Disclaimer: All the characters from the "Magnificent Seven" TV series are property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide.
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Douglas Rainier was hardly a rich man, but he could be.
He sat on the brink of riches beyond his imagining and the anticipation of unraveling the secret of the Piedra de las Epocas consumed his every waking moment. He had spent most of his life being a treasure hunter, chasing myths and legends for the one that would make him rich. Whatever fortune he had been born with had dwindled in the wake of this pursuit and he now stood on the edge of ruin with only the promise of La Piedra de las Epocas to save him from that terrible fate. The Indian who was in original possession of the map before Rainier had killed him for it, truly believed that the piece of history written in Latin was the key to the largest known sapphire in the world. La Piedra de las Epocas had been hidden by cultists for a century after they had acquired the gem from the Conquistadors who brought it to the New World.
According to the map that he had transcribed, Piedra was hidden away in a location known as the Four Corners. He had first assumed it to be the town of Four Corners and had journeyed here for the purpose of uncovering the treasure. Unfortunately, this dusty old town seemed hardly the place for cultists to hide what they had considered to be a religious artifact. The more time Rainer spent here, the more convinced he was that perhaps he had been mistaken about the supposed location of La Piedra. In any case, he was ready to quit this town in the next two days if some new revelation did not present itself to him.
Rainier hated the waiting and Four Corners was hardly a bustling metropolis that allowed the expenditure of time to any full appreciation despite its thriving community. He spent most of his nights at the roulette table, bored to death playing the wheel and indulging in a few hands of poker, if a decent opponent could be found. He had spent most of the night at the local hotel and found his interest to stay longer dwindling when a rather sharp looking young man with a burgundy coat and an ornate waistcoat approached him.
"Mr. Rainier, I am Ezra Standish." He lifted his hat and introduced himself. "Word has it that you are looking for a challenging opponent for a hand of poker."
"Always, Mr. Standish," Rainier remarked, looking over the man who was no doubt a professional gambler and thus likely sincere in his claim that he could provide sport should they attempt to take up the game.
"You are fortunate," Standish smiled. "I have a few hours to kill and I tire playing the locals who tend to associate talent with cheating. I would enjoy playing a seasoned connoisseur simply for the diversion instead of the winning."
"You flatter me, Mr. Standish," Rainier replied, impressed by the man's ability to obscure the issue that the object of poker was always to win, no matter what the provocation. "However, I find the roulette wheel has exhausted my patience. If you would care to join me at a table, I am sure I can accommodate your need for challenging play."
"Why Mr. Rainier," Standish's smile seemed to broaden. "I would like nothing more."
The Fox took a deep breath and stepped into the darkened corridor of the hotel where Rainier's room was supposed to be. If Standish was playing his part, at this moment both men would be engaged in a game of cards, that would hopefully would keep Rainier out of her hair. In her darkened clothes, she was a shadowy figure as she dropped to her knees and examined the lock that needed opening. Compared to what she was accustomed to, this thing felt ancient and the Fox retrieved the small velcro wallet she had attached to the inside of her thigh during the fundraiser and had made the journey with her to the past. Unfolding the attachment, she selected the appropriate tools inside the small case and went to work.
At this hour of the night, no one was about and it was a simple matter for her to take a peek at the register and locate Rainier's room number. Most of the activity in the hotel was focused in the saloon and gambling hall of the establishment and so the Fox could be assured of a certain amount of anonymity as she worked. As expected, it took her a matter of minutes to pick the lock and with a satisfied click and irrefutable proof that she was mistress all she surveyed, she twisted the doorknob and let a triumphant smile steal across her face as she stepped inside the room.
Although there was no light, the Fox was so accustomed to working in the dark that it did not take her long to find the trunk in question. While the shapes inside the room were not clearer than dark silhouettes, the Fox found her quarry quickly and saw that it was one of those old fashioned trunks, new for this time she supposed, that held drawers within it. While the lock securing the trunk was slightly more sophisticated in comparison to the door, as far as she was concerned it was hardly a distinction. She slid the trunk towards the window where the light of the moon offered some illumination and started to work.
She wondered briefly as she started dismantling the mechanism from inside out whether Rainier's ancestor in this time was just as odious as his future counterpart. While she dabbled in illegal activities, she found nothing sloppier than having to kill to accomplish one's ends. People like Rainier, with such a callous disregard for life, worried her and she wondered if stealing the Piedra would end the Rainier threat in the future. It pleased her to know that she would be making herself very rich as well as carrying out a public service by neutralizing the Rainier criminal empire before it was even born by the theft of la Piedra.
The trunk opened just as easily and she was soon rifling through the drawers in search of the map that was the object of this entire exercise. As she went through the content of the trunk, the Fox came to the firm conclusion that Rainier was a bona fide treasure hunter who chased any rainbow that might yield a pot of gold. Amongst his apparel and other personal items, the Fox sighted numerous books on mythological fables and their basis in fact. The Piedra was probably the closet thing he had ever came to acquiring a legitimate find.
The map was worn and not even on paper. When she finally located it, she found it to be little more than a piece of leather, rolled up and held in place by a sliver of animal hide. She rolled it out to ensure that it was what she was searching for and discovered quickly amongst the Latin script and ancient Spanish text that it was the genuine article. Slipping it into the pocket in the folds of her dress, the Fox closed the trunk and put everything in its place.
A professional never left a mess.
Once the room appeared as she had first entered it, the Fox made her departure.
Although Standish appeared to be firmly focused on the cards in his hands, occasionally and with perfect concealment from his opponent, he would allow his gaze to sweep the room to see if his new partner had emerged from the rooms upstairs. While Rainier had fancied himself to be quite the card player, Standish would beg to differ on the man's estimation of his skills. Rainier was mediocre at best and the challenge he offered to Standish was minimal. However, Standish kept the facade that he was enjoying their duel at the table, because he needed to engage Rainier until the lovely Fox had located what they needed to find their fortune.
"So Mr. Standish," Rainier replied as he was in the process of discarding three of his five cards. "What do you do in this town?"
"I own the Standish Tavern," Standish responded. "Occasionally, I play bookkeeper for some friends of mine and I dabble in law enforcement in town."
"A real Renaissance man aren't you?" Rainier said with a raised brow. "Tell me, are you aware of any ancient Indian burial grounds in this area?"
Standish knew why he had asked the question since the Fox had explained to him something of the gem's history prior to its retrieval in this time period. With a completely neutral expression on his face, Standish pretended to consider the question deeply before offering an answer. "I am afraid that the only burial ground in this locality is Boot Hill and hardly in the sphere of what you are probably seeking."
"A pity," Rainier sighed, gaining further confirmation that the town of Four Corners was not the same as that in his map.
Suddenly, the Fox appeared. This time she was wearing the clothes that Julia Pemberton that loaned her and with her hair loose and every curve of her slender body revealed by the tight bodice of her dress, she captured every man's attention as she swept into the gambling hall. She made her way straight towards Rainier and Standish before leaning across the gambler and whispering in his ear as she was making him an offer of tantalizing intimacy.
