In full regalia Don and Yaotl left the barracks with the warrior Ollin had chosen as his sacrifice. He wore only a loin-cloth, sandals and a plumed head-dress. He had been fed an adequate amount of a drug which dulled his senses to reality and enlivened his desire to join the gods. Storm clouds gathered in the sky. Rain would fall with or without the brutal death of this young man and Don wondered if he could slow down their pace so that, with any luck, it might start before they reached the altar. 372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNracxDNo8E
But Yaotl and the warrior maintained an Aztec's pace and Don had no choice but to keep step with them. To his shock the streets were deserted, the city silent. He discovered the reason when they turned into the broad avenue that led to the pyramid. The square in front of it was packed. Don estimated that there must have been between ten and fifteen thousand people---men, women and children. As the three of them approached, the crowd parted, opening up a path for them to the entrance of the pyramid. All eyes were on them and there was absolute silence apart from the sound of their sandals as they marched to the open door and went inside, the warrior first, then Yaotl, and after him, Don, who realized that the palms of his hands were soaked with sweat.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoEiu9VBNW
Penny was standing with a temple guard outside the antechamber when she heard footsteps. She looked up the stairs that led to the temple. Both High Priests were descending. Penny opened the antechamber door and went inside. Dr. Smith and Ann were facing each other in stony silence.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLJ7T9Y7CV
"The High Priests are coming," she whispered.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4E1XCJ6Na
Dr. Smith pointed his finger at Ann. "Consider yourself warned, young lady," he growled.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cFOpBq7kp
Penny was about to ask what was going on when the High Priests entered the antechamber. They bowed.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYX3onwULvb
"The temple awaits your presence, O' Great Spirit of Nenetl," Tetzel addressed her.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wrdhFyJHv
"My handmaiden remains here," Ann pointed at Penny.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20nBWLSlQ3
"As Nenetl decrees," Ollin replied.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDmff2gEkB
"However, Tetzel's aged servant will accompany the Great Spirit to the temple," Dr. Smith said, and Ann did not fail to note the hint of menace in his voice.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4aCET92ba
"We shall be honored by his presence," said Tetzel.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrLZGs10qj
Steeling herself for what she intended to do, Ann walked regally from the room, followed by the two High Priests and then Dr. Smith, who turned to Penny just before he left.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXycCV8Z2v
"Stay here, Penny," he warned.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEL14p0UzFJ
A guard drew back the brocade curtain and let Ann and the others into the temple. The walls and the terrace were lined with Aztec warriors. As Ann approached the throne she looked furtively about her for Don. There was no sign of him. She lay down and gazed before her. Ollin's obsidian knife lay glinting on the sacrificial altar. The two High Priests moved onto the terrace and Tetzel raised his harms.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6muzC2UeO
"A vision has come to us, my people," he intoned, "the High Priest Nenetl has returned so that you may look again upon the sign of the coiled serpent." Dr. Smith thought that the whole ceremony would be absurd if it were not so gruesome, as no one two hundred and fifty feet below in the square could possibly hear a word Tetzel said.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWBF7mnORj
But Penny in the antechamber below heard, and, defying her Uncle Zachary's command, she went up the stairs and peeped through the curtain.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1iUwMFPx1
Tetzel turned to Ann. "O' Great Spirit of Nenetl, step forth so that we may honor you."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA2OGSkZaO
Ann stood and walked slowly out onto the terrace wiht Tetzel at her side. She stood on the edge of the parapet, spread out her arms and looked down at the sea of faces staring up at her. There was not a sound, and the sky was dark and heavy with clouds. She returned to the throne and sat down. Dr. Smith, with a slight inclination of his head, signaled his approval.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr98Q68eRCp
"Bring forth the sacrifice to Tlaloc," Ollin commanded. Ann's hands gripped the arms of the throne. Two Aztecs pulled back the second brocade curtain behind which Don, Yaotl, and the warrior stood. As the warrior came into the temple, he bowed to Ann. Don and Yaotl, following him, did the same, but Don and Ann's eyes met in an expression of sheer horror.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblryoZEsPx
Ollin picked up the obsidian knife and the warrior lay down on the altar.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZVzgrkGwA
"Take his arms," Ollin ordered Yaotl, and then to Don, "Take his legs."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCatcy4tS0d
Before he obeyed, Don glanced at Dr. Smith, who looked away in distress.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FqcTMSTcI
Ollin raised the knife above his head to the cloud-laden sky. "Great Tlaloc, God of Water, I, Ollin, High Priest of Sacrifice, call upon you to look down upon our land with favor. Give us the water that is our life," his voice rose to a screeching crescendo, "and we shall honor you with blood!"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0i98RGmlL
Penny screamed and ran into the temple as Ann stepped to her feet.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4VTYXsIzj
