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"Not soht in a dark alley," said Gunn

Dr Ortiz turned and waved a greeting "The largest Chachapoyan sculpture yet found I judge it dates somewhere between AD 1200 and I300"

"Does it have a name?" asked Pitt

"Demonio del Muertos," answered Ortiz "The deod as the focus of a protective rite connected with the cult of the underworld Part jaguar, part condor, part snake, he sank his fangs into whoever disturbed the dead and then dragged them into the black depths of the earth"

"He wasn't exactly pretty," said Gunn

"The deed in size froer than a hu on the deceased's wealth and status I irave in the valley"

"Wasn't the god of the ancient Mexicans some kind of serpent?" asked Gunn

"Yes, Quetzalcoatl, a feathered serpent as thewith the Ol the Spanish conquest The Inca also had sculptures of serpents, but no direct connection has yet been made"

Ortiz turned away as a laborer urine he had excavated next to the sculpture Gunn took Pitt by the arm and led him over to a low stone here they sat down

"A courier from the US Embassy flew in fro a folder from his briefcase, "and dropped off a packet that was faxed froton"

"Froer?" Pitt asked anxiously

"Both Yaeger and your friend Perlmutter"

"Did they strike pay dirt?"

"Read for yourself," said Gunn "Julien Perl swept into the jungle by a tidal wave"

"So far so good"