Standish felt baser instincts ignited as he felt her soft breath tickling his ear and for a moment, he struggled to remember she was not his Julia, even though she looked it. "Darling," she whispered with a smile oozing seduction as she let her emerald gaze sweep over him and Rainier. "You have been neglecting me."
"Mr. Rainier," Standish cleared his throat and tried to hide the tinge of red in his ears. "This is my fiancée, Miss Julia Pemberton," he said introducing her.
Rainier rose to his feet and took her hand in his before holding the delicate knuckle to his lips in a kiss of continental greeting. "My pleasure madam. I must say Mr. Standish, you are a most fortunate man."
"Yes I am," Standish replied with a dimpled smile that incited the Fox to run her lips up his neck and over his jaw line in a display that was surely scandalous for the day but would convince Rainier that Standish had a very good reason for leaving.
"You will understand why I will have to cut short our game," Standish said trying to sound level while ignoring the brief feel of her tongue against his skin that was firing his arousal beyond belief. "I concede defeat under the circumstances."
"Under the circumstances," Rainier said, understanding perfectly well why the man would want to be alone with this glorious creature. "You would be a fool if you did not. Until another time."
"Thank you," Standish stood up with the Fox still draped seductively over his shoulder. As they left the room, the gambler became the envy of every man in the room as they could only imagine what delights he would be soon enduring under the ministrations of the heavenly creature at his arm.
Standish and the Fox made a hasty departure once they stepped out of Rainier's view, with the lady pulling away and dropping the facade of seduction that had almost had Standish in her power. Instead, she returned to her professional manner prior to their separation in order to play their respective parts tonight.
"I got it," she said coolly, all business now that they were away from everyone's view.
"I commend you on your efficiency." Standish cleared his throat once again, trying to get a handle on the heated feelings she had inspired. His skin blistered with arousal and suddenly he wanted to return to the ranch where Julia was and satisfy the urges her mysterious double had inspired within him. "Not to mention your performance."
The Fox tried to stifle the smile that threatened to steal across her face at the sight of his discomfiture, aware that she had garnered more of a response than she should have by what she had done. "I am the best." She reached into her dress as they made their way out of the hotel and produced the map briefly. "See?" She offered him a smile.
"All is forgiven," Standish took it from her and started to unravel the leather binding around it when she stopped him.
"Not here," she replied. "Let's wait until we're out of town."
It was a wise move Standish decided and handed the map back to her. They had opted to take the rear entrance out of the hotel where the horses were tethered and waiting. At the moment, their plan had not progressed much beyond the recovery of the map and Standish guessed that once they were out of town, they would have to formulate the next part of their strategy.
Reaching the back entrance, Standish stepped out into the night air with the Fox following close by when suddenly a familiar voice drawled a greeting beside him.
"Going somewhere, Ezra?" Larabee glared at him, while puffing on a cheroot leaning against the wall, obviously waiting for them.
Damn! Standish swore under his breath but his reaction was pale in comparison to the Fox who tried to escape by swinging around the way she came when a hand grabbed her shoulder from the shadows. It was followed by the audible click of a gun in her ear. She turned slowly to her captor and saw the twentieth century version of Vin Tanner emerging from the darkness.
"I wouldn't," Vin said icily. "Woman or not, I'll shoot you."
"Mr. Larabee," Standish recovered quickly and started to say. "I assure you, I have a very good explanation for this."
"Really?" Larabee looked at him with a smile, arms folded as if he were regarding his stepson Billy after the kid had done something wrong and Mary had conveniently disappeared to leave him with the disciplining. Ezra would never do anything to jeopardize their lives. Larabee knew that but his taste for money robbed him of any sensible thought at times. While Larabee was angry that he had taken off for such a self-serving purpose in light of their present situation, that anger did not extend to the friendship he had for this likable gambler or his place in the fellowship. Still, Standish was going to suffer a little bit by the time Larabee was done with him.
"I'd like to hear it when we get back to the ranch." With that, the gunslinger started to walk away with the full expectation that everyone present would not be far behind.
Standish let out a sigh as he saw the Fox being led away by Mr. Tanner's future self. Nathan and Josiah were shaking their heads in disapproval with JD offering him a look of sympathy as the youth followed the others. Standish kicked a stone under his foot and lagged behind before following them begrudgingly, not relishing the music when it came time for him to hear it.
"Don't worry, Ezra," Wilmington said gently as he draped his arm around the gambler's shoulder and grinned wickedly. "It'll only hurt a bit."
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"Mr. Larabee... "
"Yes, Ezra?"
Standish sighed. He knew Larabee wouldn't make things easy. "Please accept my most sincere apologies... ."
Larabee reined his black to a stop and glared at the Southerner. "For what, Ezra? For taking off in the middle of the night after a treasure map? For endangering the lives of everyone on the ranch? For putting yourself in danger?"
Seeing the hardening of Larabee's jaw after the last question, Standish fell silent as he realized that Chris was much more upset because Ezra had endangered himself than he was about the stolen map. "I'm sorry, Chris."
Even by the light of the dim moon, Standish could see the hard stare and then the forgiveness in the green eyes. Whatever Larabee was about to say was cut off as Vin and Wilmington's shouts filled the air. Both men turned in their saddles to see the Fox riding hellbent for leather. Larabee and Standish quickly spurred their horses giving chase.
Standish reached her first, diving for her. They tumbled to the hard ground, Standish twisting to cushion her fall. He lay on his back, fully expecting her to be winded from her fall. How wrong he was. The Fox was up and running before the gambler could blink. Standish reached out and grabbed her left ankle, not prepared for the fist that struck him in the face.
"Why is it always you that keeps coming after me? In any century? I don't like hurting you!" Julia exclaimed in exasperation before taking off again. The Fox ran for her life, trying to elude the hellhounds but they would not be deterred.
Larabee watched as the future Vin Tanner dove from his horse taking down the running woman with ease. He had thought that the Fox had gotten in one lucky punch to Standish but he was wrong. The gunslinger watched in horrified awe as Vin took on the thief hand-to-hand.
Six men watched as Vin exchanged punches and kicks with the Fox. Vin swept her legs out from under her, but the Fox quickly flipped back onto her feet. The long dress and tight corset did not hamper her one bit. The peacekeepers had never seen fighting like this before. Sure they punched and kicked people in fights before, but nothing like this. Watching the two combatants was like watching a carefully designed dance done by two well-trained professionals.
They could tell that Vin had the skill, but the Fox fought for her freedom and this evened the fighting arena. But Julia was not use to going for long periods of time with a fighter of equal skill. Her usual opponents consisted of museum rent-a-cops that were quickly and easily subdued. Vin, on the other hand, learned how to fight in the military, going up against men twice his size and skill in five-minute sparring matches. He was patient, knowing that her energy would soon be spent.
He was right.
Another minute of frantic fighting and the Fox cried defeat.
"Mr. Larabee, I insist you tell me what my punishment will be. This suspense is not good for my nerves." Standish asked as Jackson examined the eye that the Fox had punched. A few feet away, Vin and Wilmington were tying the Fox's hands to the saddle horn, making sure that the slippery thief could not make another escape attempt.
