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. 455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbS0C8QdayR
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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVv3X1dDYU
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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTObaz50Q9r
"The High Priests are coming," she whispered.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JxWAM6MgG
Dr. Smith pointed his finger at Ann. "Consider yourself warned, young lady," he growled.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3BC4BPXgZ
Penny was about to ask what was going on when the High Priests entered the antechamber. They bowed.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBos7C1VH8D
"The temple awaits your presence, O' Great Spirit of Nenetl," Tetzel addressed her.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CKahQ9J7D
"My handmaiden remains here," Ann pointed at Penny.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlGgxP4asG
"As Nenetl decrees," Ollin replied.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrFdUOYVfy
"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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XMSkhYtkw
"We shall be honored by his presence," said Tetzel.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXRl2uZ1a0
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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJV7yxhdNiv
"Stay here, Penny," he warned.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Qykm4dwhD
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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefrQFmVupd
"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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnWfFprnBJ
But Penny in the antechamber below heard, and, defying her Uncle Zachary's command, she went up the stairs and peeped through the curtain.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclMnNWaRLG
Tetzel turned to Ann. "O' Great Spirit of Nenetl, step forth so that we may honor you."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaMbA2gZpc
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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6f6ipkTMv
"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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7xKy6dxdS
Ollin picked up the obsidian knife and the warrior lay down on the altar.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpq35DUqzsA
"Take his arms," Ollin ordered Yaotl, and then to Don, "Take his legs."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHi9KNv6aRw
Before he obeyed, Don glanced at Dr. Smith, who looked away in distress.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhwORhwW7M
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!"455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXlZft3BdT
Penny screamed and ran into the temple as Ann stepped to her feet.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpD0kI2wGqb
"Stop, Ollin! I, Nenetl command you!"455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24xyDrqkDN
The High Priest's hands were quivering with frustration as he spun around to face Ann.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImh7u8fCxR
"Let no more blood be spilt!" She looked at Don and Yaotl. "Release him."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKfRVANGbd
The warrior jumped to his feet as they obeyed and he went angrily to the throne. 455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2oYCTmNHi
"You have denied me honor," he accused her.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWLVmhyL1G
"Then honor Tlaloc with our death," Ollin said.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mferFm13a
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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWDTDOcELn
Ann sat down in shock, then there was a blinding flash of lightning, a clap of thunder and the rain came down in torrents.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1guijnZht4
Ollin leered victoriously at Ann. "With death came rain," he proclaimed.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiy9R36KsU
"Without your sacrifice came rain," Ann replied as steadily as she could.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCnwZBP1uv
Ollin glanced slyly at Penny as he limped over to the throne. "Does Nenetl speak as a God or the protector of a handmaiden?"455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8kOZpJfiz
"As a god."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkHK2562Ij
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."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdydj8rQDA
"She did not know it."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxOieYICod
"Then let knowledge be beaten into her!"455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCzCsKWwxd
Ann stood up and went to Penny's side. "No one shall be punished for an offense committed in ignorance."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3YlnlYoF9
"I demand that she be punished," Ollin snarled.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmGhxcK9OY
"No," Ann was adamant, but she knew a compromise had to be reached. "Let her instead be taught respect for your customs."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3TfELkATc
Tetzal stepped forward. "I shall take her to the seminary," he said.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡievKpRG8vd
Ann smiled at him. "So be it, Tetzal."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeefhqb8de5
"The Great Spirit of Nenetl has spoken." He bowed and led Penny from the temple.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7k8NwIFVKe
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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uhuGRG1F3
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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24QKqcb8kZ
Dr. Smith stared at her.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcosg7hkss
"Well, young lady, are you satisfied, happy with your day's work?"455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGmVnVBOSS
Ann stared at the carpeted floor, fighting back the tears which welled up in her eyes.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVf71X6yf1W
"You wouldn't be advised, would you?" Dr. Smith persisted. "Dear me, no. You knew better."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlHqC0I4DZ
"I couldn't sit there and watch that young man being slaughtered." Ann's voice was choked and she bit on her lower lip.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QdPgRSS8t
"Do you think we felt differently?" Dr. Smith snapped.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TF75Mozm8
