David Golemon - Legend

"That man, Kennedy," Robby babbled and cried, "he came here because someone wanted him to make sure nothing like that ore was brought out of here. But it was he who took samples. It was Kennedy's people that set off the dark one, the creature that lives in the pyramid; it attacked his team and then us when we tried to help. I don't know why, but that thing acted as though it was here to stop anything from leaving this mine. I mean the ore; it wasn't concerned with gold, just that damned ore. And then it was Professor Zachary who discovered why. She was actually communicating, well, in a rudimentary way with the smaller one, the one that's hidden us since the other went berserk."

"Why… not, we're… related."

Sarah and Virginia saw Helen was trying to sit up.

"Oh, don't do that, Helen, don't move, you're very sick," Virginia said, placing her hand on Helen's chest and easing her back down.

"Virginia?" she whispered. "Do…you and… still…hate me?"

"Stop that, no one at Group—" She caught herself before she said it. "No one ever hated you, Helen, no one."

A tear slowly trickled from Helen's right eye and forced its way down her swollen cheek. "Niles," she whispered.

"Dear, it was Niles who sent us," Virginia whispered in her ear.

A sad smile came to Helen's features as she lost consciousness.

"What did she mean when she said the creature and us are related?" asked Sarah.

Robby placed a wet cloth on Helen's forehead and then sat back and explained. "Before the dark beast sank the boat and barge out of anger over those guys' taking ore samples, Dr. Zachary ran a complete DNA sequencing on both of the creatures. There was not one difference between them, or us."

"That's impossible. From what I saw, that thing is an amphibian," Virginia challenged.

Robby shrugged. "Doesn't matter what you believe; those animals were once us. The doc said it chose to go back to the water, whereas we chose to stay on land."

"You say she communicated with it?" Sarah asked.

"According to a wall diary of sorts, painted by the Sincaro, which the beast and its kind saved once upon a time from a bleak future, the darker species and its kind used to be slaves alongside the Indians. And they were the only creatures, human or otherwise, who could mine the uranium without becoming sick. The smaller ones, the doc figured, were wild, never tamed by the Inca, that's why they have more tolerance for us than the dark one. The doc said the animals had a natural resistance but not a complete immunity to the ore. It had something to do with total immersion therapy, a natural way to fight radiation sickness. Since the creatures mined the ore underwater, they didn't die as rapidly as us land walkers."

"But what did the Inca need or even want the ore for?" Virginia asked.

"The doc said they used it to heat their giant smelting pots. She says they discovered it was more efficient than trying to use the natural volcanic aspects of the mine. No telling how many people were killed during their reign over this area. Pizarro might have had the right idea; who's to say who screwed who?" he said bitterly. "The Sincaro weren't sad their masters were conquered; I bet those creatures have been a sight happier also."

"How many are there?" Sarah asked, actually concerned.

"Kelly, you were there when the professor transcribed her notes. What did she say about the number of animals?"

Kelly was haggard like the rest but she gave a smile that told Sarah she had a lot of courage. "She said that the animals are a long-lived species, but Helen thinks these two may be the last of their kind. The wild one, the green and gold creature, is very protective of all things in this valley. It saved us from starving to death."

"But what—"

"Any further questions can be asked out here," a deep, French-accented voice said from the cave opening, cutting off the question Virginia was about to ask. "So please, come out quickly, as my associate has stupidly pulled the pin on a hand grenade and is quite prepared to throw it in among you," Farbeaux said as he stared at the stupidity of the move by Mendez.

They all stood with the exception of the injured professor and Jenks, who could only look around in frustration for a weapon.

"These guys aren't with you?" Robby asked as he started to follow the rest from the enclosure.

"No, they're not," Sarah answered.

"Please, senor , find the pin and replace it in the grenade, quickly," Farbeaux ordered, flicking his eyes from the motley group of survivors to the sour countenance of the Colombian.

Mendez scowled as he placed the silver pin back in the grenade. He tossed it back to one of his men and then faced the twelve raggedy people before him.

"Colonel Farbeaux, I take it?" Sarah asked.

"At your service." The Frenchman actually looked pleased for a moment as he took in Sarah. "Ms. McIntire, isn't it? How was Okinawa, my dear? A learning experience, perhaps?" He turned and told several of the men in Spanish to light a few of the torches that lined the wall.

Sarah didn't answer, but she did wonder how this maniac had known she had been to Japan recently, then she thought she knew the answer. In her estimation, it didn't take a brain like Niles Compton's to figure it out.

Farbeaux smiled as he walked past Sarah and Virginia and leaned into the small cave opening. He frowned at the sight of Helen, then he straightened and returned to the group. Mendez and his men had found other torches and the area was alight with illumination that brought out the wall paintings and carvings into stark relief.

"Helen is seriously ill?" he asked.

"She's dying, Colonel, so surely you don't intend to hold us up here. We must get her to a hospital," Virginia said, lowering her hands.

Farbeaux looked from the Americans to Mendez and closed his eyes.

"Please keep your hands in the air, senora ," Mendez growled.

"I will not," Virginia stated flatly.

"Do as he says," Jenks hissed from his place just inside the small cave. He was watching through the opening while lying on his side on the cave floor.

"Shut up, Chief, these people have been through too damned much; we're taking them out of here," Virginia announced.

"I'm afraid no one can leave here," Mendez said as he waved his men forward.

Farbeaux reached into his satchel, removed a small bottle, and tossed it to Virginia. She looked at him quizzically.

"Potassium and iodine. It will slow the spread of infection, but I'm afraid by the looks of the professor's condition it will do no good, though no harm, either. She must have received over five thousand rods, a rather massive exposure."

Virginia angrily tossed the pill bottle back to Farbeaux.

"Shove them up your—"

"It's far too late for Professor Zachary," Sarah said, stepping quickly in between Virginia and the Frenchman. "But I'm curious to know why you thought to bring the one pharmaceutical that could help with a lesser exposure, Colonel."

Farbeaux raised his left eyebrow at Sarah and then with the corner of his eye saw Mendez tense up.

"I suppose you wouldn't accept it was a lucky guess, perhaps?"

"Not likely, Colonel."

"I should also like to know why you would take such a medicinal precaution without informing your financier, senor ," Mendez said as he pulled a nine-millimeter Beretta from its holster and pointed it at Farbeaux. His men followed suit with their Ingram submachine guns. "Now I insist you tell me why it is you are really here."

The Frenchman was about to respond when he saw the disturbance in the water. The wake was traveling very fast, obviously created by something just beneath the surface of the canal. Mendez saw his eyes flick from himself to something the Colombian could not detect.