Larabee hunkered down next to the Southerner and gazed at him with thoughtful eyes. His silence continued for so long that Standish began to fidget under the intense green scrutiny.
Standish flinched when Larabee grabbed his chin but stopped quaking in fear when he felt the gentle touch of the callused hand. Larabee cautiously moved Standish's face from side to side, examining the Fox's handiwork. Chris had been right, she was good.
"Ezra, I think you've gotten your punishment."
Standish started at how easy he was getting off for once again leaving Larabee and the others for treasure. But relief evaporated and his eyes widened at the feral smile on Larabee's lips.
"Think about it, Ez. Weeks of Buck, JD, and Vin teasing you about having your ass kicked by a girl."
"So do we go after this time's Piedra?" Nathan asked as he studied the leather map.
"Why should we? We already have one Piedra, ain't that enough?" Tanner frowned at the rock sitting center stage on the table.
"Yeah, one got y'all here. Won't one get y'all back?" Wilmington moved to look at the map over Standish's shoulder.
"Well, if Rainer gets this time's Piedra then he and his family will cause the deaths of a lot of innocent people," Josiah pointed out.
"Yeah, but without the map and clues he can't find them," Dunne countered.
"Rest assured that Rainer has these clues and this map imprinted in his memory," Standish said as he too studied the treasure map.
"Men that obsessed with treasure usually memorize the clues and he may even have a second copy of the map," Julia said matter-of-factly, remembering how her father had compulsively made handwritten copies of all his business documents.
"There's another thing." Chris glanced at his counterpart before continuing. "Last night, I tried wishing us back home again. Nothing happened except that the Piedra phased in and out. One moment it was there, then it wasn't, then it was back again."
Mary Travis glared at the ATF leader. "Trying to leave without the rest of us?"
Chris glared right back, offended by the suggestion. "Lady, I'd leave your sweet little ass here any day, but I'd be damned if I'd leave my family behind."
At the word 'family', Mary's eyes suddenly swelled with tears. Chris watched as her eyes were drawn to the towheaded little boy in Mary Larabee's arms. "Aww hell." Chris remembered that she, too, had a son. A son waiting for her in the future. Without thought, Chris grabbed Mary, wrapping his arms around her slightly trembling form. "I'm sorry, angel."
"Chris, I want to go home. To my Billy." Mary buried her face into the crook of Chris's neck, taking the comfort his warm body offered. The man infuriated her to the point of murder, but his strength was something Mary knew she could count on. And his touch comforted her in a way Mary was not yet ready to analyze.
Chris nodded as he tightened his arms around her slender form and quietly vowed. "I'll get you home, angel. Don't worry."
"Looks like we're going on a treasure hunt," Sanchez said was a smile.
JD grinned. "Cool, 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' time!"
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"Where the two great chiefs kiss the Lady Sun, where the three rivers... ," Vin paused, squinting at the first clue. "Where the three rivers cut the land, the medicine man awaits." Since the two black clad leaders had decided to go after this time's Piedra, everyone had settled down to decipher the clues written on the leather map. Agent Tanner was fluent in Spanish and was elected to decipher that part of the map. He had a bit of difficulty translating the ancient Spanish, but since most of the root words were the same as the modern day language, Vin was relatively sure he was translating it correctly. He looked over to Casey, the only other person fluent in written Spanish, for confirmation.
She nodded her dark head. "That's what it looks like to me."
"If the first clue is about chiefs and rivers why the hell is Rainer here?" Wilmington asked. "The only chief around here is Chano's pa and there ain't more than one river around here for miles."
"That might have to do with the last clue. I think it says 'In the Four Corners, in the beautiful city, the medicine man awaits and the Rock of the Ages lives'." Casey pointed to the last clue on the leather map. Vin nodded his head at her translation.
"Well, that explains why he's here in Four Corners," Jackson said with a thoughtful glance towards town. "But it looks like the Piedra isn't here."
"I bet he just skipped all those other clues and went straight for the last one," Dunne reasoned out as he took a turn looking at the map.
"But look. These last clues are missing a part. See?" JD stood by his Western twin and pointed at the second, third, and fourth clues. "The first clue starts with that ornate lettering but the others don't."
"Maybe the people who hid the stone hid the other parts of these clues as well." Mary Larabee's voice rang out from the stove where she was busy making coffee. With everyone fired up about the impending treasure hunt, she was sure they would be needing it.
"What do you mean?" Chris asked as he easily took the heavy coffeepot from the pregnant woman. Mary smiled a thank you at him before turning back to the stove.
Larabee watched as his futuristic counterpart grabbed the pot from his wife and the smile that she sent in his direction. Larabee couldn't squelch the twinge of jealousy. Mary was his wife, damnit! Chris could have the other Mary—this one was his. He stood, grabbing the coffee and glaring at the mirror image.
Chris grinned, knowing exactly what that glare meant. Larabee didn't like anyone near his woman and Chris knew it, after all they were the same person. But the same mean streak ran through both men and Chris couldn't help but nettle his gun-slinging counterpart. So he made a show of running his eyes appreciatively over Mrs. Larabee. Larabee growled low in his throat and Chris grinned even wider.
"Well, what if the Spanish monks who hid the gem wanted to make sure that no one would find it. They could have written these clues then spilt them in half. We have all of the first one, which would lead us to this medicine man, whom I think has the first part of the second clue." Mary didn't even turn around from the stove as she threw the explanation over her shoulder, oblivious to the two alpha wolves squaring off behind her. But her voice did break through the testosterone long enough to bring them back to the matter at hand. Larabee sent Chris one last glare before placing himself between his wife and the other Chris. Chris, for his part, just kept grinning and moved closer to his Mary.
"And the second clue leads to the first part of the third clue, and so on." The Fox smiled. In any century, Mary was a sharp cookie.
"But why bother? The last clue is complete. And he had the map," Jackson wondered out loud.
"Perhaps, but it would seem that this map does not show a path through the countryside," Ezra stated as he closely studied the animal-hide. "Feel free to correct me, but these lines appear to be walls, not land formations."
Inez Rosillos stood next to the ATF agent, carefully moving the lantern closer to the map. "Si, the lines are not recto, straight, but they do look like walls."
"It's the map through a maze!" Josiah declared excitedly from the other side of the table. "See, Chris? If you look at it right, it looks like a maze in the New York Times. We follow the maze to its center. There's an X there. I'm willing to bet Ezra a week's wages that's where the Piedrais."
Before Ezra could take that bet, another voice interrupted.
"So you must follow the clues to find the place where La Piedra is kept, then the map will be useful," Inez quietly added as she cuddled Elena Rose closer to her chest. Her little chica had, thankfully, slept through most of the night.
"Yeah, but what's all this?" Tanner pointed to the other group of words.
"I'm not sure," Vin said. "It kinda looks like Spanish, but not really."
"Like Spanish?" Julia Pemberton's ears perked up as she spoke for the first time. "May I?"
Vin moved aside to let the much smaller woman see the map. He couldn't get over how different Julia was from the Fox. While everyone was nearly identical in behavior, Julia and Ezra were the exceptions. The Julia standing before him was a demure, respected businesswoman. The Julia from his time was a thief for christsakes! And the Ezra here... Vin grinned. If the Ezra from this time lived in the future, Chris would have shot him years ago.
