The Adventures of Tintin: The Crypt of Popol Vuh

Written by: FossilQueen1984

Disclaimer: Well, that was dramatic, wasn't it? Rastapopoulos returns with Allen as his lackey, Carreidas seems to have sold everyone out for personal gain, Helene got wounded and the gang is off to who knows where! Fasten your seat belts, this ride is about to get bumpy. Again, I only own Rosamund, Helene, and the baby twins. All other characters belong to Gorges Remi, Peter Jackson, Steven Spielberg, Neil Gaiman, Russell T Davies, BBC America, BBC, and 20th Century Fox. On with the story!

Suggested Soundtrack: Imperial March/Love Pledge and the Arena- John Williams, Imperial March- John Williams

Chapter 10: Terra Incognitus

Helene woke up sometime later, her head resting on Tintin's shoulder. Snowy was plopped on his lap and he was staring out into space. Wincing, she inquired about what had happened. Tintin kissed her, "You're awake. We're still prisoners under Rastapopoulos and Allen. Turns out Spalding and those two other men behind Haddock, Rosamund and Skut are hired thugs, and we are traveling to an unknown destination."

Helene nodded, and padded Snowy's head. Oddly, Spalding came by with a tray of food. Rosamund sniffed at this, "Food, how thoughtful. Are you intending to poison us as well?" Spalding retorted that it would be awhile before they landed and his boss thought they should at least be fed. Hungry beyond belief, Helene reached for a cheese and sausage platter along with a fruit cocktail and seltzer water.

Tintin shook his head, they were vegetarian, but the protein was sorely needed and she had been shot at. He wasn't going to scold her, so he ate some crackers and cheese. Snowy finished off the leftovers. Haddock and Rosamund helped themselves to whatever was left. Haddock hit the jackpot when he found an unopened bottle of Rob Roy Whiskey. Downing it in about ten minutes, he began singing "If I Were a Rich Man" along with "Master of the House" and other show tunes. Skut, who was eating the salads from the food court, nodded along. Haddock's singing was at least lightening the mood. Now, if only they could reclaim the plane.

The good times came to an end as Haddock dozed off and the plane came in for a landing. As the plane landed, the guards were led off the plane and two rounds of gunfire were heard. "Well, I guess in between our captors, the thugs were just temporary," Skut observed as the two couples, canine and pilot were led out as hostages into a waiting covered Jeep.

Along the way, the prisoners could make out the Pacific Ocean and far away volcanoes. Every so often, Helene thought she saw cruise ships and commercial fishing trawlers. Where on Earth were they? Rosamund sniffed the air, "We're defiantely in the tropics, and you can smell the palm trees all the way up here on the rocky bits. I think we're on one of the uninhabited Sunda Isalnds."

Spalding congratulated the woman on her geography, though in a condescending and sarcastic manner. Snowy barked, "Well, here we are. Terra Incognitus. Spalding, do you know your Latin?" Spalding kicked Snowy, and Helene pinched him. An argument broke out, and Allen shouted, "Knock it off both of you!" Flashing his dagger, they bit their lips for the rest of the trip.

The sun was at its zenith when they arrived. There destination was an abandoned Japanese base camp from World War II. The buildings were surprisingly clean and the roads were repaired, as though they were being expected. Armed with an automatic machine gun, Spalding and Allen marched the two couples, canine and pilot into separate bunkers. Locking the door, Allen and Spalding dragged Carreidas off as the mogul kicked and screamed like a small child denied a privilege.

Helene told Tintin and the others, "Bloody hell, they've dragged him upstairs." Collapsing onto one of the bunks, Tintin was at her side instantly. Wiping her brow, he told her, "Hush, you need to rest." Lying down beside her, Tintin wrapped his arms protectively around her. They were soon asleep and Snowy watched them carefully.

From where he was sitting, Skut frowned. "It's a shame this is all happening now. They are so in love with each other, I'm afraid that they'll die of broken hearts if something should happen to the babies," he intoned kindly.

Haddock nodded, "Kinder words have never been spoken, young Skut. They're stronger than that. Besides, we're after Rastapopoulos for another reason. We believe he is in possession of a box that rightfully belongs to the locals of San Theodoros. But, right now we have no way of really knowing."

Rosamund sat next to him, all they could now was wait.

As Tintin and Helene slept, a sharp German sounding voice could be heard through the ventilation shafts, "Thank you for bringing the patient, Rastapopoulos. Now, Herr Carreidas, if that is indeed your real name, this will only take a second."

"Who… who are you? What are you doing with that vial?"

"Allen, Spalding- hold the coward down! Now, just take a deep breath and answer Rastapopoulos' questions."

"AHHHHHHH!"

The shout woke Helene and Tintin up. About to ask what was going on, Haddock and Skut hushed them as Rosamund twisted the vents in such a way that they could all hear what was going on. It was obvious that someone had given Laszlo a truth serum. If they all weren't facing sudden death, this would have been an exciting, if not nerve wracking news story. Snowy whimpered, what was going on?

"See, now aren't you feeling better? All right, Grecian. He's all yours."

"It's about time. Look here, Carreidas- I know your real name. Now, tell me the number to your Swiss bank account!"

"…Why should I? Why should I, who have spent years obtaining wealth in ways that would make you shiver, tell you anything, little man?"

"Excuse me? How dare you call me a little man? I have done plenty in my life time, opium smuggling, bribing officials, inciting rebellions and riots, weapon running, tomb robbing, loan sharking and murder! Do you consider those little crimes, Dorian Grey? For your information, I have already marked Doctor Kroellspell , Spalding and Allen for death. Before that though, I intend to murder a certain Belgian millionaire, his theoretical physicist wife, their little doll of a daughter, her journalist husband and that damned terrier. As for the unborn infants, I will cast them into the ocean! How does that strike you, you bleeding pansy?"

"Ha ha ha, you call those crimes! I have infiltrated top financial offices and skimmed the books before causing their bank president's to commit suicide on their wedding anniversaries. I have slept with the sons and daughters of high profile bigwigs and blackmailed them for political favors. I have raped the sons of military officers who have put hits out on me. I have sold state secrets and faked my own death so many times that they might as well make a movie about me."

The terrible conversation continued, and it was anyone's guess when the insanity would stop.