“You know,” Quint said, “you two should work on your motivational speech making. I’m starting to question whether to swing the machete again or not.”
She pointed at his machete. “Swing away, Mr. Muscles. This conversation is why we need to check this site out. Keep your fingers crossed it’s been so tucked away that even those who would destroy it in search of Maya gold and jade haven’t found it.” She jammed her hat back onto her head. “Give me back that map.”
Her father handed it over. “I told you before,gatita, we’re lost.”
“Maybe we should head back to Cancun and try again next month,” Quint joked.
“We’re not goingback.”
“Fine, but I want to make it known that I agree with Juan, we should have gone right at that Y in the path.” Quint started swinging his machete again, only angling to the right through the trees.
“Hold this side of the map, Dad.” After he grabbed it, she pointed at the spot where she was pretty sure they were standing at the moment. “I think we’re here and the site is there, to the northwest a little more.”
Her father looked up at the sky. “We only have a couple hours of light left,gatita. Maybe we should head back and start again tomorrow at sunrise. I’m too old to camp in the middle of nowhere without the rest of the crew around to offer some protection. Lord only knows what patrols this place in the dark.”
Angélica sighed, lowering the map. “Maybe you’re right.”
She frowned back the way they’d come.Shit.If the rest of the site was as overgrown as where they were standing, she might have to give in to Dr. Fernel and his fancy LIDAR tech gadgets in order to make heads or tails of what happened here long ago.
She wiped at the sweat running down her cheek. “But I don’t want to—”
“Hey!” Quint called. “You two get your brainy buns over here!”
Angélica rolled the map and stuffed it in her pack, then led the way with her machete. Quint had gone almost thirty feet along the ridge while they’d been looking at the map.
“Look what I found,” Quint said as she and her father drew near.
He stepped aside, using his machete to move a few fronds. Beyond the vegetation, the jungle opened into a small, sunlit clearing with a couple of tarp-covered tent-like shelters held up by freshly cut poles and nylon ropes.
“Jackpot!” Juan clapped his hands together. “A hundred points to our good luck charm for saving the day.” He eased by Angélica, patting Quint on the shoulder as he passed him and headed into the clearing. “I’m sure glad I brought you along, boy.”
Across the way, two men in camouflage clothing with pistols strapped to their hips emerged from one of the tents.
“I hope those two are on our side,” Quint murmured.
She stepped up next to him, flicking a mosquito off his shirt sleeve. “INAH was worried about us being out here without armedguards, what with the cartel crews and other troublemakers who hide under the canopy.”
“Yeah, well let’s just cross our fingers the troublemakers are human this time.”
“Fewer sharp teeth would certainly be nice.”
“You know what, boss lady?”
She looked up at him. “What?”
The flirting glint was back in his gaze. “One hundred points means I won.”
She shook her head. “This game isn’t over yet, Parker.”
Chapter Two
The jungle is sweltering, teeming with innumerable, voracious pests lying in wait for some human to come bumbling along.
I’m beginning to suspect that the trees the ancient Maya slashed and burned were used to create smoke as a bug repellent.
This creepy-crawly version of Hell will likely suck the life out of—
“What are you writing about, Junior Mint?” Juan asked, settling into the neighboring camp chair. The silver hair at his temples glinted in the firelight.