"It's Latin," Julia said with a smile. "I can read Latin... well, at least I use to know how to read Latin."
"Really, my dear? I had no idea." Standish was truly surprised. Julia never struck him as one who would be interested in a classical education.
"Hmmm, daddy believed that I should have been educated like the fine ladies of the English nobility. Though my tutor neglected to tell father that only the males learned Latin," she said absently as she continued to study the Latin inscription. "True of body shall survive the hellhounds, but true of... I can't make out the rest. I fear that those Latin lessons were many years in the past." Julia sighed in defeat. It had been years since her last Latin tutor had drilled the declensions and the conjugations into her incredibly bored mind.
"True of body shall survive the hellhounds, but true of mind must guide," Mary Travis finished over Julia's shoulder. Surprised eyes made Mary smile. "St. Anne's all girls' high school. Four years of Latin with Sister Mark and I can read Virgil like my son reads comic books."
"It sounds like a test. As if the Latin phrases are hints to passing a test," Sanchez contemplated out loud.
"Like a cheat sheet?" JD piped up.
"Yes," Josiah said as he thought about what the answer might be. "The monks who made this map might have set up tests for those looking for La Piedra and you have to get through the tests before you can get the next clue."
"Before we start worrying about some kind of test, let's try solving the first clue." Larabee tapped the first set of directions on the hide. "Any guesses?"
"I got one." All eyes turned to Tanner as he sat contemplating the first riddle. "The Comanche have this legend about two great chiefs who were brothers. When they died, their peoples buried them at the tops of two mountains." Tanner turned bright blues eyes to Larabee with a slight grin. "There's three rivers in the valley of those two mountains.
"Well, hot damn, Junior! That's the answer!" Buck exclaimed and was on the receiving end of a strange look from Tanner.
"Uh, Buck, I think you got the wrong Vin," JD pointed out quietly. Ever since Vin has joined the ATF team, Buck called the sharpshooter by the nickname but no one in this time knew that.
Buck rubbed his hands together. "Whatever. So when do we start?" Buck was truly excited about this treasure hunt. They never got to do stuff like this back home.
"First thing in the morning," Chris said and received a positive nod from Larabee.
"You boys sure you can handle things?" Larabee looked at Wilmington, Jackson, and Sanchez. The three men had volunteered to stay behind and watch over Four Corners. Buck hadn't wanted to leave either Inez or Elena Rose, but Larabee did not want Wilmington to shoulder the burden of guardianship alone. Jackson and Sanchez had voluntarily agreed to stay as well.
"Chris? How old are we?" Wilmington asked the question with a perfectly straight face. "'Cause I'm thinking we're old enough to handle lots of things by ourselves. Without you holding our hands."
"Ha. Ha. Very funny, Buck." Larabee could hear the others snickering but he didn't care. He was leaving his family to go on some treasure hunt and he wanted to make sure everything and every one would be all right once he got back.
"Don't worry, Chris, I'll make sure they don't blow up anything while you're gone." Mary patted her husband's arm. She watched as Alexandra and Julia Catherine adjusted the britches they were wearing. The women had decided that for the duration of this treasure hunt, propriety would be damned. Comfort and efficiency were utmost in the minds of the futuristic women and the western women had followed suit.
"Just take care of yourself and the little one, all right?" Larabee pulled Mary into a gentle hug and kiss while one hand gently caressed her womb.
"Chris? Can't I go with you?"
Larabee looked down into the pleading face of his young stepson. He hunkered down and pulled Billy into a tight hug. He smiled in satisfaction as Billy looped his arms around him and buried his small face into the crook of his neck. "I need you to stay home and watch over your Ma. Can you do that for me, Billy?"
Billy nodded, but his face was still crestfallen.
Larabee gave Billy one last squeeze before straightening to survey the others. "Ready?"
"Well, everyone's got a horse, not sure if everyone can ride it though," Tanner quietly observed. At Larabee's questioning glance, the sharpshooter threw a look at the future's Inez Rosillos. Inez stood by a bay mare with an uneasy look.
"Senor Larabee, I am afraid I have never ridden a horse before," Inez Solona admitted as she turned to meet the questioning green gaze.
"Well, now, darlin', why didn't you just say so? I'd be happy to give you riding lessons." Buck sidled his horse next to the Latino woman and the suggestive smile on his handsome face hinted that the "riding lessons" would pertain to more than just a horse.
"Take a cold shower, Buck," Josiah said with disgust as he pushed his way to Inez's side. The large man easily boosted her up into the saddle then swung up behind her. With one hand, he gathered the reins of her horse, while the other looped the reins of his horse around the saddle horn. "I'll ride with you until you get the hang of it."
Inez's nod was grateful. She really had to wonder why her past self could marry such a loud, womanizing gringo. She threw Buck one last scalding look before turning her attention to Josiah's instructions.
"Anyone else?" Chris stared pointedly at Mary Travis.
The reporter saw his pointed gaze and returned it with a glare. "Mr. Larabee, be assured that I will not be the one slowing us down." She grabbed the reins and gracefully swung into the saddle. Mary stared straight at Chris. "After all, the one thing you learn in an all girl school is that there is nothing quite like a magnificent beast between your legs."
With that parting shot Mary was off like a rocket, leaving both Chris Larabees and a few others, with gaping mouths.
"Damn, you're one lucky bastard, you know that Larabee?" Chris whispered to his past self.
"Hell, yeah." Larabee's grin was smug and completely male. It was the same one that Mary Travis has slapped off of Chris Larabee's face at the charity event.
"How the hell are we suppose to get past that?" JD's horrified voice broke through the riders' awe. The morning had passed quickly as Tanner lead his party through the wilderness to the valley of the two chiefs. Conversations were loud, boisterous, and enlightening. The two parties learned from one another and saw themselves as they really were. It was unnerving to say the least. Now here they were at the valley entrance, an entrance blocked. Before them stood a big ass, solid wall of smooth granite. Running in front of the wall was a small creek, but thank God for small favors, no "hellhounds" were in sight.
"Do we have to go over it? Can't we go around it?" Alexandra surveyed the granite wall that rose over the tops of the evergreen trees.
"It's the only way into the valley. Unless y'all want to go through the mountains, but that's suicide." Tanner collapsed his spyglass. There were no dangers that he could see.
"We'll take a closer look." Larabee dismounted his black, resolutely moving towards the stream. He had only stepped into the creek when he registered two things: a red blur flying through the air and Tanner's horrified warning. The red blur shifted into the form of a giant wolf, its spiked teeth aiming for his throat. Larabee threw up his arm, jamming it into the wolf's throat, desperately shielding his own vulnerable throat from the sharp incisors. Shots filled the air as Tanner, Chris, and Wilmington sent bullet after bullet into the monster's massive body. The monster never even flinched. Two pairs of large hands grabbed handfuls of the matted fur and frantically pulled at the still attacking canine.
"Josiah! Look out!" Two young male voices rang out and more guns cleared leather as another wave of red surged out of the mists.
