Title: The Quest for Nagifar - Part 9
Author: Emily
Rating: PG-13
Couplings: 1x2, 3x4, 11+13
Warnings: action, adventure, language, angst, yaoi
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Don't own Indiana Jones, either. Both belong to something bigger than I could ever comprehend.
Comments/Lyrics/ and emphasis and 'thought' and flashback, some may not be used in this fic...it's just a heads-up. Sequel to "Heero Yuy and the Eye of Horus". Starts up maybe two or three months after its epilogue. You don't need to have read "HYatEoH" in order to understand this fic, but it would be nice.
Cuzco, Peru
Doctor Odin Lowe watched as Duo Maxwell spoke quietly to an adolescent girl they passed on the road. It irritated him that they were speaking in whispered tones - he didn't understand any Spanish, besides the basics that all foreign travelers needed to barely get by. He had done all of his major fieldwork in Japan and then in the United States, writing articles for National Geographic when he needed money and didn't feel like going out on a dig. Lowe had to find ways to keep the money coming - especially during the Great Depression - and he often went back to Japan because, if nothing else, there was always someone who wanted to learn English.
"She said we aren't too far from the ruins," Maxwell said when he returned, pushing sweat-soaked bangs out of his eyes. "It's about five miles or so, and she suggested we leave the truck because it'll hurt more than help."
Odin scowled. "Did she say we should leave the keys, too, so it'll be easier for her to steal it from us?"
He didn't miss the dark glare the younger man sent his way. "You can wait here if you have trust issues with the locals."
The archaeologist was tempted, but if Duo were to find something while looking at the ruins, he didn't want the younger man taking all the credit for the discovery. Lowe had done a full background check on him, and he was aware of Maxwell being an orphan and his brief stint as a street urchin. He didn't want to risk his findings to someone who was used to stealing in order to survive.
After a long, uneasy silence, Duo sighed and began to walk down the worn path that led to Machu Picchu, the most famous and best kept of all the Incan ruins. It was hot - muggy with tons of mosquitos swarming around the two men. Doctor Lowe could hear the deep rumble of a male howler monkey in the distance, knowing that the species could be heard from miles away. As they started to climb up-hill, Lowe couldn't help but wonder if Duo was certain of where they were going.
"This is the correct direction, right?" he asked, voicing his doubts.
Duo shrugged almost nonchalantly, Odin wondering how the younger man could be so calm faced with the possibility of being horribly lost. "Don't know; it's not like I've ever been to Machu Picchu before."
"So we're lost."
Duo spun around to face the older man, his expression full of ire. "Well I haven't seen you being much help during any of this! All you have done is follow me around while I gathered all the information and spoke to every person we met while you made all the decisions. On top of that, you have been an unsociable asshole this entire time, and I think I'm going insane because I've been getting more meaningful conversations out of talking to myself than any of my exchanges with you. What's your problem, anyway? You're the one who invited me out here but you attack everything I say or do."
Odin clenched his jaw, unwilling to answer all of Duo's questions, but there was at least one he could handle for the moment. "I invited you based on your skills, not because I wanted to go on some bonding trip where we shared every detail of our lives, no matter how insignificant. Not to mention how difficult it is for me to think when you won't shut up even for a minute." He was slightly amused when he noticed Duo's hands clenching into fists at his side. "Besides we have more important things to worry about."
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Duo practically snarled.
Lowe nodded at the jungle all around them. "A group of tribal huntsmen has been following us for a least the last mile and a half. I get a glimpse of one every now and then. So far I've been able to distinguish at least five different huntsmen. All are armed with spears that appeared to be decorated with quetzal feathers."
He saw Duo look around apprehensively, listening for the telltale sound of movement in the foliage, but all was deathly silent. Even the howler monkey seemed to have left his post. Duo dropped his knapsack to the ground, slowly raising his hands in the air and looking at Odin as if he should do the same. Slowly dark-skinned faces began to reveal themselves in the jungle, forming a circle around the two Americans so they wouldn't suddenly run off.
"Nosotros venimos en paz,"1 Duo said, which Odin found pretty stupid because most of the tribes spoke there own dialects that didn't even resemble Spanish.
The native that seemed to be in charge due to his more elaborate face and body paintings nodded wordlessly at two of the huntsmen, who stepped forward and poked at the men in the backs with their spears, urging them to walk in the direction they dictated.
"What the hell did you say to them?" Odin growled through clenched teeth.
"That we weren't an enemy. There's a chance they didn't understand-"
"We understand fine, White Man," the leader said in extremely accented English. "Missionaries come through to us and teach the children."
Odin shook his head as Duo's eyes widened comically in surprise. "So where are you taking us?"
"Away from our village. White Man brings trouble whenever he come."
Doctor Lowe's interest perked up, wondering if the head huntsman knew anything about the sea demon they had come in search of to begin with. "Do you know about a sea monster that carried the gods?"
The huntsman grunted an affirmative. "My people learned overtime that the monster carried White Man who brought over more White Man who destroyed our lands and made us rebuild our great cities."
"We're just looking for the monster - to prove if it exists or not. If you can bring us to it, or show examples that it lived, we'll go back to where we came from and leave you and your people alone."
He seemed to consider this. "What will you trade for the favor?"
"Money, of course," Odin responded, not sure what else the huntsman would be expecting. 'That's what people perform services for, isn't it? What else would they possibly need?'
Lowe caught Duo rolling his eyes in his peripheral vision. "Ignore my...partner. He doesn't know how to trade properly. I can offer enough corn, rice, and grains to sustain your village for years to come."
"This White Man drive a good bargain," the huntsman grinned. "My name is Agoztar."
"My name is Duo, and this is Odin," the longhaired American introduced the pair. "Can you take us to Machu Picchu?"
Agoztar seemed to think for a moment. "The ancient ruins? Yes. We can spend the night there, if you wish. It will take us a long time to get there, though, since we are far off the trail."
Doctor Lowe saw the sheepish grin he got from Duo, and he was actually glad that the huntsmen decided to trail them or only God knows where they would have ended up.
'And getting lost in the rainforest would have ended with one of us killing the other. I have more reason to want to take his life more than he realizes.'
End Part 9
1 "We come in peace." Yes, I know that's what aliens always say in cheap sci-fi flicks, but really, what else was he gonna say?