Ann shook her head in misery.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5BWowXxv8
"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."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJpoRzymc3
"I had to try." She was barely audible.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaM4UXEr6Fh
"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."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTqtBcEiif
"At least she's safe there." Ann swallowed hard.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TLaXNceH4
"She was perfectly safe here until you started meddling."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAvcKg93gq
Ann clenched her fists. "I wanted it to rain without that young man being killed."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18iJT2NWxW
"Ann, he wanted to be offered to the Gods. It made him one as well."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEZQZfJBv7
The tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "I didn't think about it in those terms."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedc05zIfKW
"More likely, you simply didn't think," Dr. Smith retorted angrily.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9LN4F009n
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.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1Hl0JhL3t
"Oh, please, please, just go away," she sobbed, "and leave me alone."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKWrc7arAt
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."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9SBjTtFCE
Ann looked at him through her tears and shook her head. "No, I'm crying because you were quite right."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawW36g9AzN
"Here, dry your eyes." Dr. Smith offered his handkerchief. She took it, dabbed her eyes, wiped her cheeks, and sniffed.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UZg0RlTdM
"What have I done to us?" she asked, tugging at the handkerchief.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BLBbELluK
"It's done now," Dr. Smith shrugged, "but what happens next is also up to you."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkNHEXaJPd
"Me?" Ann looked surprised.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4qBUuYgX6
Dr. Smith tapped the palm of one hand with his other fist. "Hold off Ollin," he said.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTuNH7Kpce
"How can I? As you've just said, he has no faith in me."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTiWK7CPmtO
"But Tetzal does." Dr. Smith had a glint in his eyes which Ann had seen before.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanDlvXcQry
"You want me to play them off against each other," she ventured.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSy0jyieet
Dr. Smith nodded. "I do, Ann. The more Ollin doubts you, the more you must convince Tetzal that you are Nenetl."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jW6PWgYJf
"You believe Sacrifice won't dare defy Knowledge."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vTkZNhPXL
"You saw for yourself, my dear. Ollin wanted Penny beaten, but when Tetzal suggested taking her to the seminary he gave way."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7teQzKoX5M
"What about you and Don?"455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmywBXft2d7
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."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJn54UAZVI
"Dr. Smith, you're an old rogue," Ann rebuked him with a smile.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobgei3vI7a
"But really, Ann, it's up to you. As long as you are here, and they trust you, we are reasonably safe."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo70rLSTGlJ
"I understand," she replied.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbJ7G3JF8S
The antechamber door opened and Ollin limped into the room. Ann and Dr. Smith remained seated.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiyWMI0eA0
"You enter unannounced," Ann said haughtily.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjJwRB67xO
"I proclaim myself only to my gods," Ollin relied and looked at Dr. Smith. "Let the old man go down to the garden."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkGJV31jLx
Dr. Smith noted that he had been relegated from the aged servant of Nenetl to an old man.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEjpX8mVH1
"Enjoy the company of your newfound friend," Ann said as Dr. Smith stood up, bowed, and muttered his obedience to Nenetl's commands.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZ3FTWHZ1X
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?"455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarh4TIOjT7
Ann held out her wrist with the bracelet on it. "By the signs of their divinity," she replied.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8t7HTlPDN
"And if thieves walk among the gods?"455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjpwXTflvG
"Then, indeed, how shall a man know," she conceded.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0t9DqDsck9
"By the secrets of the gods' minds," Ollin stabbed a finger repeatedly at the side of his head.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwx7Ire2nPZ
"It is true," Ann agreed that their knowledge would reveal them.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGnM9K0Nzs
"How many heavens are there?" Ollin snapped.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWVPkz9wy9
Ann laughed. "Does the High Priest of Sacrifice covet the mantle of the High Priest of Knowledge?" Her voice was light.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOF3shrS9Xr
"How many heavens?" he snarled.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOF1TGjyPS
"Thirteen." Ann was grateful for her interest in Aztec culture.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7Mhkk0mbX
"Name them."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtH1QlQ9X3
"If the truth of my divinity lies hidden in my mind, let Tetzel seek it," she replied.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVFh1W8dcL
"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."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HXNw4xNqj
"To what purpose?" Ann asked.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDajowvqA9
Ollin stared into her eyes. "To determine which of them will survive to command the Aztec armies."455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnuRjpiW42
Ann was shaken. She knew the shock had shown in her eyes, and she also knew that Ollin has seen it.455Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxmDYl2D5e