Casey watched in horror as more sanguine wolves flooded the clearing. She watched as JD and the other men frantically shoot one down only to have two more take its place. She turned to see Mary grab the rifle out of Tanner's saddle holster and began picking off the red demons. The other women grabbed the horses pulling them away from the danger. Casey would never know what compelled her to do it, but she dismounted and calmly walked to towards the scarlet devil still lunging for Larabee's throat.
"Casey! Get away from it!" Standish's voice didn't penetrate the young woman's trance-like state. Something held her in its power, forcing her to touch the wolf's muzzle.
Everyone watched in awe and trepidation as the attacking wolves retreated and the massive body of the alpha wolf pulled itself away from Larabee, now obedient but still dangerous.
"What the hell?" Chris watched as little Casey Wells knelt in the midst of the red hellhounds, gently petting them like they were puppies.
"True of body shall survive the hellhounds," Alex whispered as she remembered the translated Latin text. "Casey's a virgin, isn't she?"
JD turned his eyes from the incredible sight to send the doctor a questioning look, not understanding why she was asking. He mutely nodded. If the situation had not been so bizarre, he would have been embarrassed.
"Off you go!" Casey made shooing motions with her hands and the dogs happily scampered off. She turned to see many unbelieving stares and grinned. "So what's next?"
"Damn it! Nathan, Alex, Alexandra! They're just scratches! Don't need all three of you rubbing my skin off," Larabee snarled at the three healers that had converged on him once the danger had passed.
Both of the sharpshooters chuckled at his growls and exchanged telling looks before turning back to the granite wall they had been examining.
"It's completely smooth." Vin rubbed his hand along the surface with a frown.
"It's too tall to climb over." Tanner agreed as he tilted his head back, judging the height to be at least fifty feet.
"We could try to chisel handholds in it," the Fox suggested. As the cat burglar of the group, she felt that she would be the best woman for the job of scaling the wall.
"What for?" Dunne looked at all of them with a confused look. "There are already notches in the rock."
"What?" Chris turned to pin the young sheriff with a penetrating look.
"I... I... there's a foot hold... right here... ," Dunne stammered when hit with that look. He quickly grabbed Chris's hand before he lost his nerve and physically showed the ATF leader where the handhold was. Chris's eyes widened when his hand disappeared into the thought-to-be solid rock. But, sure enough, there was a three-inch hole in the granite.
"But why can't we see it?" Inez asked as she continued to feel along the wall trying in vain to find more handholds.
"True of mind. That's the second part of the first clue," Mary said as she studied the young sheriff. "If Casey was 'true of body' because she's a virgin, then maybe JD can see the hand grips because he's 'true of mind'?"
"But what does that mean? 'True of mind'?" Jackson wondered out loud.
"Does it matter?" Buck's voice echoed off the granite walls. "Let's get going!"
"Vin, start climbing. JD, you tell him where the handholds are," Chris ordered as he continued to survey the wall.
"Wait a minute, why don't I just go?" Dunne flashed an impatient glare at Chris.
"'Cause Vin climbs mountains for fun," JD answered with a grin at his counterpart.
"Oh." Dunne shrugged. These future people really did have strange notions of fun.
Vin's ascent was easy and once to the top he quickly tied off the rope. Tanner caught the rope as Vin dropped it over the wall. One by one, they scaled the wall. Reaching the top of the wall, their breaths were stolen at the beautiful site before them. A lush green valley stretched out below them. The air was alive with the sounds of animal life and just as Tanner had promised three rivers cut through the land and intersected at one point.
Dunne ran down the grassy hill, stopping a short distance away and turning back to his friends. "Hey, what are we waiting for? Let's go find some treasure!"
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"I don't get it," JD Dunne mused at they began their descent into the valley in order to reach the convergence point of the three rivers where a medicine man was supposedly waiting to give them their next clue.
"What?" Buck glanced at his youthful companion while admiring the beauty of the landscape surrounding them. It was truly spectacular, with emerald colored trees and soft lusty grass underfoot that just made him want to lie down and enjoy the glorious sunshine on his face. It saddened him to know that in the 20th century, places like this would be fighting for its existence in the burgeoning reality of urbanization that was the legacy of the human race on the planet.
"How come he could see it and I couldn't?" JD replied, glancing at Dunne who was walking alongside Casey, a little too close for his liking. But could not blame his western twin since in every respect, Casey was the duplicate copy of his own in this time.
"Well, that's easy," Buck said with a smile. "You've seen things with the ATF that would turn the stomachs of most people in any time. You've come through it okay, but it changes people and how they look at the world. When you first joined up, you saw things new and clearly but all the crap that's happen since then makes your perspective a little jaded and perhaps even cynical. It ain't your fault. It's just the way things are." Buck glanced at Dunne, who still had the youthful naivete about him that had made the rest of Team 7 take to JD the way they had when he was first assigned to them.
JD seemed satisfied with that answer and even felt a little better knowing that his peers did not consider him a wet nose kid any more. While he still held some of the youthful enthusiasm he had when he first joined the team, he could not deny that experience had changed him. He was glad that his counterpart was still in possession of his positive outlook and envied him a little. Any further thought was driven from his mind when they reached the foothills and saw the river where, supposedly, the medicine man was awaiting them. Although no sign of any wizened healer was evident, none of their party could fault the vista they were afforded by the awesome spectacle of the rivers converging.
"I'd love to do some whitewater rafting in this place," Vin remarked, admiring the frothing foam churning before him and reminding himself if they ever got out of this crazy situation they now found themselves in, he was going on vacation.
"You're insane." Alex looked at him, whose own idea of vacation had to do with some place with balmy breezes, palm trees and nicely tanned lifeguards with tight... .schedules.
"Come on, Alex," he gave her a look and then grinned at her. "You gotta try it once in your life
"Once is right," she retorted and quickly spoke up in order to change the subject. "So what now?"
"Well, let's have a look at the map and see," Mary replied, familiar with the tact herself and deciding that the doctor needed rescuing before she glanced at Larabee who was reaching into his black duster to retrieve the map within the folds of the dark coat. She wondered how on earth he could stand that thing in this heat, even though he looked perfectly at ease and not effected by the warm climate. In Larabee's clothes, Chris looked uncomfortable, although Mary was forced to admit he did look imposing and definitely doable. She was still lingering on that salacious bit of fantasizing when suddenly, Chris' voice snapped into her thoughts.
"Hey, you with us here?" he asked.
"What?" she barked and then realized that Larabee had been waiting for her to take the map of him since she was better at reading Latin then Julia. "Oh," she mused and shook the distraction out of her head as she took the scroll of hide from the gunslinger.
"Where were you?" Chris asked, wondering at the look of faraway pleasure in her eyes a moment ago.
Mary was about to respond when she remembered what she had been thinking and blushed involuntarily before retorting sharply. "Mind your own business," she quipped and walked away from him, leaving Chris behind to shake his head at what he had done this time.
Larabee rolled his eyes and whispered to himself as Chris went after the lady cursing. "Christ, this is so familiar."