"Stop, Ollin! I, Nenetl command you!"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGx4P0hujV
The High Priest's hands were quivering with frustration as he spun around to face Ann.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJw9LosHfN
"Let no more blood be spilt!" She looked at Don and Yaotl. "Release him."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMZCauUfor
The warrior jumped to his feet as they obeyed and he went angrily to the throne. 372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv20RfRgo4I
"You have denied me honor," he accused her.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjR84JVWPY
"Then honor Tlaloc with our death," Ollin said.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSwcFxFLTT
The young warrior looked at the High Priest, then to the edge of the parapet, threw himself off and hurtled to his death two hundred and fifty feet below.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mx55ftWvt
Ann sat down in shock, then there was a blinding flash of lightning, a clap of thunder and the rain came down in torrents.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLlLAzS4Nu
Ollin leered victoriously at Ann. "With death came rain," he proclaimed.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIicIAjwf1D
"Without your sacrifice came rain," Ann replied as steadily as she could.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6sIF6v6le
Ollin glanced slyly at Penny as he limped over to the throne. "Does Nenetl speak as a God or the protector of a handmaiden?"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGbiyBMq7z
"As a god."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzi7rc7TvMr
Ollin's hand, still clutching the obsidian knife, shot out and pointed to Penny. "Then your handmaiden must be punished. She cried out and desecrated the temple. She transgressed the law."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4kE7jC0Gy
"She did not know it."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YtI8GwKYd
"Then let knowledge be beaten into her!"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcZFO9SL0S
Ann stood up and went to Penny's side. "No one shall be punished for an offense committed in ignorance."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6glzL8P5R
"I demand that she be punished," Ollin snarled.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUgJNY2dWz
"No," Ann was adamant, but she knew a compromise had to be reached. "Let her instead be taught respect for your customs."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplsHdWiuuj
Tetzal stepped forward. "I shall take her to the seminary," he said.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJu27OaEhiH
Ann smiled at him. "So be it, Tetzal."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEe5iZnkJm
"The Great Spirit of Nenetl has spoken." He bowed and led Penny from the temple.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22XaejOQwc
Ollin turned away and went out onto the terrace, where he stood in the pouring rain. He held the obsidian knife in both hands and placed the tip on the altar. "No, no, this is not Nenetl who speaks," he murmured, the rain streaming down his face. "This is a false god whom I must destroy." He stabbed at the altar with the knife and the blade broke.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiOSCWk4B2
As soon as she was back in the antechamber, Ann took off her head-dress, threw it to one side, slumped onto a couch and toyed with the coiled snake on her wrist.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XebHhR3Oz
Dr. Smith stared at her.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRiJHtWU1q6
"Well, young lady, are you satisfied, happy with your day's work?"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaPyTfrUNr
Ann stared at the carpeted floor, fighting back the tears which welled up in her eyes.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTnPoxwKVG
"You wouldn't be advised, would you?" Dr. Smith persisted. "Dear me, no. You knew better."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPhsLEZJHl
"I couldn't sit there and watch that young man being slaughtered." Ann's voice was choked and she bit on her lower lip.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMt2C8E3mC
"Do you think we felt differently?" Dr. Smith snapped.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9FwuzxmO8
Ann shook her head in misery.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1i1PB3Iylr
"Then why didn't you leave well enough alone? Human sacrifice is part of their religion and there is nothing that we can do about it."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1taEwKCiY
"I had to try." She was barely audible.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhCCYb4hBc
"And look at the result. Ollin has certainly lost faith in your, which puts all our lives in danger and Penny is locked up in some sort of school."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrooU33eHPn
"At least she's safe there." Ann swallowed hard.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9FuXTyP9l
"She was perfectly safe here until you started meddling."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQLTMlLWLE
Ann clenched her fists. "I wanted it to rain without that young man being killed."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3B0tVck01C
"Ann, he wanted to be offered to the Gods. It made him one as well."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ODwuZDq1t
The tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "I didn't think about it in those terms."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OuLEVL7Yq
"More likely, you simply didn't think," Dr. Smith retorted angrily.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzbv0c4YTM
Ann buried her face in her hands, her body wracked with sobs. Dr. Smith stood by uncomfortably and his anger turned in on himself. He had been unreasonable and he knew it. Ann's experience of traveling through time and space was extremely limited, his was considerable to say the least. He could become a Babylonian deity at the drop of his hat, but for Ann to have the role of an Aztec god thrust upon her must be very difficult indeed. He went to the couch and sat down beside her.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTitUiK6Px
