfoot finally showed themselves when Stone reached the base of the cliff beneath their lair. A male, the dark brown fur of his face sprinkled with white, stepped out in front of Stone. Gently, Stone laid the juvenile on the ground and took a few steps back.
“I’m just bringing him home,” Stone said.
The creature stared at him for five gut-wrenching seconds of silence. Then it let out a series of yips like a coyote. Another voice answered. Seconds later a female came scrabbling down the cliff. Her eyes fell on the juvenile and she let out a cry. Still woozy, the young creature crawled to meet her. She picked him up and held him tight.
“Now that we’re all back together, I’ll just be going.” But Stone wasn’t going anywhere. The beasts who encircled him didn’t move.
The older male bellowed, then tilted his head and twisted his lips to the side. He waited a few seconds, then did it again.
It took Stone a moment to realize that the Bigfoot was pointing with its lips, a practice current among many indigenous tribes around the world. It was pointing up in the direction of the den.
“You want me to go up there?” Stone asked, looking in the direction the beast indicated. The Bigfoot stepped to the side, clearing the way. “That is just… wonderful.” He took a breath, remembered something he’d learned from an old friend.
“The beasts are seldom who we think they are.” Perhaps it would be all right.
Exhausted and wondering what would happen next, Stone did as he was told. He emerged on a ledge beneath a giant rock overhang. Small cave dwellings pockmarked the rock wall. At least a dozen of the creatures poked their heads out to stare at him.
“It’s like Mesa Verde minus the kivas,” he said.
The elder male had followed him up. He barked, yipped, and howled at the other beasts, who continued to stare. He turned to Stone and pointed again with his lips, then led the way to a tiny cave in the heart of the dwelling.
Stone was forced to get down and crawl for a good thirty feet before he could stand. He flicked on his IMCO. What he saw took his breath away.
They were inside a cave. Veins of a pale golden-colored alloy streaked the walls. A pyramid six feet tall, made of the same metal, stood before him. Its surface was unmarred. Stone had no way of knowing how old it was, but he had the feeling it was ancient.
On the other side of the pyramid was a stone vault. Three words were carved into the lid.
YMA GORWED MADOC
“It’s Welsh,” he said. “Here lies Madoc.” The legend was true! He could scarcely believe it. “I’ve got to see this for myself.”
Inside lay a skeleton wrapped in moldering furs and homespun fabric. A sword and shield made of the same metal as the pyramid lay upon the dead man’s chest. This was Madoc, the legendary prince and explorer.
A scrap of paper was tucked into the fur. Stone carefully removed it. It was dry and brittle, but the cursive writing on it was legible.
Tom, you were right about everything, Madoc, the Orichalcum, the ape men, and the Illuminati. I intend on keeping this secret for as long I live, but if you or our enemies should ever find it, I want it known that I was first.
Meriwether Lewis. The explorer had successfully completed his mission and had apparently carried the secret to his grave.
Now, the question was, what was Stone going to do about it? He was convinced that the pyramid and the orichalcum were important, and something that needed to be kept away from the Illuminati, and from the government, at least until he had a better understanding of the forces that were at play here.
Madoc wore a fat signet ring made of orichalcum. Stone worked it free and slipped it into his pocket. Once they returned home, he would study it and then decide how much information to share with whom. Until then, he would rely on the Bigfoot to keep the secret. Assuming they would let him leave.
Any fears he had that the beasts might try and hold him captive proved to be unfounded. When he emerged from the cave, only the old male paid him any mind.
The giant beast escorted Stone down the cliff and through the slot canyon back to the trail leading up to Moss family cabin.
“Thank you for trusting me with your secret,” Stone said. He thought he understood why the beast had chosen to reveal the cave to him. It was a gift given in gratitude or perhaps repayment for returning their kidnapped child. Maybe the Bigfoot were more human than he had given them credit for.