Chris and Mary not withstanding, Larabee decided that since they needed to make another study of the map anyway, it was probably wise to take a moment to catch their breaths, since they had no idea what this crazy adventure was going to throw at them next. Somehow he had a feeling that scaling great heights and wild hounds were only the beginning. It surprised Larabee somewhat to see the ladies from the future having no trouble planting themselves on the grass, while their western contemporaries were looking for places to sit. In some ways, he liked the lack of fuss being displayed by the women of the future and decided that his 20th century version ought to be grateful he did not have to put up with what he had to. While he loved his Mary, Larabee had to admit he could do without having to worry about her every two seconds for fear she could not protect herself. After seeing what the Fox was capable of, Larabee would never again question the frailty of women.
In the meantime, Mary was leaning over the map, studying the clues, and trying to decipher what their next step would be. The first clue had lead them to the valley of the three rivers and they had successfully accomplished that with enough proof that the tiny little warnings in the map were not symbolic but literal. Now they had to find the rest of their clues from the medicine man who waited at the junction where the three rivers met.
"Julia, what do you see?" Mary asked, as the emporium owner who looked exactly like her best friend, sat next to her and studied that particular clue as well. "I read it as 'the medicine man awaits for another in scrying pool'.
"What the hell does that mean?" Buck quipped, asking no one in particular even though the sentiment was shared by most of the group.
"Well, I'm sure that's what it says too," Julia agreed, confirming what Mary had transcribed since she was reading the same thing.
"Another?" The Fox mused, warming to this idea of being involved in a group effort to retrieve La Piedra de Epocas. However, she was realistic that the novelty of the experience would wane the minute they got their hands on the Piedra because she was determined to abscond with the precious gem and get herself home. Still, she would cross that bridge when she got to it. For the moment, they still had to find the damn thing. "Another what?"
"That is the 64 thousand dollar question my dear," the ATF agent remarked coolly, still a little stung that she had taken off with his old west duplicate to get into more mischief. How could he hope to have any relationship with this woman if she kept breaking the rules? While he was incensed by her behaviour, it was not entirely unexpected from Standish. Standish was everything Ezra would have been if he had not the opportunities of the 20th century and could not deny that there was something attractive about being a professional gambler in search of the quick dollar in the Old West.
No one could answer that question and Ezra let his gaze sweep across the faces before him, who appeared just as blank. Nathan and Alexandra were attempting to check the slight wounds Mr. Larabee had suffered when the wolves had come after him and the gunslinger looked as if he was ready to shoot them both from sheer irritation. While Alexandra remained where she was at Tanner's side, she did however look on in interest, despite the fact that Mr. Larabee already had two physicians in attendance. Ezra let a small smile cross his lips at the trio of healers and took great amusement in Mr. Larabee's discomfiture.
Healers, doctors, shamans and medicine men. They were all the same... .
"I think I have an answer!" He cried out excitedly before the discovery could even set in his mind long enough to become a conscious thought. "Another medicine man or another healer!"
"That makes sense." Tanner agreed. "Medicine men don't like giving out their secrets, unless it's to another medicine man." He announced, aware from experience that the medicine men guarded their secrets because most of the time, they tended to believe that the rest of the tribe was not ready to take on the responsibility of such knowledge. To become a medicine man took years of training and discipline, so it would not be unreasonable to assume that one would only entrust something as volatile as the Piedra to another one of his kind who had the same understanding.
"So it's up to you, Nate." Chris looked in the direction of the healer, who was somewhat uncomfortable about the weight of responsibility being shifted towards him. "Since they're after a medicine man and you're the closest thing we've got to that."
"Hey!" Alex exclaimed. "What am I, chopped liver?"
"I think Mr. Larabee was referring to Nathan because of gender." Standish spoke up in his leader's defense. "Medicine man?"
Alex frowned begrudgingly and conceded the point. "We'll discuss sexism and symbolism at another time."
"Get used to it," Alexandra found herself sympathetic to the feelings of her mirror image, having put up with the same sexist nonsense for most of her life and to an even greater degree. "It's just the way things are."
"Way things are my ass," Mary looked up from the map long enough to say. "It's a stupid set of values created by insecure men with small penises to feel just a little better about themselves."
"Oh great, here we go... " Chris snorted and shook his head. "The woman's lib speech."
"Senor Larabee," Inez made herself heard at that point. "Considering your knuckle walking attitude got us into this mess in the first place, you are the last person in the world... no, not the world, the universe, to start making fun about women's lib!"
"We should help him," Josiah whispered to the other men in the group as poor Chris was again set upon by three of the women from his time about the sexist attitude that brought them here.
"Yeah, we should," Tanner said, looking at Chris sympathetically as the team leader shook his head and buried his face in his hands, wondering what he had done to deserve this.
"But we ain't gonna." Buck grinned. "At least not yet."
Larabee however, was not so inclined at allowing his twin to suffer and immediately spoke up in a loud voice which was quite an effort considering that at least three women were yammering away at the poor bastard. "All right that's enough!" He barked and silenced them all immediately. "I think we're getting off the point here."
"No kidding." The Fox remarked, not caring enough about sexism in any shape or form to indulge in the verbal rendering of Chris Larabee, since she had often used her gender to get by and felt it somewhat hypocritical if she climbed on top of a soapbox to speak against it. "Can we leave sisterhood until later, Mary?" The Fox looked at her old friend.
Mary threw the Fox a glare and remarked. "You're just crabby because you got caught." Mary teased good-naturedly and received an annoyed smirk from the woman.
"Very funny," the Fox retorted. "Let's just get back to the map huh?" She bristled, unable to deny that each time she thought about her capture, it just inspired her to give Ezra a scathing glare because he had been the instrument of her capture.
"Why not?" Mary glanced at Chris and gave him a little teasing smile. "I've had my fun."
Chris growled under his breath and wondered if becoming gay was such a bad thing if he never had to deal with another woman ever again.
"We figured out the part of the medicine man and another." Julia replied, reminding them of where they had been before wandering off to begin the battle of the sexes. In the meantime, Alexandra and Inez started breaking out the food supplies so that they could get a quick bite to eat while they worked out this latest part of the puzzle. It was to the surprise of the old west seven when they saw JD and Josiah giving aid to the women as the two ATF agents performed was clearly 'women's work in their opinion. However, no one made comment, lest they rekindle the debate that had almost seen Chris eaten alive a short time ago.
"Scrying pool." Dunne remarked. "What's a scrying pool?"
"I know this!" Casey stuck her hand up like she was in class, eager to be able to contribute something. "I learned about it in class. It deals with sorcery, actually."
"What exactly are you studying at college?" Standish looked at her since the young woman seemed to be a veritable fountain of bizarre information.
"Architecture." Casey said innocently, further stupifying the gambler with her answer as he tried to discern what classes in sorcery had to do with the discipline of architectural design.
"Go on," Chris prompted, not wishing to get side tracked again. "What does it mean?"
Casey concentrated as she tried to recall what she had learned on the subject during her medieval literature classes. "If I'm not mistaken, witches and sorceress could see into other places by using what was called a scrying pool. Basically it can be anything from a pool or a basin of water, just as long as there is enough to create a reflection. They used it to communicate with others who know the craft or they use it to see into other places."
