Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Sanctuary or its characters, I just play with them. My words, however, are my own.
Note: This story can stand alone but is technically a sequel to "Eye for an Eye" and part of the "No Destination in Mind Series."
Background: Druitt was cured of his energy creature, renewed his affair with Magnus for several months, then left her after she was attacked by someone seeking revenge for John's crimes. (In John's twisted mind, he left because he didn't want his presence to put Helen in any more danger.)
Genre: This story is intentionally meant to be quite a bit more lighthearted, adventuresome, romantic, and fun. Enjoy, and please review! Thank you. NCS
The Cult of Kukulkan
Chapter 1: An Intriguing Proposition
(Copyright 2010, NoCleverSig)
Helen Magnus put the finishing touches on her report to the head of the Moscow Sanctuary and hit "send" as the Big Guy picked up her water glass and brushed the top of her desk with his grey, feather duster.
Magnus glared at him.
"Must you do that while I'm working? Can't you wait until I leave?" she questioned him, irritated.
Biggie kept dusting. "You never leave," he muttered, and moved to the end table, carefully cleaning the coasters and the Mayan bust.
Magnus sighed. "I know what you're doing. You're hovering again. I'm fine. Really."
"Uh-huh," he mumbled, lumbering over to the bookshelf on the far side of the room, duster in hand.
"You never liked him. Why do you care that he's gone?" Magnus asked defensively.
"Because you care," he answered simply, stopping his work to look at her. She stared at him, feeling tears suddenly well up inside and shook herself. She'd be damned if she'd cry over John Druitt again!
In the weeks since John had left her, Magnus had worked furiously to keep her emotions in check, substituting sadness with anger. True, the day he'd gone, she'd broken down in front of Will, but that was out of pure shock. Since then she'd shaken herself off, dove head first into her work, and hadn't looked back.
Damn, John Druitt! Damn him to hell!
Magnus nodded and gave her friend a shy smile. "I appreciate the support old friend, but I'm fine, honestly."
The door bell rang.
Biggie set the duster down and strode toward the hallway. He paused in the threshold and looked back at her. "You're a bad liar," he grunted as he left.
"Helen!"
Nikola Tesla sauntered into Magnus' office, arms spread wide and lips parted in his typical, toothy grin. Helen rose to greet him, unable to repress a smile in return. It was good to see an old, if not trusted, friend.
"Nikola!"
She reached out and embraced him and was surprised at how tightly he hugged her in return. He stepped back to look at her, hands grasping her upper arms. Magnus could see his scientific mind absorbing and analyzing her every feature. Finally, Tesla took his index finger and gently stroked the small scar on her cheek.
"You had me worried, Helen," he said softly and very un-Nikola like. "Kidnapped and tortured by a madman seeking revenge on John for his crimes? That's got to be tough, even for you."
She breathed in. "I'm fine, Nikola."
He nodded, letting the comment pass. "Did you get the flowers I sent?"
She smiled. "I did. They were beautiful. Thank you."
"It was the least I could do. Speaking of...where pray tell is Johnny the Homicidal Maniac? I would have assumed he would be hovering all over you dark and billowy like. Frankly I'm surprised he hasn't assaulted me already."
Helen' face dropped, but she caught it before she thought Tesla had noticed. She was wrong.
"He's not here," she said simply, her eyes darting from his.
Nikola looked at her appraisingly. "Out and about fetching your abnormals?"
"Not exactly," she replied evasively, moving to the couch, gesturing for Nikola to join her. She took a deep breath. "We...aren't together anymore. Actually, to be more precise, John left."
Nikola sat down and nodded, watching Helen closely. "Ah, so you're the one who gets clobbered, and he splits. That sounds remarkably like John."
Magnus started to respond, but Nikola held out his hand and stopped her.
"Seriously Helen, I have never met two more tragic lovers. Romeo and Juliet had nothing on you. Antony and Cleopatra, Lancelot and Guinevere, Tristan and Isolde…."
