Malone, Marguerite, Roxton, Challenger, and Veronica stood there, an illuminating ray of light before shone them, gleaming in it, was the smile of Veronica's father. It appeared for a moment, and rose up into the sky, towards the morning sun.
"Part of me had always known that my parents were still alive," Veronica told them, "and part of me had already accepted them as being dead. Either way, I had to find out, seek the truth. I guess, now I know."
"And in the end," said Roxton softly, "all they wanted to do was make the world better for you."
"Not just for me," said Veronica, showing more emotion than she had ever let anyone see. She gulped, looked down and closed her eyes. She looked back up at them, a single tear rolled down her cheek. "For us," she smiled.
After a brief pause, "For all of us," Malone added, going over to comfort her.
Without warning the ground began to rumble. A crack formed in front of them, something rising from the ground.
"I don't believe it!" exclaimed Veronica.
It all started with just another normal day on the plateau. A day, that in the beginning, looked to be no different than any other. Things began to get wild when the storm rolled in. All of the explorers were in the treehouse while outside, buckets of water fell from the sky.
"I'm glad your parents built this treehouse, Veronica," Marguerite said, "you'd be soaked if you got stuck out there."
"My parents…" Veronica said, distant.
Malone was by the railing looking out. "It's clearing up," he said, "look, it's a rainbow."
Challenger walked over, "Beautiful," he said.
"Rainbow…" Veronica said, sounding distant once more. Then she sprung up. "I have to go," she said.
"What? Why?" asked Malone.
"That rainbow, I think it can lead me to my parents," she said.
"And just how do you think it can do that?" Roxton asked.
"Remember the incident with that giant?" Veronica said.
"Who can forget?" Marguerite said.
"Keenak said that my parents might be found in El Dorado," Veronica explained.
"The city of gold," said Challenger, possibly seeing Veronica's point.
"Yes," Veronica said, "and my father always told me that at the base of a rainbow, you'll find a pot of gold."
"So," started Malone, "you're thinking that if you follow the rainbow to the base, you'll find the El Dorado!"
"Exactly!" exclaimed Veronica.
"Yes," said Marguerite, who was skeptical, "and I'm sure the leprechauns at the gate will be delighted to point you in the right direction."
"Hey," said Malone defending her, "this could really lead somewhere. I for one, would like to go along."
"Yes," said Challenger, "as would I."
"I'm not saying I wouldn't like to see a city of gold, but I won't believe it until I do see it," Marguerite explained.
"All the more reason to come along," Roxton told her.
"Well," Veronica announced, "whoever is coming had better come now because we have to hurry up and get there before the rainbow goes away!"
She ran into the elevator, and the other four joined her, just in time to catch the lift. Veronica was in a big hurry to follow her hunch and see if it would lead her to her heart's desire. She didn't want jewels, a man hunter's trophy, published journals, or credit for a great scientific achievement. No, what Veronica wanted more than anything was to find her parents. This rainbow, she hoped, would lead the way.
The five of them ran through the jungle. Veronica out ran them all, and the others were starting to sag behind. The rainbow shined with an almost storybook like brilliance. The colors were so bold and bright, it appeared as if it were painted on the sky. At one point, the running group approached a thick branch that was sticking out onto their path at about head height. Malone had been taking up the rear. Everyone had to slow up a little, but were able to duck under the branch. All except Malone that is. He had been looking behind him just before he came to the branch, making sure that the noise he heard was only the light rain, and not someone or something that might have been following them.
Hearing him fall, the others turned back. "Malone," said Veronica, "can't you be more careful? We can't afford delays!"
"It's okay," Malone said, getting up, "oh, maybe not! I'm kind of dizzy."
"We don't have a lot of time…" Challenger started.
"It's okay," Marguerite interrupted, "I'll just take him back to the treehouse. The rest of you keep going. Go and find your city of gold." The way she said it made it sound like she still didn't really believe that they would find El Dorado.
"You'll be all right?" asked Roxton.
"We'll be fine, it's not that far. Don't worry so much."
"Well," said Roxton, "maybe I should go with…"
Challenger cut him off, "Marguerite and Malone will be okay. We have to hurry up before the rainbow fades away."