"So we got to find this scrying pool or create one." Larabee declared, wondering if things could get any stranger.
"Not necessarily," Casey spoke up. "The map could be talking about a river." Her eyes glanced at the churning foam where the three rivers converged. "Scrying pools require some form of energy. It may come from the stone or it may come from nature itself."
"That's enough natural energy going through that river to do the trick." Vin agreed with Casey's deduction even though he knew nothing about scrying pools or magic, but it did seem logical. For a man who loved pitting himself against the wilderness to survive its worst, he knew just how much awesome power Mother Nature wielded.
"We can't expect Nathan to go in there!" Tanner exclaimed. "He'll drown before he gets his knees wet! That river is dangerous. It's the emptying point of three major rivers, you know how much force is in there?"
"Yeah, but when those wolves attacked Chris, they left Casey alone." JD sang out as he and Josiah sat down on the grass once their assistance was no longer required by the ladies as the tasty food prepared by Mrs. Wilmington and Larabee respectively, was served to the rest of the troop.
"He's right," Nathan agreed. "She just went right up to them and patted them like they were big puppy dogs. I think the clue shows which one of us can make it through. Like JD said, a cheat sheet."
"This cheat sheet sounds like a most intriguing device." Standish drawled, liking the idea that the riddles of the future were solved with the convenience of a list that had all the answers.
"You would think that." Larabee rolled his eyes, unsurprised by anything Standish had to say considering what lengths the man had gone to acquiring the map, even collaborating with a dangerous criminal.
"I am what I am." Standish grinned.
"Yeah, someone who let himself get beaten up by a girl." Tanner grinned.
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After taking the break and deciding on a definitive course of action, the group was on the move again. Both Larabee and Chris were starting to become concerned over just how far this trip would take them because they could not hope to make the journey on foot, not to mention that at some point soon, Rainer would become aware that his map was missing. Whether or not he might suspect the Fox and Standish of stealing his map was another matter but that would not hinder him from following the clues left in his eidetic memory and leading him to this point. As they neared the juncture where the three rivers converged, the treasure hunters could see just how powerful the currents were beneath the frothing water and could hardly imagine how Nathan was expected to traverse it without drowning.
The collision of so much water had deepened the pool in which it emptied and as sharpshooter and tracker studied the terrain, both were at a loss to figure out how Nathan was meant to gain the secrets of the medicine man in that violent pool. The impact of water against water had created a loud roar and sprayed a fine mist in all directions, which could be felt even though they were standing nowhere near the edge. The pool bubbled against a sheer rock face and the years of erosion had worn through, allowing the water to spill into the mountain where no doubt it would run deep into the earth to parts unknown.
From a distance, a fissure was well hidden by the tumbling waters of the pool. Creeping plants covered its smooth, stone surface and had metamorphosed into hanging vines that obscured the plunging darkness in a canopy of green. Through the roar of the river, they could hear the echo of water falling a distance as it continued its journey through the opening of rock. A small ledge meandered along the mountainside and followed the river into the fissure. It was narrow enough for one person to traverse safely and a troop to proceed in single file if they were very careful.
"Please don't say we have to go in there," Alex remarked, as she saw the darkness peering through the vines.
"Caving is lots of fun," Vin insisted. "You got to try it once!"
"Will you knock it off with that? What are you? Indiana frigging Jones?" Alex barked. "You see cave and I see dark cavern infested with bats, probably the kind that gives people rabies!"
"Hey!" Chris barked, seeing the other women recoil at the thought. "You're scarring the natives." He gestured at her companions and Alex swore under her breath at letting her fear get the best of her. She did not like dark, confining spaces and the thought of going into that passageway was scarring her silly.
"Sorry." She swallowed hard, telling herself that she could do this.
"You okay?" Vin asked, unprepared to see her so frightened.
"I'm fine." She nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little claustrophobic."
"I know how you feel," Alexandra came up alongside her counterpart and gave her a gentle squeeze of understanding. "I'm not too partial to it either."
"Listen," Larabee interrupted. "We don't even know we have to go in there yet, so let's not get ahead of ourselves. We got one other clue to solve first."
"He's right," Chris nodded in agreement although he was almost certain they would have to make their way into the mountain simply because it would be just their luck to require such a task be undertaken. With the way things had gone already, he was assuming the worst. "Let's get on with it."
"There's no way anyone is going to go for a swim in that." Tanner remarked as he and Nathan stood at the edge of the water and examined the powerful currents rushing past them.
They could see the furious swirling of water and knew the moment someone stepped into the wet; they would be struggling to keep from being swept away. Nathan looked at the frothy turbulence and felt a stab of fear even though he knew there was no way that he was allowing either Alex or Alexandra to make the attempt at traversing it in his place. They were at the place where the river met and whatever lay before them was his test alone although Nathan had a difficult time believing that there was an Indian medicine man waiting for him in the depths of the river.
"Nathan, I can't ask you to go in there." Chris looked at the healer, uncertain how they were going to proceed.
"I know," the healer nodded. "But its gotta be me. Any idea how I'm going to do it?"
"How about we tie a rope around him?" Dunne suggested. "That way, if he's in trouble, we can pull him out. We got enough rope left over from when your Vin had to climb into the valley."
"Kid's right." Buck agreed. "If this is a wild goose chase, we can keep Nathan from drowning the minute we see anything going wrong."
"Vin," Chris looked at the sharpshooter. "You can tie a better knot than any of us. Make one that won't come loose no matter how much pressure is pulling at it."
Vin, who was the experienced mountain climber amongst them, knew that life and death relied upon a good sturdy knot. Thus, Chris trusted no one else for the task of securing the rope to Nathan because there was no way in hell the healer was going into that tumultuous rage of water otherwise.
"Gotcha." He nodded and turned to the tracker who was carrying the rope.
In the meantime, Nathan divested most of his clothing, leaving only his pants on in order to keep the weight of soaked clothes from hindering his movements. The healer tried not to feel apprehensive at the raging waterway but brushed aside the fear, knowing that fear had the power to hamper his progress even more than the uncontrollable tide he was about to wade into. Vin dropped to his knees and secured the rope around Nathan's waist while the rest of the men took the other end and wrapped it around their fists to ensure that no one lost their grip.
"You sure you want to do this, Nate?" Alexandra asked fearfully, because even though he was not the Nathan she considered her best friend in the world, she still worried about his future version in the same way.
"Looks like I don't have much of a choice if we're going after this rock." The healer swallowed and watched as Vin tightened the knot and then doubled it, just to be safe. After a moment, the sharpshooter met his gaze.
"It's as safe as its ever going to be." Vin said confidently and stepped away from Nathan.
"Okay Nate," Chris replied. "Ready when you are."
Nathan nodded as a chorus of well wishes and good luck followed his approach to the edge of the water. He stepped onto the pebbled shore and glance behind him long enough to see the others holding steadfastly onto the rope as he inched closer towards the water. Taking a deep breath, the healer told himself to get it over and done with and took a bold step into the foaming depths. The first step dropped him into waist deep in water because the force of the river had carved a formidable groove into the earth, allowing for little gradual inclination. The water was icy cold and swirled around him as Nathan wondered what he was looking for. The bubbles made it difficult to see as it churned around him and he was starting to think that he could not reach the center without being completely blinded by white froth.