Helen interrupted him. "Nikola. I get it, thank you. We've had our moments, I know."
"And this is just another one," Tesla suggested.
Helen took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm afraid, Nikola, that this one is rather more permanent," she said softly.
Nikola stretched his arm across the couch behind her, scooted toward her, and leaned in, his warm breath caressing her face. "Ah, Helen," he whispered enigmatically. "You of all people know there is rarely anything in this world that is permanent. And I will say this once and only once and you will never hear it pass my lips again. Ready?"
She nodded.
"You and John were meant to be together…aside from the whole 'homicidal maniac' thing," he said waving his hands in the air emphatically.
"I think the 'homicidal maniac thing' is what's gotten in our way," Helen deadpanned.
"Hm…," Tesla nodded. "But on to other matters…," he continued before Magnus had time to question his inscrutable tone.
"So you mean there are other reasons you're here other than to see to my good health?" she teased.
"Indeed,' he smiled. "I have something for you. Something I think you'll find most intriguing."
Nikola reached into his inner jacket pocket and withdrew an envelope, handing it to her.
"Go ahead. Take a peek," he said, conspiratorially.
Magnus gave him a quizzical look then opened the envelope examining its contents.
"Where did you get this?" she asked.
"I have my sources. Intrigued yet?" he smiled mischievously.
Helen stood up, pacing the room, reading the letter and looking at the picture it contained of a snake-like creature with a human head. "Kukulkan? Nikola, these creatures are mythological, if they existed at all. This photo must have been faked," she remarked skeptically.
Nikola rose to meet her, arms crossed. "Those were my initial thoughts as well, but I've had it examined. It's real."
Helen tapped the photo with her finger nail. "If this is true, then you've rediscovered an abnormal thought to be extinct since the fall of the Mayans, you realize that don't you?"
Tesla smiled. "Of course I do."
"Why bring it to me?" she asked tilting her head, scrutinizing him.
"What you're really asking, Helen, is what's in it for me?"
She smiled. "Precisely."
Tesla held his hands up in mock surrender. "Can't I just give you a present?"
Magnus smirked and shook her head.
"Okay, here's the deal. I don't need the creature or the money it might bring me on the open market BUT," he said raising a finger to her, "I do want the credit for finding it," he concluded, waggling his eyebrows at her.
"Credit? You? For finding a mythological Mesoamerican Mayan snake God? My I can't imagine that!" Helen replied, her voice laden with sarcasm.
Tesla put his hands in his jacket pockets and turned his nose up, feigning annoyance. "Some people live for money others for fame. Me? I like having discoveries named after me, especially when I can get someone else to do all the dirty work." He turned back and grinned at her.
"Kukulkan von Tesla?" Helen suggested, eyebrows raised.
Nikola stroked his chin with his hand in mock contemplation. "Hmm...needs work. But it's a start," he grinned.
"You know, these are the times when I miss Johnny the most," Kate Freelander sighed, whispering to Will Zimmerman as they trudged, backpacks in tow, through the muck of the Guatemalan jungle.
"I mean, not only was the guy polite, he could zap us in and out of places like 'Wham! Bam!' none of this walking...through the muck...up to our hips...in mud..."
"Kate?" Helen Magnus called back over her shoulder.
"Yeah boss?"
"Put a sock in it."
"What?" Kate asked. She turned to Will and whispered. "What did she just say?"
"Shut up," Will agreed.
"Oh...sure thing, boss!" she yelled to Magnus.
"Thank you," Helen replied, not turning around. Suddenly she stopped, almost sending Kate careening into her backside.
"There!" Magnus pointed. Kate and Will followed her hand. The jungle opened up in front of them. In the clearing stood more than 20 huts surrounded by men, women and children, scantily clad in a mix of modern and native clothing, going about the business of daily life. A few looked up at the three of them as they approached.
Will walked up to Magnus. "Who are these people again?"
