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38 A WEEK LATER A TAXI DROVE PAST the black cast-iron fence that surrounded the shaded lawns of Harvard Yard, turned onto a quiet grass-lined street, and pulled up to a five-story Georgian-style brick edifice that sees keeping it con for the Peabody Museu to Austin and Gareat day for the Zavala fao to Harvard"
"Your mother has my husband, Paul, to thank for her little boy's success," Garatulations anyhow"
"Thank you My mother thanks you, too Shall we enter the hallowed precincts?" he said with a gallant sweep of the hand that was entirely in keeping with his character
For indeed it was Trout's sue thatTrout had arrived at the le After the reunion with his wife Trout and the others hitched a ride back to the Nereus aboard a Mexican helicopter While they waited for the choppers to arrive they took a closer look at the looted antiquities stored in the cave
Chi had led the way,his head as he explained the significance of the artifacts and the da in front of the inscribed stone panels, Chi lamented, "I know these stones tell a story, an i up and thrown into this place, it could be months, maybe years, before ill knohat it is"
Chi's words echoed in Trout's ears as the helicopter flew him and the others to the Nereus Gaood health With his wife in a real bunk and enjoying the gouralley, Paul hitched a ride back to the chicleros' caraphic equipment
The aruard the artifacts and mop up stray looters Chi had stayed on to inventory the stolen goods When Trout outlined what he had in o-ahead Trout raphs of the stones and their inscriptions Then he packed up and returned to the research vessel to rendezvous with Gaton, Paul worked the data into his computers
As a deep ocean geologist Trout had developed a high degree of skill using coraphics for his undersea projects His ent beyond si the ocean bottos on strata or thermal vents had to be presented so that a PhD wasn't needed to understand the to reconstruct everything from ancient cities to skeletal remains He conferred frequently by phone with Dr Chi, who had returned to Mexico City After his analysis he called Austin and said, "I know this sounds crazy, but this stuff I've been doing for Dr Chion"
Austin didn't need any coaxing He gave Nina Kirov a brief telephone rundown on Trout's findings and asked if she could match Paul with a Mayanist Nina immediately recoe and set up shop at the Peabody
The museum's small reception area was dorotesque faces looked down at the young college woave their names to the receptionist, who punched the intercouide appeared and led the sculpture of a seated Mayan warrior, to the fifth level
Their guide kept up a running commentary "The Peabody is one of the oldest y," she said "It was established in 1866 with a 150,000 gift fro began tit 1877 The iving much of the material back, particularly artifacts from E H Thompson's work at the sacred cenote of Chichen Itza where they used to sacrifice virgins"
"I can think of better things to do with a virgin," Zavala murmured
Fortunately the guide didn't hear his coh a door into a lecture hall Nina stood next to the lectern talking to a thin htly when she saw the others, especially Austin, he was pleased to note, and quickly came over to take his hand Austin felt his blood quicken whenever he set eyes on Nina's lush mouth and the bold curves of her supermodel's body He vowed to himself that he would take her where they weren't surrounded by their friends and colleagues
Nina introduced the new arrivals to Dr Orville Austin had learned long ago that looks didn't count, but he wasn't sure in this case The Mayanist wore a ruh the day arm His widely unfashionable thriftshop tie was decorated with old food stains The nified to incredible proportions by the thick glasses, but a burning intelligence kept the creeping shadow of madness at bay Just barely Austin expected the orbs to spin around at any moment like those of a crazed cartoon character He decided to conteement another time
"Paul is putting the final touches on the presentation and should be with us in a few minutes," Nina announced