"I don't know what he's supposed to do." Chris muttered under his breath.
"The map definitely said scrying pool." Mary sighed, feeling her usual adversarial relationship with Chris wither in their mutual concern for Nathan's safety. "Just hold onto that rope tighter, will you please?" She ordered, her voice tense as she made the command. For once, Chris was happy to oblige.
Nathan was now almost shoulder deep in water. He was shivering from the icy temperature as he continued deeper. The medic battled the current that was threatening to sweep him away the closer he got to the center of the deluge. The water rush into his ears as he struggled to keep on his feet but the powerful forces trying to drag him away were quickly eclipsing his ability to maintain his balance. He could not make out anything with the foam and froth that was bubbling around him and if there was a riddle to be solved here, he did not know how he was supposed to find it.
"We got to get him out of there!" Josiah stared at Nathan fighting the powerful currents and felt the same apprehension they all felt.
"He's right," Chris felt his own concerns starting to overcome the reasoning that Piedra had to be found. That was one of his men out there, drowning for a damn rock! The reason inside him snapped and Chris realized he had started pulling back on the rope before even telling anyone else about it.
"Wait!" Julia Pemberton shouted, her voice slicing through the fog of his panic. "Look!" She pointed at Nathan and Chris opened his eyes and realized something else when his senses returned to him and he was listening more carefully rather than being prey to the pounding in his ears from the fear of losing a friend.
The river was still.
The perilous churning was no more and as the froth and bubbles disappeared into the perfect reflection of sunlight against the calm surface, Chris felt his jaw drop with as much astonishment as those who were with him did. The three rivers were still emptying into the one place, but the violence of that convergence had disappeared. Nathan was no longer battling the currents, instead he was wading through it as if he were swimming through a pond or some other waterway that was just as benign. He looked over his shoulders at his friends to show that he was fine, but the confusion on his face was just as marked as theirs.
Nathan had no idea what had happened.
One minute, he was sure he was going to drown in a watery death and the next thing he knew, the currents, the roar of water pounding against his ears and the turbulence that tried to knock him off his feet, had disappeared. He looked about in confusion and could see his feet through the crystal clear water, now that it was no longer churning around him. He continued a little farther, certain that he was near his goal because the trigger that allowed him passage had been pulled. Nathan had to assume that he was closing in on whatever it was he was meant to find.
He was almost dead center of the pool and had to tread water because of its depth when his toes kicked something hard and smooth. Taking a deep breath, he dove in and discovered what appeared to be a solid rectangular block at the riverbed. Nathan broke the surface again and took a deep breath before he yelled at the others. "I found something!" He shouted and then plunged into the depths again.
Swimming towards the object, he soon discovered upon closer inspection that it was not a block of stone but rather a crypt. While he could not read the inscription on the stone, it was fairly evident that this was the likely resting-place of the medicine man who was awaiting another to receive his final message. It was not difficult for him to discern that the symbols on the cover stone were Latin as it had been inscribed on the map. Despite being unable to read, Nathan was not at all discouraged and quickly resurfaced so he could breathe.
"Mary!" He called out as he continued to tread water. "I need you here, I can't read this!"
With the water still and calm, Mary Travis had no trouble reaching Nathan as she was a strong swimmer and had the rope around his waist to guide her to him. Clad in only her chemise and underwear, since wearing anything else would be too cumbersome, Mary noticed as she reached Nathan, that Chris was keeping a close eye on her. He could be an infuriating son of a bitch, she thought as she swam towards the healer, but his affection was obvious. If only they could get past the sparring long enough to find just how much they cared for each other, she sighed and then told herself that this was hardly the time for such rumination.
"Down there," Nathan sputtered some water out of his mouth as he spoke.
Mary nodded and swam into the depths, quickly finding the inscription that was etched on the cover stone. It took her a few minutes to read the entire contents and she was forced to resurface a number of times to catch her breath as she tried to commit everything to memory. Finally, when she was confident that she had it in her head word for word, Mary gestured at Nathan to begin the swim back to shore.
The journey back for Nathan was fraught with less danger than his journey towards the medicine man. No sooner had they reached the pebbled shoreline when there was a visible shift in the air of something that could have been the wind changing direction. Suddenly, the river began bubbling again, like some great force no longer sensed the healer in its waters and returned it to its natural state.
Only when the duo were drying off in front of a fire that Tanner quickly made for their benefit and Chris had draped a blanket over Mary's shoulders, did the group finally address the discovery beneath the depths.
"So were you able to read it?" Larabee asked, singularly impressed by the modern version of Mary Travis, even though his Mary was rather formidable herself. Larabee believed that Mary Travis, in any time, was something to be reckoned with.
"Yeah," she nodded as Inez handed her a warm cup of coffee before making the same offering towards Nathan. "The medicine man was there all right." She took a sip and savored the hot beverage running through her.
"And the inscription?" the Fox inquired, burning with curiosity.
"Okay," Mary took a deep breath, recalling the information she had stored after numerous returns to the crypt to imprint it in her mind. "The inscription read:
Only the Hand of God can lead the path to the Dead City
Only the Soul of the Godly can traverse the depths of the earth
For he is the Light Bringer, Keeper of Faith.
For he is the one who will stand against the wraith.
No one spoke for a long moment as they speculated on the strange consistency of those words but when the silence was finally broken it came from Alex.
"Goddamn it, I knew we were going to have go into that cave!"
The torches made the shadows in the cavern flicker with eerie movement. So far, no bats, as Alex had predicted but sounds of scurrying animals had Julia clinging to Standish's arm. The female doctors were also staying close to their lovers, more out of claustrophobia than fear of rodents. Both the ATF sharpshooter and the tracker quietly kept a calming stream of words going to distract the doctors from the close confines of the cave. Larabee lead the way, gun in one hand, a torch in the other. The others followed closely behind, watching their steps.
"Anybody have any idea where we're going?" Casey's breathless question brought everyone up short.
"It's the only passage big enough for us to fit through, Casey." JD's voice carried through the caves, echoing off the walls, indicating how big the labyrinth really was.
"We're going the right way. Chris, keep going." Josiah's deep voice rumbled through the passageway.
"How are you so sure?" Larabee's voice drifted back.
"I just can feel it... in my bones. Something keeps telling me we're going the right way."
"Only the Hand of God... Only the Soul of the Godly, can traverse the depths of the earth." Larabee easily remembered the translation on the crypt. "Josiah, you a preacher too?"
"Preacher, no. Missionary's son, yes."
Larabee nodded and continued on. Occasionally, Josiah would shout to Larabee a change in direction. It felt as if they were going deeper and deeper into the earth. The air was moist and cool, the sounds of nature fell away, replaced by silence. Only their breathing and footsteps could be heard, their torches, the only source of light. They walked for what seemed like hours but in reality was only one, when suddenly Josiah called them to a halt.
"Josiah?" Larabee cautiously turned to face the profiler.
"The cave, on the left, that's where we need to go."
Larabee was the first to enter the cave; his scream rent the air.
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