"Oh, all right," said Roxton.
So, Roxton, Challenger, and Veronica continued running toward the base of the rainbow.
A few hours later the Veronica, Challenger, and Roxton stopped. All of them were out of breath, and getting tired. They rain had just stopped minutes earlier, and most of the clouds were already gone.
"The rainbow's fading," said Challenger.
"We'll never make to the base in time," Roxton said.
"Look," said Veronica, pointing to a bright glow just through the trees, "I think we've found what we're looking for."
Challenger and Roxton looked up. "It looks like the colors of the rainbow, shining off of… gold!" exclaimed Challenger.
They ran toward the glow. When they got there, they were in awe of the sight. It truly was a city of gold. Most of the buildings looked the same, but there was a larger one in the center of town that was much taller. The rainbow light, shined directly onto this center building, and reflected off the gold of the entire city.
A young man came forward, his golden skin glistening in the sun. "Is this?" Veronica started to ask.
"Welcome," he said, "welcome to El Dorado!"
Back at the treehouse, Marguerite was tending to Malone. "This really is a bad bump, Ned," she was saying, "you have to learn to be more careful."
"I'll be okay," Malone told her, "I just need to rest a little."
"You're lucky you didn't get a concussion," said Marguerite.
"So," asked Malone, "do you think they'll really find El Dorado?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Marguerite said, "a city of gold, I wish."
Malone smiled, "I'd think you of all people would want to believe it."
"A golden city," said Marguerite thoughtfully, "well, make me the mayor." She laughed. "Legends Malone," she said, "only legends. Made up by the dreamers. Of course, being such a young journalist, I suppose I should have expected you to buy it."
"Isn't it worth looking for?" asked Malone, "if even the slightest chance of it being there exists, don't you wish you could be out there searching?"
"Well," said Marguerite, "thanks to you I'm kind of stuck here now, aren't I? I'm going to let you rest now. You'll call me if you need anything?" Malone nodded. "Try not to dream of Shangri-La," Marguerite called as she left the room.
"Incredible!" said Challenger in awe.
"Marguerite's probably going to kill us when she finds out where we've been," Roxton said.
"My name," said the man greeting them, "is Drabek [pronounced drey-beck]. Come, I will show you around the city if you'd like."
"Yes," Challenger said, "that would be splendid!"
Veronica was not quite as enthusiastic. "Wait," she said, "that's not why we're here."
Drabek turned his attention toward Veronica, "And why are you hear then?"
"I'm looking for my parents. I've been told that they may be here."
"Yes," said Drabek, "you are Veronica, are you not?"
"That's right," Veronica told him.
"Your parents have alerted us of your existence, in the event that you might find yourself here," Drabek explained, "they have been worried about you for some time."
"Then why didn't they come back and see me?" Veronica asked.
"The location of this city must remain a secret," said Drabek, "we can't let visitors come and go as they please, go back to that outer world and lead others here."
"Are you saying now that we've arrived, we can't leave?" Roxton asked concerned. Challenger and Veronica became unsettled as well.
"Don't be so worried," Drabek said casually, "it's just a security issue. We can't have all these people flocking here. A city of gold, can you imagine all the invasions we would have? Come, take a look at our glorious city of gold!"
"Maybe we should just leave," Challenger said, trying to sound laid back, like Drabek did.
"No," he said, still trying to maintain a friendly demeanor, "I insist, come inside the city."
"Fine," said Veronica, "I want to see my parents."
"All in good time," Drabek said.
Veronica pulled out her knife, she was not yet convinced that she would find her parents here, and she didn't like the idea of not being able to leave. "I don't think you understand," she said, "that's not a request, it's a demand."
Suddenly, more of the El Dorado inhabitants jumped out from the jungle surrounding the city wall. Roxton and Challenger turned aiming their rifle, but there were vastly outnumbered. This is a battle they would not win.
"Hand over your weapons," commanded Drabek.
The three had forcibly consented. Drabek led them into El Dorado. Just standing inside the city was a privilege. The sun glistened off the golden walls, streets, and sidewalks to create a glow within the city.