"Oh, please, please, just go away," she sobbed, "and leave me alone."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5nWvvHYuk
Instead, Dr. Smith put his arm around her shoulder and with his other hand took a large handkerchief from his pocket. "Oh, my dear, dear sweet Ann," he said gently. "Please forgive me. I shouldn't have been so hard on you."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFT46o3fBb
Ann looked at him through her tears and shook her head. "No, I'm crying because you were quite right."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3fIotEAnn
"Here, dry your eyes." Dr. Smith offered his handkerchief. She took it, dabbed her eyes, wiped her cheeks, and sniffed.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4yBEDHPVo
"What have I done to us?" she asked, tugging at the handkerchief.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87ESMAERU9
"It's done now," Dr. Smith shrugged, "but what happens next is also up to you."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Vk85Hb4yr
"Me?" Ann looked surprised.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbNObqpjrj
Dr. Smith tapped the palm of one hand with his other fist. "Hold off Ollin," he said.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkoaXO2f9c
"How can I? As you've just said, he has no faith in me."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iD0n7MpO9
"But Tetzal does." Dr. Smith had a glint in his eyes which Ann had seen before.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OPqO6kY2I
"You want me to play them off against each other," she ventured.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtjXzPIqoA
Dr. Smith nodded. "I do, Ann. The more Ollin doubts you, the more you must convince Tetzal that you are Nenetl."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qGXDwAYGW
"You believe Sacrifice won't dare defy Knowledge."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4uL28etGn
"You saw for yourself, my dear. Ollin wanted Penny beaten, but when Tetzal suggested taking her to the seminary he gave way."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKmHqIcABK
"What about you and Don?"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvv6D3K7GEU
Dr. Smith waved a hand in the air. "Don can take care of himself," he assured her. He then told her that, in the garden, he had chanced upon an Aztec lady who knew indirectly how the temple was constructed. He straightened his tie and winked at her. "I'll soon find out about the entrance to the tomb."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczXVTIEUd2
"Dr. Smith, you're an old rogue," Ann rebuked him with a smile.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Y5jKf39yW
"But really, Ann, it's up to you. As long as you are here, and they trust you, we are reasonably safe."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55oMfxsnXT
"I understand," she replied.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTXv2qMO0s
The antechamber door opened and Ollin limped into the room. Ann and Dr. Smith remained seated.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMAnPYoERn
"You enter unannounced," Ann said haughtily.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJWxYgm9z7
"I proclaim myself only to my gods," Ollin relied and looked at Dr. Smith. "Let the old man go down to the garden."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFoBodGns9
Dr. Smith noted that he had been relegated from the aged servant of Nenetl to an old man.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6YrrmQmx2
"Enjoy the company of your newfound friend," Ann said as Dr. Smith stood up, bowed, and muttered his obedience to Nenetl's commands.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiqHOkStH8
Ollin waited until Dr. Smith and left the room, then looked at Ann with naked hatred in his eyes. "I would ask you"---he spat out the words---"how shall a man know his gods?"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFx5PhYyxS2
Ann held out her wrist with the bracelet on it. "By the signs of their divinity," she replied.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCpGAaeoUv
"And if thieves walk among the gods?"372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡst1oaqH5cl
"Then, indeed, how shall a man know," she conceded.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczxCy966AR
"By the secrets of the gods' minds," Ollin stabbed a finger repeatedly at the side of his head.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVHgIEQVfM
"It is true," Ann agreed that their knowledge would reveal them.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuDaEo5yaN
"How many heavens are there?" Ollin snapped.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbA4oa8Iw1d
Ann laughed. "Does the High Priest of Sacrifice covet the mantle of the High Priest of Knowledge?" Her voice was light.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26q8WXEa8l
"How many heavens?" he snarled.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtErKboQ2W
"Thirteen." Ann was grateful for her interest in Aztec culture.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclTCaLJLpl
"Name them."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfCQt5mwdS
"If the truth of my divinity lies hidden in my mind, let Tetzel seek it," she replied.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIhplAuYgG
"And so he shall." Ollin's voice was full of malevolence. "Just as the chosen warrior, whose grandfather built this temple, shall challenge your servant."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9xm4onz98
"To what purpose?" Ann asked.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekhim0i4FI
Ollin stared into her eyes. "To determine which of them will survive to command the Aztec armies."372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSNwSVeZVa
Ann was shaken. She knew the shock had shown in her eyes, and she also knew that Ollin has seen it.372Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4Hw8RYcay
