Alicia myles 1 - Aztec Gold Read Online Free PDF Page B

walls. A large glass case showed how the site would have looked in the Aztec era.
    Rivera paused before the case, staring reflectively. “Firstly, to help prove your case and your sincerity, I will appoint to you a guide the Nahua trust. I know several- this kind of introduction is invaluable. Second, you need to prove to them how serious you are—as you say most of the previous hunters have been nothing more than loons. Also, rather importantly, you have to convince them that the treasure, if found, will become an obligation of the World Heritage Committee, ensuring them it will belong to a particular historical institution and not be dispersed or sold for profit. Believe me, the descendants of the Aztecs want their treasure returned more than anything in the world. If they deem you’re worthy and if they can help, they will.”
    Alicia listened as she studied the impressive model. “The Aztecs had all this and still they fell.”
    Rivera nodded. “Staggering isn’t it? This museum, as I said, stands beside and over the old site. You can visit the catacombs below and walk straight to Montezuma’s temple and his meditation chamber and office if you like. Remember that Cortés only tore the temple down in anger when no further treasure was found. He knew the Aztecs had misled him then and reacted accordingly. Who knows, perhaps Montezuma’s chamber holds a clue.”
    Alicia listened intently right up until the end. Her eyes, still staring through the glass, fixed onto the reflections of the large dark figures moving purposefully toward them from behind.
    Museum visitors stumbled out of the way. Guards sprang into action.
    Alicia whirled.
    “Hello boys. About time our team got to kick some ass.”

FIVE
     
     
    Mayhem and chaos ruled inside the museum.
    When the first punch was thrown, screams and surprised shouts ignited panic across the lobby. When the first antagonist smashed head-first into a display case, people began to run. When Alicia moved onto her second opponent, lifting him off the ground and throwing him bodily against a wall, the entire space exploded into chaos.
    Alicia raised her head, seeing Russo cut in before her to get a load of the action, taking the next man. She took a moment to her assess her new colleague; saw him deliver a one-two-cross with a good mix of power and dexterity and decided she wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of one of those bad boys. She moved around the grunting mountain, only to find Healey already facing up to the next adversary. This was good; Crouch had trained his men well as a team, something she should have taken for granted. Crouch himself was standing apart, also assessing the team with Lex at his side as bodyguard.
    And me, she thought. Crouch is assessing me too.
    She skipped around Healey. With three men down their unknown attackers still had five men remaining. Alicia front-kicked the knee of the leading man. He went down, crying out and holding his leg. Alicia paused for a moment.
    “What is this? The local hockey team?”
    Russo only grunted, hit by two at once. Healey traded punches with another. Crouch, behind her, said, “Good question. I wasn’t aware anyone knew we were here.”
    Alicia stepped around the fallen, mindful of their speedy recovery times. At least these guys had had some training. The first head raised met a bootful of muddy, rubber sole—a nice new tattoo for his face.
    “We should go.” Crouch was keeping an eye out for security. “The last thing we need here is some kind of major incident.”
    Alicia heard him say a quick farewell and offer an apology to Rivera, although by his tone it was clear he didn’t have a clue as to what was going on. Quickly then, Alicia pressed forward, clearing the path. Healey and Russo squeezed in behind her with Crouch taking the rear. They raced for the exit, pushing through the throng. Crouch, looking back, shouted a warning.
    “They’re not giving up.”
    The crowd spilled out onto the