"This is amazing!" Challenger commented, "how was this city built?"
"Our ancestors," explained Drabek, "found the gold in a cave elsewhere on this plateau. Countless generations worked to extract it. Then, we devised a way to melt the gold, and then we could mold it into what we needed to build our buildings, our roads."
"Fascinating," said Challenger.
Hours later after Drabek had showed them all the important buildings and areas of the city, the explorers went to a restaurant for a meal.
"And what would you like?" a waitress asked Veronica.
"Actually," she said, "I'm not hungry." She turned to Drabek, "When were you planning on letting me see my parents?" she asked him.
"Patience!" Drabek said, becoming inpatient himself, "why are you so insistent?"
"I've been waiting years to see my parents again!" Veronica exclaimed.
"And you can't wait a few more hours?" Drabek asked.
"They're not here, are they?" Veronica said, "that's it, I want to get out of here!"
The waitress stepped back in shock, "You can't leave!" she said, exasperated by the thought.
"I don't know about that," challenged Roxton.
"You're right, Veronica," Drabek said, "about your parents. 'They' aren't here. 'They' aren't anywhere anymore."
"What are you talking about?" Veronica asked him, her tone soft, and her curiosity peaked.
"I'm afraid to report," Drabek said sadly, "that your mother no longer lives."
"What?" said Veronica in shock.
"Yes," confirmed Drabek, "you see, your father found us many years ago, he had been attacked by something, and he carried an injured woman. We tried to caution him that if we let him inside, he would be stuck here, but he insisted we help the woman."
"That sounds like him," Veronica said thoughtfully.
Drabek continued, "We gave our full effort, but the woman's injuries were too severe. That woman was your mother, and she died. Your father wanted to leave here after that, to go and see his daughter, which would be you. We had to tell him that he could not go, and that he would have to remain here indefinitely. He didn't like it, but that's the rule. He told us that if you were to ever find this place, that we must lure you inside, so that we could reunite him with his daughter."
"So then why haven't you, yet?" Veronica asked, anger in her voice.
"Your father is out at the moment," Drabek replied.
"I thought nobody leaves the city walls?" Roxton asked.
"Yes," Drabek said uncomfortably, "we have several fields in which we guard, for farming purposes. Your father is on one of the one's that we no longer use, accompanied by guards to make sure that we won't flee, but at this point, we trust him. He's building something, although we're not sure what it is exactly."
"That's not surprise," Veronica said to the others. Then, to Drabek, "I want to go to this field and see him."
"Although we trust your father outside the gates with guard, we don't trust you," Drabek stated flatly. "Now, why don't you get something to eat?"
"I'm still not hungry," Veronica told him.
"Fine," said Drabek, "then perhaps you should get some rest. We have made arrangements for the three of you."
"How thoughtful," muttered Roxton as he sat up to be lead to their room.
At the treehouse, Malone was feeling much better and he and Marguerite were getting along just fine. Several days had passed since Malone was injured, and the other three still hadn't returned.
"You call this cooked?" Marguerite screamed.
"You didn't want to make dinner, so don't complain," Malone mused.
"If you're going to go to the trouble to kill a Raptor for food, you might as well cook it. I could get sick eating this half raw slab of meat!"
Malone dug into his and took a nice big bite, "Delicious," he commented with his mouthful. Some blood from the lightly cooked meat dripped down his face, "Oops!" he said, reaching for a napkin.
"Ugh!" Marguerite screamed, she threw out her meat, "I think I'll just have some fruit tonight thanks to you, our master chef."
"The others have been gone a while," Malone said, "I'm starting to get worried."
"Well," said Marguerite, "you weren't expecting them to find El Dorado or anything were you?"
"What I'm saying," Malone told her, "is that something could have happened to them. I think tomorrow we should go out looking for them."
"You're probably right," Marguerite admitted.
The next morning, Malone and Marguerite set out to find their colleagues.
"Where do we begin?" Marguerite complained, "we'll never pick up their trail!"
"Don't be too sure about that," said Malone, "look."
"Footprints?" Marguerite asked, "Their footprints?"
