Clair followed Itzél to what looked like an old military style jeep. Itzél told Clair to get in and the two of them drove off to the northwest into Yucatán wilderness. After two hours of driving, Clair stopped seeing houses and other buildings. Then Itzél turned down onto an old dirt road that led into the thick jungle. Deep in her stomach, Clair was getting a bad feeling that something wasn’t right here. She looked at Itzél, who was focused on the rocky path ahead. “So…? Pretty day for a drive in the Jungle” Clair said trying to break the silence. Itzél didn’t speak. “Where exactly are we going?” Clair asked.
“My village!” Itzél keeping her eyes on the road.
“Your village, ok? I don’t mean to be a back-seat driver, but I don’t think there are any cities way out here”
“It’s hidden beneath the forest’s thick canopy! And has been for centuries”
“Really? That’s very interesting.”
“Mind yourself, my people dislike your kind and aren’t quick to trust. You are the first outsider to enter in years!”
Itzél’s village wasn’t all that big, with only a couple dozen wooden shacks, there was small stone temple and on the far side Clair could make out some sort of cave. Itzél pulled up alongside one of the shacks and got out before walking over to Clair’s side. “I had no idea a place like this still existed” Clair said in amazement while looking around.
“Come, the Elders are waiting” said Itzél.
“Alright, I’m anxious to know the truth”
Itzél lead Clair through the village to the stone building, and the whole way there Clair kept getting strange or dirty looks by the other villagers. It was obvious to her that these people didn’t like outsiders. Clair followed Itzél closer towards the stone building, she still couldn’t believe that these people had lived here in seclusion without anyone ever discovering them.
Much of the architecture and style was definitely that of the mid to late classic period for the Mayan; however, there was also some more modern styles too. For an example, the hut or shacks seem to be more recent. There wasn’t much technology besides the jeep, though which was understandable if these people wanted to remain closer to their heritage.
Once Clair and Itzél had arrived just outside the stone building, Itzél turned towards Clair and spoke again. “Wait here! I’ll inform the Elders of your presents. And don’t wander off”
“Ok, just don’t take too long. I’m getting strange looks from your People”
“It’ll take as long as it has to, my tribe doesn’t trust easy”
****
Itzél walked inside, leaving Clair alone to wait by the door. She approached what looked like four older men sitting atop some stone seats. Itzél bent a knee before speaking, “Lak’ech Ala K’in! I have brought a-” Itzél started to say before being cut off.
“We already know of whom you brought!” Elder Achi stated. “This is the second time you broke tradition by bringing an outsider to our sacred village! Do you not care about your people?” he continued.
“Of course! I just don’t believe we should isolate ourselves so much. We need connections with the outside if we are to carry on protecting the shard! I know this girl can help with that” defended Itzél.
“And how do you know she isn’t just using you to get what she and all the others seek?”
“I don’t know, just a feeling. She’s not like the others” Itzél paused. “I looked her up, she has a kind and generous heart and she doesn’t scare easily.”
“What do you propose?”
“That we allow her to see the Shard for herself and let her know just how important it is to remain hidden from the world”
“You made this same proposal before with another and look where that got us. The Well Shard was nearly found, and our tribe destroyed!”
“I made a mistake!”
“Yes, that is why we choose to deny your request. The girl will remain until we are able to move locations, at which she will be blindfolded until we are gone”
“Fine, but please let me be the one to tell her!”
Standing up, Itzél said farewell before taking a bow and turning to leave. Back outside, Itzél found Clair sitting beneath a tree with her legs crossed and reading her father’s journal. Itzél walked over and sat down right next to Clair with her own legs stretched out and leaned back with her arms as a stand. “What’s that you’re reading?” asked Itzél.
“A journal my father had kept before…” Clair replied. “…well before he died” she continued.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Was he someone special to you”
“He was my hero. I always wanted to be like him, in fact I got into archaeology because of him” Clair said looking up towards the sky.
“I take it that he was an archaeologist too”
“Yeah, one of the best. He died on one of his expeditions trying to prove a theory” Clair paused. “It wasn’t too far from here come to think of it.”
“Really? What exactly was he looking for?” asked Itzél now sitting up straight.
“Same thing I’m after, the fountain of youth!” Clair said. “He was close to finding it too!”
“Is that so. You know how close he was?”
“I’m not sure to tell the truth. His notes don’t go into great detail,”
“How do you know he was close then”
“Because he mentioned something called the Urn of Tears and how it was the key to unlocking the secret of the Fountain”
At that moment, Itzél got up and started walking towards where she parked the jeep; she stopped and turned back to Clair. “Come on! I want to show you something” she said.
“Oh, ok!” Clair said jumping up.
****
Clair followed Itzél back in and through her village, and she almost immediately notice that it seemed deserted compared to when she had arrived; only some sentries standing guard near entrances and the stone building could be seen, but no civilians. Clair started to get a bad feeling and soon found herself walking faster until she was the one leading.
Before long, both Clair and Itzél had made it to the old jeep. Itzél immediately got in and tried to start the engine; however, the engine refused to turnover. Itzél kept trying however, thinking it might just be the age of the car, that was when Clair hopped out. “Pop the hood!” She said.
“You know what’s wrong with it?” asked Itzél.
“Possibly, it may be a loose sparkplug”
“How do you know”
“Something that happened when I was kid. I helped my dad rebuild the motor of an old GTO”
“Is there something you can’t do” asked Itzél.
“Cook. I can’t cook.”
It took some fiddling around inside the motor, but Clair finally found the problem. Upon closer inspection Clair noticed small rough punctures in the radiator hoses. Clair looked up from the engine and in Itzél’s direction. “You know what’s wrong with it?” asked Itzél.
