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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4acV2EkU1
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN87rDJ4N6o
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7X9VzNBG1W
Zuma thought only of her beloved Dr. Smith, whom she knew she would lose when she delivered Penny and Don to the temple.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49EFh1b9pd
They came to the side of the pyramid and went towards the entrance where Yaotl stood.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaKmlgYmTM
"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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3arkLTKsn
"Where is Don?" he asked.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFph2SBxdQ5
"He follows with two other warriors," Don replied, disguising his voice as heavily as he could and pointing vaguely behind him.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2OuJIiJEd
"Escort them to the temple," Yaotl said.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIAZzq5NRv
The first victory, though a minor one, Don thought as he followed Penny and Zuma up the stairs----nonetheless a victory.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDqJG0OuyC
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJRbc2m2KS
"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."368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtqWvGmz4z
"I shall stand forever at your side," Tlaqui replied with a bow.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1w69v6TSuL
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkjDOr9iiE
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9L0Buco4s
"For your own safety, go now, Zuma," he said gently, "and thank you."368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiKtUhx5Ag
Zuma smiled bravely. "Say goodbye to Zachary for me," she said and he stepped from behind the curtain to take her hand in his.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rSDm4iV9A
"Fair thee well, Zuma," he said.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uGdvalIi8
She touched his face with her hand and left the temple.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQzTJ2lM57
Ollin stood on the terrace, gazing up at the sun. A quarter was covered by the moon. 368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB18xzm745I
Thorns lay on the altar.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgY4u7c802s
"Seize the handmaiden so that she may be punished," he ordered.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxx0YJrYVPo
Two warriors grabbed Penny by the arms.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYOVoLrxst
"Uncle Zachary!" she called out.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20zbuPy30B
Dr. Smith took a step towards her, but Don stopped him with his hand as Ann stood up.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkLpDdClFw
"I, the Great Spirit of Nenetl, forbid this punishment," she commanded.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyevwsUB9YI
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?"368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EdyTuNd7r
"I shall bring the thorns to you," Don said.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrJ39XTe8Z
"Do so," Ollin replied, staring at Ann.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWngJx63ga
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuUfMp9s3f
"Make haste, for the darkness is descending," Ollin hissed.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZided3tmw
"I obey, High Priest," Don replied calmly, and threw the thorns over the parapet.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3kslCbRQH
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pvdHczbMU
"No!" Yaotl roared as he entered the temple. "He is mine!" and he advanced menacingly towards Don.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MxGeMVwoc
"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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsx0Yw3LAwX
"Dispatch him!" the High Priest of Sacrifice barked. "The darkness comes."368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAbefiMGcv
Penny, Ann and Dr. Smith held their breath.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEksT7XKyQ8
"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!"368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxM9GBkMy4
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspvnkJ2j3m
"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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Kz1MEaB5S
"West!" Dr. Smith shouted his warning, and Don swept the light back into Yaotl's face.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumQkYgUWoB
The Chosen Warrior checked himself, tried to turn away, over-balanced and hurtled screaming to his death two hundred and fifty feet below.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh007llQbfd
"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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nhUjmhmz1
"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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiaLXxp7Pfv
"It's working, Uncle Zachary," Penny said as she dug her fingers under the base of the wall and helped to lift it up.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnniRZFdpVd
"Had to," Dr.Smith replied, "motion, dynamics, thrust. Everybody ready?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Then let us be off."368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzIfPYeSDc
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVMGra21Uz
"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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUvjbAtUZ0
"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....368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQr5FInVc6p
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOR1N9uuhS
"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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiQN0pK1QA
"Sorry, Dr. Smith," Don replied, shaking the pencil-torch a couple of times. "I think the battery's dead."368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0KQXGsFSL
Ann ran her fingers around Ollin's mask. "I failed, Dr. Smith," she said.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw04g0S0l1Q
"It was inevitable, my dear," he replied, overcoming the problem with the pulley-wheel.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0hRGAAOtL
"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."368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwAnJIJsdq
"Yes, my dear," Dr. Smith replied philosophically as he laid the bracelet on the slab beside the skeleton.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptgaAxkRTm
"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."368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89D9e9mIaM
"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."368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwO7QF9MeHU
"I hope so," she said and went into the TARDIS.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaov55GH1c
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.368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmDdy73da6
368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphhjLTvOnQ
THE END368Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXa0xzYtsNu
