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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9o8HIkVoxF
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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgHvsEgVMm
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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMchvgaYNE
Zuma thought only of her beloved Dr. Smith, whom she knew she would lose when she delivered Penny and Don to the temple.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLONPcIRqn
They came to the side of the pyramid and went towards the entrance where Yaotl stood.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6hdEM14yp
"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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhwJN42KWR
"Where is Don?" he asked.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjPGoFDbFZ
"He follows with two other warriors," Don replied, disguising his voice as heavily as he could and pointing vaguely behind him.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtb5v423pm
"Escort them to the temple," Yaotl said.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaGFloJGIJ
The first victory, though a minor one, Don thought as he followed Penny and Zuma up the stairs----nonetheless a victory.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0MhYobuKI
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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXq1z9UXuO
"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."338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNDuanBhLd
"I shall stand forever at your side," Tlaqui replied with a bow.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TcysQfbg1
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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOj7IgBKmh
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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyGqLUwzf0
"For your own safety, go now, Zuma," he said gently, "and thank you."338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ai0yjZyPq
Zuma smiled bravely. "Say goodbye to Zachary for me," she said and he stepped from behind the curtain to take her hand in his.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT75FZlnw1h
"Fair thee well, Zuma," he said.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFX703ftTq
She touched his face with her hand and left the temple.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxeZTrsqhN
Ollin stood on the terrace, gazing up at the sun. A quarter was covered by the moon. 338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0Q6kbiCJd
Thorns lay on the altar.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50OdNTXlrg
"Seize the handmaiden so that she may be punished," he ordered.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CRsp9JSSz
Two warriors grabbed Penny by the arms.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTrjtmziSn
"Uncle Zachary!" she called out.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vnsWl69RL
Dr. Smith took a step towards her, but Don stopped him with his hand as Ann stood up.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQvFBJEKzf
"I, the Great Spirit of Nenetl, forbid this punishment," she commanded.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2dBz9nY4Z
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?"338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwbtqBQTA5B
"I shall bring the thorns to you," Don said.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDP9ZPJaqLO
"Do so," Ollin replied, staring at Ann.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkI4SOAuHi
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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2jwpeLrbC
"Make haste, for the darkness is descending," Ollin hissed.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfMrxa7fwA
"I obey, High Priest," Don replied calmly, and threw the thorns over the parapet.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPX4ovh3Au
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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxC1EBmeC1o
"No!" Yaotl roared as he entered the temple. "He is mine!" and he advanced menacingly towards Don.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzV1mcEEuY
"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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRn0Wqf9KPE
"Dispatch him!" the High Priest of Sacrifice barked. "The darkness comes."338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfakiuKYNld
Penny, Ann and Dr. Smith held their breath.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtl2hFFACXu
"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!"338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQc28qjAVlY
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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSB1Ms114T
"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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmacbu1PYM
"West!" Dr. Smith shouted his warning, and Don swept the light back into Yaotl's face.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3HZeYPvnz
The Chosen Warrior checked himself, tried to turn away, over-balanced and hurtled screaming to his death two hundred and fifty feet below.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ty9wAlgIy
"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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9TgIKyw3Z
"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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkxOHbISWY
"It's working, Uncle Zachary," Penny said as she dug her fingers under the base of the wall and helped to lift it up.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptAa80l5vA
"Had to," Dr.Smith replied, "motion, dynamics, thrust. Everybody ready?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Then let us be off."338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIn7ALLGIN
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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tJxIIYfni
"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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFFmNOUJuM
"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....338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhaFksDIfd
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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfcr5Uqixb
"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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2Oenaqz07
"Sorry, Dr. Smith," Don replied, shaking the pencil-torch a couple of times. "I think the battery's dead."338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUh4A0JZRA2
Ann ran her fingers around Ollin's mask. "I failed, Dr. Smith," she said.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlDHJiuZmz
"It was inevitable, my dear," he replied, overcoming the problem with the pulley-wheel.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSONM1yKttT
"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."338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmdDkbGzC2
"Yes, my dear," Dr. Smith replied philosophically as he laid the bracelet on the slab beside the skeleton.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQR1M9sILkS
"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."338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPTXCvxMkv
"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."338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKd7nNA67oG
"I hope so," she said and went into the TARDIS.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2VMUX7SbU
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.338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqwY790UFo
338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NyErW5W3Q
THE END338Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklpvMAxM1P
