"That's the one." Crowley aimed a flashlight beam at the creature's entrapped leg. "You can see the scars from here."
Tum squinted. Indeed, the creature's rear right heel pad featured two crisscrossing scratches.
The creature twisted toward him. Its bright green eyes flashed in the near darkness. It looked forlorn, anguished.
Tum's heart ached. He was reminded of an old story his father had told him about a runaway Maya slave. While taking refuge in a cavern, the slave had stumbled upon a wounded jaguar. Although frightened at first, the slave eventually pulled two arrowheads out of the creature's footpad. The jaguar, thankful for the mercy, later saved the slave from those who sought to put him back in chains.
Slowly, the creature's head drifted to the ground. Its sad eyes remained locked on Tum until they finally closed over. At that very moment, Tum felt a connection to the creature. He resolved to do everything in his power to protect it.
"I think it passed out," Crowley said.
"We should cut it loose. It won't bother us again."
"Forget it, nature boy." Crowley lifted his pistol. "I'm taking it down."
Tum's jaw grew slack as he saw Crowley line the gun up with the creature's head. His brain screamed at him to do something.
Tum swung his rifle. It slammed into Crowley's head. The man's knees gave out and he toppled forward. His teeth chattered loudly as his chin smacked the ground.
Alonzo spun away from the strange cat. Barking loudly, he started to nip at Tum's legs.
Acting on instinct, Tum jabbed the rifle at the dog's head. A soft cracking noise rang out. Alonzo crumpled to the ground.
Coldness swept over Tum as he knelt down to check the dog. It was no longer breathing.
Lifting his chin, he said a quick prayer for Alonzo. Then he crept toward the cat. It looked peaceful. Bending down, he examined the snare trap. He worked his fingers into the metal cables and loosened the loop. Afterward, he pulled it away.
He had no bandages and he wasn't about to risk waking the others to get some. They wouldn't understand what he was doing, how he was building a bridge of peace between man and nature.
So, he pulled off his shirt and wrapped it around the creature's wounded leg. Looking back, Tum saw Alonzo and Crowley.
A thought occurred to him. The big cat would be weak and groggy when it regained consciousness. It would need something to regain its strength.
It would need a meal.
Chapter 69
An uneasy yawn escaped my lips as I twisted in my sleeping bag. My eyes felt heavy. I could barely move my tired, exhausted limbs. But my brain was wide-awake.
Memories of Pacho's death consumed me. Thinking hard, I tried to distract myself. A picture appeared in my brain. It was crisp, clear. It captured the pyramid and surrounding jungle in dull, unearthly colors.
Did Hunahpu build the pyramid on top of previous ruins?
That made sense, especially since it was a common tactic among the Classic Mayas. Excavations of their tallest temples often showed layers of smaller temples beneath the surface. Plus, the murals I'd seen in the summit shrine had depicted small buildings in the canyon during the Maya invasion. So far, I'd seen no evidence of those buildings. Assuming Hunahpu hadn't torn them down, they could've been repurposed for the pyramid.
Is there another way inside the pyramid?
While traversing the tunnel, I'd scoured every inch of the space. I hadn't seen any other passages. Either a hidden plug blocked our path or the tunnel was just another decoy.
What about the death gods?
Graham thought they were nothing more than a story designed to scare laborers into working hard. But I wasn't so sure. Hunahpu and Xbalanque had braved animals, elements, and isolation to build a massive, impenetrable pyramid. Then they'd sealed it off from the rest of the world. That kind of dedication indicated something had spooked them. But what?
It can wait. Need to sleep.
The rain splashed noisily against the tent roof. I scrunched my eyes shut, trying to will my brain to rest. But fresh thoughts of Pacho and Miranda flooded my mind.
"Ahhh! Help me!" Crowley's distant voice burst into my ears. "Holy—"
As his voice choked out, I sat up. Beverly and I looked at each other. Then we pulled on our boots, grabbed our gear, and ran outside.
A deep-throated growl pierced the air. Wielding my machete, I ran into the jungle. I saw three shadowy figures in the distance. Alonzo lay on the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood. Crowley, bloody and covered with cuts, struggled weakly with a third shadow.
What the hell is that thing?
Horrific screams filled the air. Then something that sounded an awful lot like tearing paper.
My blood chilled as I reached for my holster. Something was being torn all right. Only it wasn't paper.
It was flesh.
Chapter 70
Crowley screamed again and I grabbed my pistol.
The creature looked at me. Its green eyes glittered dangerously. It was a dead ringer for the nagual depicted on the roof comb's stone mosaic.
I squeezed the trigger. A burst of gunfire exploded into the night. The creature reared up and twisted to the side.
I blinked.
It was gone.
"Did you see that?" I whispered.
Beverly nodded, grim-faced.
"Hey." Tum ran up to us. "Have you seen Crowley?"
"Yeah." I frowned. "Weren't you on guard duty with him?"
He nodded. "We chased the cat into the jungle. But I fell behind."
"He's over there." I looked at Crowley. "I'm going to check on him."
With pistol in hand, I crept forward. My finger remained tight on the trigger. It took me less than a minute to reach the scene of the attack.
Bile rose up in my throat as I moved past Alonzo. His chest cavity had been torn open. Several of his organs had been devoured.
I moved a little further. Crowley's shadowy mass lay at my feet. I took one last look around. The jungle was quiet, still. There were no animals.
At least none I could see.
I knelt down, keeping my pistol at the ready. Then I groped around, hoping to check his pulse. Instead, my fingers plunged into gooey gore.
I yanked my hand up. It was covered in blood.
I pointed my flashlight beam at the ground. His clothes were shredded. His head was twisted to the side and his neck had been ripped open, exposing his spine.
"Oh my God." Beverly inhaled sharply.
"He's dead." Hardening my gaze, I stared into the jungle. "And now the cat's got a taste for human blood."
Chapter 71
Unlike many of his peers, Tum had never abandoned his roots. He lived within the Lacandon Jungle. He maintained a traditional Maya diet. And he avoided so-called modern pleasures like movies, television, and the Internet.
He wasn't perfect. After all, he owned a home and a car as well as several other possessions. But he'd deliberately bought the most modest items he could find. His home was little more than a dilapidated shack. His car was just a beat-up, rust-covered engine.
Gritting his teeth, he continued to walk backward through the jungle. His hands gripped Crowley's legs while Reed held what remained of the man's torso. Fortunately, Chaac had favored them with a lighter rain, which made for easy walking.