Heinrich Anistaze crashed through the undergrowth, forging his way eastward until at last he pushed aside the final branch and was confronted by a truly spectacular sight.
The Amazon rainforest spread out before him like a lush green carpet running all the way to the horizon.
Anistaze was standing at the edge of the tableland—at the top of a sheer, foliage-covered cliff that overlooked the rainforest. To his immediate right was a magnificent two- hundred-foot waterfall that flowed out over the tableland, the end product of the caiman-infested river that ran along side Vilcafor.
Anistaze ignored the waterfall.
Of more importance to him was what lay at its base, in the wide section of river down there.
He smiled at the sight.
Yes…
Then, with the idol under his arm, he quickly began to climb down the set of ropes that snaked their way up the cliff-face, heading down to the river.
'All right, then,' Copeland said, 'so how are we going to catch these bastards? They've got a fifteen-minute head- start on us and just in case anyone has forgotten, there are rapas out there—'
'If their boats are where I think they are, then there's another way to get to them,' Race said. 'A route that avoids having to go past the cats.'
'What route?' Nash asked.
Race immediately dropped to his knees and began sweeping his hands across the earthen floor of the citadel.
'What are you doing?'
'I'm looking for something.
'What?“
Race searched the floor for it. According to the manuscript, it should be here somewhere. The only question was whether or not the Incas had used the same symbol to mark
“This,” he said suddenly, as he swept his hand across the earthen floor and revealed a stone slab beneath the thin layer of mud and dirt.
Inscribed in the corner of the slab was a symbol—a circle with a double 'V' in it.
'Here, help me,' he said.
Van Lewen and Doogie came over, got a hold of the slab and heaved on it.
The slab rumbled against its neighbours as it slowly slid out of its resting place—revealing an inky black hole beneath it.
'It's the quenko,' Race said.
'The what?' Nash said.
'I read about it in the manuscript. It was a maze dug into the rock beneath the village, an escape route, a tunnel system that leads to the waterfall at the edge of the tableland—if you know the key to the maze.'
'And you know that key?'
'Yes, I do.'
'How?' Troy Copeland asked mockingly.
'Because I've read the manuscript,' Race said.
'So who goes?' Lauren said.
“Van Lewen and Kennedy,' Nash said. 'And anyone else who can carry a gun,' he added, looking at the two BKA agents and the German paratrooper, Molke. Renee, Schroeder and Molke all nodded.
Nash turned to Copeland. 'What about you, Troy?'
'I've never held a gun in my life,' Copeland said.
'All right, then. Looks like it's just you five—'
'I can handle a gun,” Race said.
'What?' Lauren said.
“You ?” Copeland said.
'Well,' Race shrugged, 'some guns. My brother used to bring them home all the time. I'm not all that good at it, but—'
'Professor Race can run with me any time,' Van Lewen said, stepping forward exchanging a look with Race— and handing him a spare SIG-Sauer pistol. 'Judging from what he did up on the rock tower.'
He turned to Nash. 'Is that it then, sir?'
Nash nodded. “Do whatever you have to do, just get that idol. Our air support should be here any minute now. As soon as they get here, I'll send them after you. If you can somehow get your hands on that idol and keep those Nazi bastards at bay for a while, the air support team should be able to get you out of there. You got that?'
'Got it,' Van Lewen said, grabbing his M-16. 'Then let's go.'