"Of course!" Malone exclaimed upon seeing it, "it hasn't rained since that day they went out, and they were running hard through the mud, all three of them. I think the trail should be almost completely intact and undisturbed."
"Well," said Marguerite, "good, the sooner we can find them the better."
"Just follow me," said Malone as he boldly followed the days old footprints.
Meanwhile, back in El Dorado, nearly two days had passed since our explorers had arrived. On this night, Challenger and Roxton were sitting in their room when Veronica came in.
"That's it!" she exclaimed, "I've had it! We've got to find a way out of here."
"I'm all for that," Roxton agreed, "but how are we supposed to do that without our weapons?"
"Plus," added Challenger, "the guards are watching us very closely."
"We've got to do something!" Veronica continued, "whatever is going on here, I don't like it. It's been 2 days, and I still haven't seen my father, if he's really here. I refuse to just idly spend another night here."
"Maybe," Roxton speculated, "if I set a distraction, you two could escape, get Malone and Marguerite, and the four of you could get me out."
"Let's try it," Veronica said.
"If you're willing, Roxton," said Challenger, "let's step outside and see what we can do."
Outside, the streets were full of people running indoors, and guards that were heading to the town's entrance. They could hear a voice saying, "It's okay, you can take our weapons, we just need to see our friends inside."
"Oh, Malone," Veronica said, recognizing his voice, "now we're all stuck in here."
Shortly after this happened, Malone and Marguerite joined their friends.
"This is extraordinary!" Malone said.
"A city of gold, I can't believe it!" said a giddy Marguerite.
"I can't believe you two just came in here, we've been trying to escape," Veronica snapped.
"Why?" asked Malone.
"It's not a two way door," Roxton explained, "they don't let you leave once your here."
"Living in a city of gold," Marguerite mused, "I could think of worse things. Did you at least find your parents, Veronica?"
"No," Veronica replied grimly, "they claim my father is off building something, and that my mother is dead, but no sign of either of them so far."
"What now?" Roxton asked.
"Now," Veronica sighed, "now, it looks like we're going to be spending our 3rd night here."
"So, then we have abandoned the idea of an escape?" Challenger asked.
"For tonight at least," Veronica replied.
"I agree," Roxton added, "now that our new pals have arrived, they'll be keeping an extra close eye on us."
"What are you looking at me for?" Marguerite asked.
"I'm just so happy to see you," he said sarcastically.
"I'll bet," Marguerite retorted, matching him with the sarcasm.
"We best be heading back to our room," Challenger informed them.
As they walked to the room, Marguerite was saying, "Golden buildings, what a waste! There's no value once you've built it into a huge structure. George is there anyway that you can cut off a few chunks of this gold for me before we leave? I wonder how pure it is?"
That morning, those who were not up, were woke up by a loud knocking at the door.
Veronica answered it, "Drabek, what do you want? Well, you might as well meet our new arrivals, Malone and Marguerite." Marguerite gestured to him, and Malone walked up to shake hands with Drabek.
Drabek turned his attention back to Veronica, "I'm sorry for my absence the past few days, but I've been visiting your father. He's most eager to see you."
"And…" Veronica baited.
"Unfortunately," Drabek told her, "I still don't know if we can trust you enough to go visit him yet?"
"Why won't he come and see me – if he's so eager?" Veronica asked him, hostility in her voice.
"Your father is refusing to leave his… well, whatever it is he's building. He claims it's almost done."
"Why won't you let Veronica go and visit with him?" Malone asked.
"We prefer to keep Veronica here in the city, where we can better keep an eye on her. All of you seem like you really want to get out of here."
"Look," said Malone, "you can take some guards, she won't try to run off, I promise. She just wants to see him. I'll even go, and I swear I'll stop her myself if she tries to run off. This is about family."
"You seem like a trustworthy man," Drabek observed, "very well, I will take the two of you there, but if you try anything, I warn you now, I will have you all killed."
Malone and Veronica, led by Drabek, began walking, out of the city and around to some agricultural fields.
"Ned," Veronica told him, "thanks for putting in a word for me." She kissed him on the cheek.
