They made their way along the route Tlaqui had prescribed. The streets were deserted and the houses empty. As the Perfect Victim and Tlaqui mounted the stairs to the temple, the crowd moved to the square in front of the pyramid. Beyond an occasional "Turn here" or "That way," the three of them did not speak, each of them absorbed in their own thoughts.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSNqhZ0kox
Don knew that a final reckoning with Yaotl was inevitable, and, remembering all the warriors in the temple for the sacrifice to Tlaloc, realized he would be hopelessly outnumbered. But he also knew that Yaotl would insist on single-handed combat, having made sure it would be a one-sided affair. Somehow, psychologically, he had to defeat Yaotl.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtboLBL9M4Y
Penny mentally had her fingers crossed and all her hopes were pinned upon the possibility that her grandfather had dreamed up yet another near-miracle to see them safely out of trouble.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvBcvQb02W
Zuma thought only of her beloved Dr. Smith, whom she knew she would lose when she delivered Penny and Don to the temple.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJp7hF0UpQ
They came to the side of the pyramid and went towards the entrance where Yaotl stood.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpifyvCUeB
"I shall see us past," Zuma said and when they reached Yaotl she congratulated him on his appointment and added that she had been charged with delivering Penny to the temple. Yoatl put his hand on Don's sholder.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqrbLsHHxb
"Where is Don?" he asked.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg45eIjKCDa
"He follows with two other warriors," Don replied, disguising his voice as heavily as he could and pointing vaguely behind him.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRJMIp3xb0
"Escort them to the temple," Yaotl said.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhFM1QnsVl
The first victory, though a minor one, Don thought as he followed Penny and Zuma up the stairs----nonetheless a victory.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKn4gyqo2h1
The Perfect Victim and Tlaqui came into the temple. Ollin, ignoring Ann on the throne, led them ceremoniouslyl out onto the terrace so that all the people in the square below could see them. The Perfect Victim spread out his arms as though to embrace them all. Ollin drew Tlaqui to one side.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8YOC5CCsj
"First, as the sun is overshadowed, the handmaiden will be tortured and rendered blind," he hissed, "then Yaotl will dispatch Don with his club and cast him off. And as total darkness comes I shall honor Huitzilopochtli with the perfect sacrifice. After which I shall deal with her..." Ollin jerked his head back towards Ann, then took Tlaqui by the arm. "Tetzal has gone," he whispered. "So you are now the High Priest of Knowledge."362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGWgFioI4S
"I shall stand forever at your side," Tlaqui replied with a bow.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyVH78Mr1l
Yaotl waited for the two warriors to bring Don, but they didn't appear and already the moon was edging its way in front of the sun. Suddenly, the truth dawned on him. The masked warrior who had taken Zuma and Penny to the temple was Don! With a shout of rage, Yaotl raced up the stairs.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nlMCC6b3R
Zuma and Penny entered the temple with Don, who silently mouthed the words "Dr. Smith," to Ann. She glanced at the second brocade curtain. At least the four of them were in the temple, Don thought, but so were the Perfect Victim, Tlaqui, Ollin and twenty warriors with javelins. He turned to Zuma.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrkzOZLJIH
"For your own safety, go now, Zuma," he said gently, "and thank you."362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeJCsUCRNN
Zuma smiled bravely. "Say goodbye to Zachary for me," she said and he stepped from behind the curtain to take her hand in his.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CHT8kHk6K
"Fair thee well, Zuma," he said.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJzTYESidM
She touched his face with her hand and left the temple.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNtKIPmsY1
Ollin stood on the terrace, gazing up at the sun. A quarter was covered by the moon. 362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUGcRZGepZ
Thorns lay on the altar.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1uGhDLWUh
"Seize the handmaiden so that she may be punished," he ordered.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sLKxvlm5Z
Two warriors grabbed Penny by the arms.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41DDhJJPAi
"Uncle Zachary!" she called out.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECiEZCooCu
Dr. Smith took a step towards her, but Don stopped him with his hand as Ann stood up.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ZkXCGq94I
"I, the Great Spirit of Nenetl, forbid this punishment," she commanded.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaogkBQJGB
Ollin limped into the temple from the terrace. "You forbid it?" he snarled. "Must I then order warriors to restrain you as you witness the thorns being thrust in and her eyes being gouged out?"362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJ2uttnAwP
"I shall bring the thorns to you," Don said.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcbb29Nwny
"Do so," Ollin replied, staring at Ann.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9miU2a1U98
Don went to the altar and picked up the thorns one by one. Then he glanced up at the sun, which was now one-third covered. Both Ann and Dr. Smith wondered what Don was up to.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tdL8nFsib
"Make haste, for the darkness is descending," Ollin hissed.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JtQ6fhLIc
"I obey, High Priest," Don replied calmly, and threw the thorns over the parapet.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9af3yDzqW5
For an instant Ollin gaped at the masked face. "You!" he snarled. As Don took off his mask, he turned to the warriors. "Strike him down!" he ordered.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQ3S0uTHd0
"No!" Yaotl roared as he entered the temple. "He is mine!" and he advanced menacingly towards Don.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUlUr0fMol