“Yeah, busted hoses to the radiator,” replied Clair.
“Can you fix it?”
“I can do a temporary patch job, but for a more permanent fix we’ll have to take it to a mechanic. Toss me my bag”
“Ok, here. How do you plan to fix it” Itzél asked while handing over Clair’s bag.
“Duck-tape!” Clair said pulling out a roll from her back.
“You carry tape around with”
“A girl has to be prepared” Clair said in a girlish tone.
It didn’t take too long for Clair to patch the holes. Once she was done, she slammed the hood shut and that was when she heard it. A strange noise coming from the jungle directly behind the jeep. Clair slowly walked towards the edge of the village when the noise became clearer and more distinct. The sound of diesel-powered engines like the big trucks she saw back at Chichén Itzá.
As the heavy engine noises grew closer and closer, so close in fact that Clair could now catch the faint scent of diesel on the wind. Clair was almost positive it had to be the same ones that she saw at Chichén Itzá, there was no other explanation for why they would be here. Without thinking about Clair turned around to Itzél, who was still trying to start the jeep, “Itzél! Warn your people, we are about to have company!”
“What are you talking about?! No one but you knows where this place is.” Replied Itzél.
“Someone does! I might even have been tracked here!”
“Really? You outsiders can do that?”
“Yes, technology has advance quite a bit! Now hurry, their almost here!” Clair said pulling out her 9mm handgun. Crouching behind a small stone, Clair watched as some soldiers came out of the tree line; seconds after them came a large cargo truck that stopped just shy of the village. An older man with short gray hair wearing the same uniform stepped out of the passenger side and approached the edge of the village before looking around, still not seeing Clair, he preceded farther into the village.
As the man walked on, Clair noticed Itzél and some of her kin creeping alongside one of the huts nearly in view of the man. Without thinking about it, Clair jump out from where she hid and pointed her gun at the man. “Freeze! Don’t Move” she shouted.
The man turn and looked Clair right in the eyes. “If you’re going to shot me, then you better do it before my men surround you.” He said holding both hands out to his sides.
Clair clenched and continued to point her gun. “What are you doing here? Who are you?”
“For the same reason you are, Clair Rain.” He said again with a slight smile.
“How do you know my name?!”
“Because I told him.” said a voice from behind.
Clair immediately turned around to this new person, but as she did he rushed up, grabbed her hand she held the gun, disarming her before knocking her to the ground. Looking up from ground in a slight daze, Clair thought she saw her old professor, Gerald Wayne moments before the butt of a soldier’s rifle hit her face.
****
Clair awoke several hours later, it was already late afternoon and looking around she realized that she was back at her motel room. Getting up from the bed she noticed Chase sitting in the back corner with his arms crossed and head tilt down. Clair struggled to sit up. “What’s going on?” she said.
“Clair, you’re awake. Thank God. How do you feel”
“I’m fine. How’d I get back here?”
“Brody and I found lying on a bus stop bench just outside of town. What happened and where did you go?”
“Trying to uncover the mystery of Mayan Fountain of Youth. Isn’t that why we’re here?”
“Without me! What if something terrible happened to you”
“I can take care of myself, Chase. Besides it wasn’t my call”
“What’s that suppose to mean?”
“Nothing, just drop it. Where is Brody?”
“He stayed behind at the university to finish up some stuff,” Chase paused. “Come to think of it, he should have been back by now” he continued.
While Chase got on his phone to call and check on Isaac Brody, Clair walked into the bathroom to splash some water on her face while going over all of the events of the day in her mind. How did she get back here? Who was the older man she saw? What became of Itzél and her People? All of these were good questions, but how would she go about answering them.
Knowing the steaks, Clair understood that she couldn’t do this alone. However, she didn’t anyone for whom she could trust right now. “I’ll see if Chase knows anything else.” Clair said to herself.
As Clair walked out of the bathroom her phone began to vibrate from its position on the bed. Picking the phone, Clair saw that someone left her a text message: ‘Come to La Mestiza Park’. The message seemed rather cryptic to the point it made Clair suspicious, especially with recent events. Sitting down with one leg tucked under her, Clair texted back: ‘Who is this?’ she said. Within moments of sending her own text, a reply came in from person on the other end: ‘A friend’.
Thinking that the reply seemed too vague, Clair tried to call the person texting her, but all she got was an Out-of-Service message; almost like the person disabled the connection on their end.
Grabbing her bag, Clair made her way out to meet with whoever this person was answer get some answers to her ever-expanding list of questions. She had nearly made it out the door when Chase grabbed her arm. “Where are you going Clair?” he said.
“Out. There’s something I need to do before tomorrow” replied Clair.
“Not without me you’re not!”
“No, I can handle it myself. You need to wait here for when Brody returns. I won’t be long”
“That’s just it Brody should have been back a while ago,”
“Did you call the museum?”
“Yes, and they said he left four hours ago. Which is why I’m not letting you to go anywhere alone”
Clair sighed, “Fine. If it makes you feel better, you can tag along”
“It does.”
****
By the time Clair and Chase had gotten to La Mestiza Park the sun had nearly dipped below the horizon to the point that the only light came from the lamp posts along the street and in the park itself.
After parking next to the curb, Clair and Chase walked along the dimly lit path until they noticed someone leaning against one of the lamp posts. The person wore what looked like a dark colored hoodie with some kind of graphic on the front. Seeing Clair and Chase approach, the shadowy person stood up before meeting them halfway. “I’m glad you could make it” said the person.
“Yeah, but who are you and what do you want with me?” asked Clair.
“I’m not surprised you don’t recognize me it has been fifteen years after all. It’s me, Alina Rodriguez” she said.
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