"Well," said Malone, "I'm just trying to help your biggest dream come true. Besides, I know that if we had a chance to get off the plateau, you'd do the same."
"Here we are," announced Drabek.
Malone and Veronica were in a large field full of wild grass located in small clusters sporadically. The rest was barren soil. On the other side of the field, they noticed a large golden arch, with two gold skinned guards, and a normal looking human.
"Father!" Veronica yelled. She ran towards him, and greeted her father with a big hug.
"Veronica!" he said, "it's so good to see you! I had heard you were here."
"Then why didn't you go back to the city and see me?" she asked him.
"Because of this," he said, gesturing to the large arch behind him.
Malone, who had now them asked, "What is it?"
Veronica's father leaned him close to them, and whispered, "It's a machine I built. Right underneath this ground is the cave that my expedition used to come to the plateau. I have to get to it to get out of here, but these people are very touchy about keeping their golden city a secret to the outside world. My hope was to escape and then go back and get you, Veronica."
"So," Malone whispered, "what does it do?"
"This machine," Veronica's father replied in a whisper, "amplifies the mass of the sun's rays. The cave is just a few feet below us. The heavier sun rays will break through the thin ground and into the cave. It's already working, but I can't leave because I can't let them find out what it does."
"Brilliant," commented Malone, his curiosity getting the best of him, he asked, "how does it work?"
"It'd take me forever to explain it to you. It took me years to perfect the design," he said, "and even longer to get it to work! Now Veronica dear, you have to listen to me, you and your friends will have to break out of the city and come back here in four days, do you understand me?"
"But I want to stay with you," she protested.
"In time, my dear," he told her, "now, you must go, we don't want to come off as suspicious."
"I…" Veronica said, still clearly not in agreement with walking away from her father after finding him after all these years.
"It's okay," Malone cut in, "we'll see him in a few days. We have to escape somehow, and this way, we'll finally get off the plateau!"
"Listen to your friend," her father told her.
"The two people I care most about telling me the same thing," said Veronica uneasily, "how can I resist?" To her father, "You'll be careful?"
"Always," he said assuringly.
Back in El Dorado, Malone and Veronica informed the others of the plan, and of Veronica's father's machine.
"How could he have done that?" Roxton said, referring to this machine that was supposed to get them home.
"My father is a very resourceful and intelligent man," Veronica told him.
"No," said Challenger, "no. It's not possible. I've gone over it three times in my head, and you just can't increase the mass of the sun's light rays. It simply can't be done!"
"Have you ever considered that maybe you don't know everything, George?" Marguerite asked him.
"And haven't you discovered by now, that here in The Lost World, anything can happen?" Malone added.
"Oh," Challenger defended himself, "don't get me wrong, it's worth a try, anything to get us out of here, but I'm just telling you that I don't see how your father's machine could work."
"Well," Veronica said, having confidence in her father, "I'm sure he'll be delighted to explain it to you when we see him."
"I hope so," said Challenger laughing.
"In four days," said Roxton, "we could be well on our way to London!"
"Uh-oh, all my gems are still at the treehouse!" Marguerite exclaimed.
Again Challenger laughed, "It looks like you may be joining me for that return expedition after all."
"Four days," said Malone, "it's going to be a long wait."
"It sure is!" Veronica agreed. Marguerite laughed, and Veronica looked over at her, "And what are you laughing at miss, 'I've left my gems in the treehouse'… Well?"
"It just that…" Marguerite replied, "Well, your glowing with excitement. Very… unusual for you – if only you acted this way all the time…"
Roxton interrupted right there, "Kind of like you."
"I am a very cheery person!" Marguerite defended.
"When it suits your purpose," Roxton agreed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Marguerite snapped.
Before the two started scratching and clawing each other in all out physical attack, Malone said, "Maybe it's best if we just try to get some sleep."
"Yeah," agreed Veronica, "I'm beat."
So, they turned out the lights, and went to sleep. The five of them would have to bide their time for four days. Then, they would go back to the spot where Veronica's father was working. None of them, not even Veronica were positive that her father's machine would work, but they kept the possibility alive. Veronica just hoped that they could pick him up, get back their weapons, and get out of there.