"Itzá...an indigenous group of Mayans who lost a power struggle a thousand years or so years ago in the Yucatan Peninsula and retreated here. Their native language is virtually extinct now. Most of them live along Lake Petén Itzá where the serpent god was reportedly seen. If Nikola's facts are correct...and that's a big 'if'," she said pointedly to Will, "this particular group of Itzás still worship the creature and may be able to send us in the right direction."
Will nodded. "Can you communicate with them?"
"I'm hoping their language is close enough to Mayan still to do so, but if not, Spanish may suffice. Let's find out."
Magnus walked up to the crowd of men who had gathered in front of them, smiled, and raised her hand in greeting. "Ba'ax ka wa'alik!"
They nodded, seeming to understand the words. She tried to engage them in further conversation in Mayan, but they shook their heads, confused.
"Habla español?" she asked instead.
"Si," one of them replied, a short, stout man with a crude cap of black hair, a round shirtless belly, and baggy blue shorts.
Will listened as they conversed in Spanish, catching a few phrases here and there. At one point he noticed Magnus' eyes widen, her expression and manner suddenly agitated.
"Un hombre blanco, verdad? Cuál es su nombre?" she asked the short man hastily, her voice catching.
"Juan, Juan Druid," he replied.
Will watched as all of the blood drained from Magnus' face. Kate walked up to him and leaned in, whispering. "Did that guy just say what I think he just said?" she asked.
Will nodded, shocked himself. "I think so."
"Donde?" Magnus queried him, her voice hoarse.
The dark-haired man, Kai, pointed to a reed hut at the end of the village.
"Gracias," Magnus mumbled, staring at the small dwelling nearest the trees.
"Magnus? What's going on?" Will interrupted.
Helen muttered to him, distracted. "They're letting us stay with them. They are indeed associated with the cult of Kukulkan and may be able to provide us some of the answers we're seeking."
"But that's not all he said, right?" Kate prodded.
Magnus nodded, her eyes still gazing at the hut. "He said we weren't the first to ask about the serpent god. A white man recently came here also searching for the snake king. A tall man with an accent similar to mine."
Kate looked at Will and back at Magnus. "You don't think….That's just crazy!" Kate scoffed.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." Magnus slipped her pack off her back and handed it to Will. "Hang on to this for me please, Will."
"Do you want me to come with you?"
She shook her head. "No. I'll be fine. Kai will show you to our quarters. I told him we'd pay them for their hospitality and information. If you could get us settled, Will?"
They'd been dismissed. Kate and Will looked at each other.
"Sure, will do," Will said, grabbing Kate's arm and pulling her away, walking off to follow Kai.
Magnus swallowed, took a deep breath, and walked over to the small, vine-covered home near the edge of the forest. There was no way in hell he was here in the middle of the Guatemalan jungle! she thought.
Helen stood in front of the shack in her long khaki pants and boots, tan shirt with sleeves rolled up to her elbows, hair tied back in a pony tail, and face dripping with sweat. Her heart pounded. This was insane! Impossible! she thought again. Finally she took a deep breath and called out, "Hola, puedo entrar?"
"Si, entrar," responded a deep, masculine voice.
Helen pulled the leafy cover away from the doorway, ducked her head, and walked into the hut. She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. On her right lay a backpack, black duffle bag, boots and socks. On her left was a small propane stove and lantern with what looked like a kettle of water brewing. And in the center of the hut was a rug woven with reeds and a bedroll. Atop the bedroll was a man sitting cross legged, his feet bare, his legs covered in worn khaki pants, his taut, tan torso shirtless. He had a neatly trimmed brown and grey beard and mustache, his long hair shaggy and brown. His eyes were a piercing blue.
Bloody hell! Helen thought, her jaw dropping.
"Helen!" the man exclaimed, practically jumping from his sitting position to stand up, towering over her.
"How?...Why?..." he stammered.
Helen Magnus cocked her right arm back, opened the palm of her hand, and with as much force as she could muster slapped John Druitt so hard his bearded face snapped to one side in response.
"You bloody bastard!" she yelled, turned on her heels, and stormed out.
(to be continued)