Page 102 (1/2)

“Could be,” Lazlo said “How long have they been active here?” he asked

“I don’t know,” Saot the impression that they were a relatively recent development”

“That’s ,” Remi said “There was no mention of them in any of the accounts from the civil war in 2000”

Lazlo shined the light beam on the far wall of the cave, which stretched into darkness beyond the water’s edge “Not to be a , but back to the immediate concern—the treasure Shall we continue into the void and see e find?”

Leonid stared at the skeletons “They certainly aren’t going anywhere”

“Lead on, Lazlo,” Remi said

“Wait,” Sa the surface of the pool “I want to see how deep this is”

“Why?” Leonid asked

“In case our Japanese friends decided the best place to hide a treasure was back underwater” Sam approached the pool, knelt, and probed at it with his machete The blade hit stone He continued until he was standing near the center of the pool in no more than three inches of water “I think it’s safe to say there’s no treasure here”

The group moved to the other side of the cavern, the walls lit with the eerie blue-white of their flashlights, and Lazlo took careful steps into the narrower passage at the far end A few moments later, he stopped, speechless

“What is it, Lazlo?” Remi whispered

When he found his voice, it was tremulous “Rather a lot more dead in here”

The scene in the second, shtmare: at least thirty skeletons of all sizes were strewn around the cave, their dead grins greeting the newcomers in humorless welcoht on the piles of bones Rerim spectacle

“It’s a massacre,” she said in a quiet voice

“Look at the size of them,” Leonid murmured