It was not easy just sitting around casually acting as if they accepted spending eternity in the golden city of El Dorado, but finally the allotted day had come. That morning, Challenger, Veronica, Malone, Marguerite, and Roxton ate a very hearty breakfast. Then, they moseyed there way over to a location near the city gates. That way, there were only five people in between them, and the exit out of El Dorado. Two lookouts in crude towers, and three guards are all there were. That's not counting the two guards watching Veronica's father. They all looked around at each other making sure they were ready.
"Charge!" Challenger screamed.
Challenger, Marguerite, and Veronica each targeted a guard. Malone and Roxton charged the unstable lookout towers, knocking into them with force that made them wobble, and the lookouts, consequently, fell out. With the five guards/lookouts disabled the group of explorers were reunited with their weapons and charged for the field.
When they got there, they could see the light from the sun's rays through the archway. "Wow!" said Challenger, taken back by the sight.
The guards here were on their toes, they saw the five explorers standing there. "You," one of them said to Veronica's father, "this is your doing!" He then used his spear to stab him through the heart. The guard's action was swift; Veronica's father had no time to react, no time to get away.
"Nooo!" screamed Veronica as she ran toward them.
Roxton shot the other guard, leaving the one who had stabbed Veronica's father all to Veronica. She kicked the spear out of his hand, and attacked the man brutally, leaving him cut up and unconscious. The others watched Veronica take her revenge. They all convened.
"Where's the body?" asked Malone. They all looked around, baffled by the disappearance of Veronica's father, who had been killed, or at least severely wounded by the spear.
"Look," said Challenger, pointing to the archway.
Malone, Marguerite, Roxton, Challenger, and Veronica stood there, an illuminating ray of light before shone them, gleaming in it, was the smile of Veronica's father. It appeared for a moment, and rose up into the sky, towards the morning sun.
"Part of me had always known that my parents were still alive," Veronica told them, "and part of me had already accepted them as being dead. Either way, I had to find out, seek the truth. I guess, now I know."
"And in the end," said Roxton softly, "all they wanted to do was make the world better for you."
"Not just for me," said Veronica, showing more emotion than she had ever let anyone see. She gulped, looked down and closed her eyes. She looked back up at them, a single tear rolled down her cheek. "For us," she smiled.
After a brief pause, "For all of us," Malone added, going over to comfort her.
Without warning the ground began to rumble. A crack formed in front of them, something rising from the ground.
"I don't believe it!" exclaimed Veronica.
The arch crumbled and fell. A huge crevice formed in the ground, revealing a cave that was underneath.
"It really did work," said Veronica to herself, referring back to her father's invention.
The something rising was actually a someone, which was made clear after the dust settled.
"Summerlee!" said Malone; the shock was evident in his voice, and yet shared by his comrades.
"Well," Summerlee prompted, "come on. It's time for you to come home."
"But how did you know…" Marguerite ventured.
"Wait," a voice called from behind them – a voice that sounded all too familiar.
The five of them turned to see a gray-haired man wearing all black. Aside from the gray hair the man looked identical to, "Challenger?" Malone said, then turned to the real Challenger, "but…"
"I'm from the future," the gray-haired man explained, "don't go in there, it's a trap!"
The five looked at this gray-haired man, then back at Summerlee. They froze, stuck on what to do next. They could hear the faint footsteps of a dozen guards from El Dorado, gathered, no doubt, in the city and chasing the potential escapees.
"Don't listen to him," Summerlee said, "hurry up and come to the cave before it's too late!"
They started to head that way, but the gray-haired man persisted. "Come on, George," he called, "don't you trust yourself?"
The rest of the group looked to Challenger for guidance. And why not? The man had proved on countless occasions that he was a genius. Suddenly, on the far end of the field, the golden skinned guards of El Dorado appeared.
"Get them," one of them shouted. The group of guards came running in with their spears, just moments away from reaching the explorers.
"You've got to make a decision now, Challenger," Roxton yelled, "and you'd better make it quick!"
To Be Continued