"I was worried it would be dark before you got here," Don said, backing round the sacrificial altar, making sure he kept it between himself and Yaotl.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxzMyxIqQw
"Dispatch him!" the High Priest of Sacrifice barked. "The darkness comes."362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulYD3NeCOY
Penny, Ann and Dr. Smith held their breath.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8E9lI65gf8
"Does it?" Don asked as he took the biggest gamble of his life. He unclipped the pencil torch from the inside of his loin-cloth and shone it in Yaotl's face. "Then let there be light!"362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhiRsisBBV
The Chosen Warrior's advance faltered. Don flicked off the torch then put it back on again. Yaotl's eyes dilated with fear as Don aimed the beam of light at the cudgel and reflected rays bounced off of the gold studes. With a horrified gasp, Yaotl dropped it and Don walked towards him flicking the torch on and off. Yaotl backed away.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1rSYA5Wem
"The darkness comes, perfect sacrifice must be made," Ollin screamed so Don shone the torch on the High Priest's face who cowered back against the wall. With the beam of light off him, Yaotl made a dash along the parapet edge towards Don.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡos0JvwC0R7
"West!" Dr. Smith shouted his warning, and Don swept the light back into Yaotl's face.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoD4VKEuDVt
The Chosen Warrior checked himself, tried to turn away, over-balanced and hurtled screaming to his death two hundred and fifty feet below.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0cm08G23a
"Now, Ann," Dr. Smith murmured. She pulled off the bracelet while Dr. Smith took his pulley-wheel and the silk strip from behind the curtain. Don came in from the terrace shining the torch on the Aztec faces. When Tlaqui's was lit up, he sank babbling to his knees. Ollin shielded his eyes but didn't move. Ann threaded the bracelet through the hole in the middle of the pulley-wheel. Dr. Smith passed the silk over the groove and Ann stood on the throne, holding the bracelet at arm's length above her head. Penny ducked behind the brocaded curtain, gathered up the two bundles of clothes and dashed to the wall.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7h2r0CjoR
"Get your fingers under the wall as soon as you can, Penny," Dr. Smith said as he tugged gently on the silk. The wall started to move.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcvAQXeLs8
"It's working, Uncle Zachary," Penny said as she dug her fingers under the base of the wall and helped to lift it up.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZqxyqbcil
"Had to," Dr.Smith replied, "motion, dynamics, thrust. Everybody ready?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Then let us be off."362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbqNwKT6QSf
Ann clambered down from the throne, Penny grabbed their clothes, and with Don last, still keeping the light shining on frightened faces, they went into Nenetl's tomb pulling the silk strip with them. The wall closed behind them as Ollin scrambled to his feet.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRQ3sIzmWT
"Sacrifice! Sacrifice!" he screamed and two warriors went with him out onto the terrace to lay out the Perfect Victim on the altar. Ollin looked up at the dark sky, the sun now totally eclipsed, and raised the obsidian knife above his head.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCw4A5hGP4R
"Huitzilopochtli, great God of the Sun," he chanted, "give us back your light as we, in your honor, make your perfect sacrifice." He plunged the knife into the Perfect Victim's chest....362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEll60EILk
Inside the tomb everyone took a moment to catch their breath. Don switched off the torch as the light from inside the TARDIS seemed sufficient. Dr. Smith took Nenetl's bracelet from Ann and began unthreading his pulley-wheel.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPskOPJHaic
"We mustn't leave behind something they haven't got," he observed. "It would confuse Cortez and his conquistadores no end." He snagged the snake's head on the edge of the central hole. "West, some light, please." Don pressed the button but nothing happened. "Light, dear chap," Dr. Smith insisted.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgti09Yia3
"Sorry, Dr. Smith," Don replied, shaking the pencil-torch a couple of times. "I think the battery's dead."362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUWOtpT4NX
Ann ran her fingers around Ollin's mask. "I failed, Dr. Smith," she said.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkf0jZr3p9
"It was inevitable, my dear," he replied, overcoming the problem with the pulley-wheel.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFegDyeTPjZ
"Then what's the point of us wandering through time and space?" she asked. "We can't change anything. We're observers. Nothing more. Ollin had already won the moment he first set eyes upon us."362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFZIaqmTju
"Yes, my dear," Dr. Smith replied philosophically as he laid the bracelet on the slab beside the skeleton.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJWya6blgF
"And the one man I had respect for, I decieved," Ann said in self-accusation. "I lied to Tetzal, I gave him false hope and in the end he lost his faith."362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kY6wLilkA
"The last time I spoke to him, he said he would pray to Quetzalcoatl for us. Not Huitzilopochtli, my dear," Dr. Smith replied. "No, through you he found another faith, a better one. You couldn't save a civilization, Ann, but you did help one man."362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGYw5ZpDH0
"I hope so," she said and went into the TARDIS.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡieydmYO1af
Dr. Smith put the pulley-wheel into his pocket and felt something else. He took it out and even in the dim light of the tomb he knew it was the brooch Zuma had given to him in the garden. It came from the tomb therfore it should be left in the tomb, he thought, but then again Zuma had given it to him as a present, so he slipped it back into his pocket, went into the TARDIS and closed the door.362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseXImPXSPg
362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbaL1rhARE
THE END362Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHgShaVEfb
