The Bold And The Beautiful, Undaunted

The Bold and the Beautiful, Undaunted

A NOVEL BY

RODNEY HART

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2012 by Rodney Hart

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Prologue

The deep cavern was misty dim, and had a strong musty odor emitting a scent of a aged damp cellar. Two men were running, running as fast as their legs could carry them, down, down the rutty cavern floor toward the entrance. Flashlights held in their right hands, lighted their progress swinging with each step they took.

Gripped tight in his left hand, Harrison held a precious solid gold cross, eleven inches long and studded with precious jewels, rubies and emeralds. The cavern entrance was still beyond their perspective.

Suddenly, an off the scale earthquake began rumbling, shaking, and quaking the floor and walls, crumbling the cavern close behind them. Cracks appeared in the cavern walls and ceiling ahead of them like tree roots fast reaching. Tailings of rock, and dirt fell onto their hats and shoulders as they ran.

Harrison quickly pushed through a giant cobweb stretching across their path, and then wildly brushed the sticky strands of web away from his face and chest as he continued running, while sneering with agitation.

Matthew, his twenty two year old son, was only steps behind Harrison. Suddenly, under the weight of each step, the floor gave way under Harrison’s weight, somehow releasing arrows from the cavern walls that raced at him and Matthew with near misses in back of Harrison and in front of Mathew. Then, without warning, the cavern floor split, opening a wide deep ravine in front of Harrison. He jumped, lofting over the space between to two ledges of the ravine and found his footing safely on the opposite edge.

He quickly looked back with concern, his expression anxious, seeing Mathew leap, careening through the air, but the ravine suddenly widened further as he lofted through the space between the two ledges. He fell short of the other side, but gripped the edge with his fingers as his knees hammered against the crevice wall.

The brittle ledge edge began to grumble under his fingers and seeing it crumbling, Harrison panicked, dropped the gold cross on the cave floor, and dove to the ledge on his chest, stretching to reach and grab Matthew’s wrists, but sadly, a fraction of a second to late and just inches short of Mathew’s hands. Instantly, the ledge edge crumbled under Matthew’s fingers. Harrison stared with despair at his son’s frightened expression as he fell down, down, down silently into the deep darkness of the seemingly bottomless ravine. Harrison screamed watching Matthew’s frightened stare as he fell: "Matt-hew, noooo!!!

The anguish in his voice was drowned out by the rumbling of the quake. He lay flat on the cave rocky floor with his head hanging over the ledge edge staring into the dense darkness to where his son had fallen for what seemed like hours, crying out in anguish again and again,

Matt-hew!!! His scream was muffled by the rumble, and cracking of the earth crumbling around him and the trembling of the earth moving beneath him.

He rolled onto his back, quickly buried his face in his hands and began sobbing uncontrollably. An hour passed.

A cold and deadly silence enveloped the cavern. The reality of losing his son bit hard into his gut with pains of anguish taking his breath as he sobbed uncontrollably. He stood and listlessly walked to the side of the cavern, kicking hard at the gold cross lying on the cave floor. It slid against the cavern wall echoing a loud thud, as he fell to his knees and then flat upon his chest upon the cavern floor.

He pondered for long minutes with tears in his eyes as he laid on the cavern floor next the precious gold cross. He lay stunned and numb, but screamed aloud.

Damn it to hell

Then, quickly standing, again, with his temper aflame, he gripped the cross, raised it over his head, starred at the deep ravine with a bitter expression, and poised to throw the cross into the ravine, but then, he wavered. He asked tearfully:

Would Matthew want me to destroy this precious artifact? We had researched the treasure hunt for years and then finally, we trudged through a vast thick jungle full of poison infested snakes and critters, risking our lives with every step we took. No, by god Matthew would want me to make his death have some meaning.

He starred at the cross and then cried out aloud with anger in his voice: Some meaning?? This, this damn piece of metal for Mathew’s life??

Suddenly, he felt drained of spirit, drained of the gusto needed to go on. It was as if life itself was meaningless and empty: That all the treasure in the world was only a vain pursuit; a running after the wind. He let his hand fall to his side, lowered his chin to his chest and groaned aloud.

He listlessly fell against the side of the cavern and he slid slowly to sit on the cavern floor, trying to make sense of it all. He bent his knees and lowered his forehead against his arms over them, and began sobbing, loosely gripping the gold cross dangling from his fingers and touching the floor between his feet.

He remained as a dead man with no recollection of time or care for hours.

The quake ended, and the silence suddenly gripped his senses and his pain intensified into hurtful despair.

Chapter 1

TWO YEARS LATER. 1980.

Harrison was sitting in a rickety wooden chair on the front porch of his and his girlfriend, Marian’s, secluded Cherokee, Georgia mountain hideaway cabin, far from the world that he wanted no part of.

The small one bedroom cabin was under tall pines nestled next to a red dirt cliff. Kudzu vines engulfed the cabin, growing profusely over the roof and over the gray painted sides.

A four week patch of whiskers blackened his face. He was drinking home brewed corn whiskey from a half full canning jar, moonshine whiskey, straight from the bottle.

As he looked down length of the bottle held to his lips, he saw a man approaching on the woodsy path and move into the clearing.

Damn, he said under his breath along with a grown. Who’s this?

With apprehension in his voice and a forced smile upon his lips, the young man spoke: Grandpa, I found something that may interest you.

Harrison was a tall slim tan faced, rugged looking man of 54. His salt and pepper hair usually cut short, hung past his ears. He wore a New York style brown felt hat to the University where he had taught Archaeology for seven years ending his teaching career only months earlier, after his son’s death. He never returned to the university.

Harrison looked at him with a disinterested snarling expression.

What?

Jonathan excitedly spoke: I found an archive writing that shows that the Aztec Indians hid their gold and jewels before Cortez invaded.

Harrison forced a mocking laugh, but inside felt as if he was going to explode.

Damn, Jonathan, I’m too old to chase after legends again. This is the only treasure I run after now, son.

He held up his bottle of moonshine whiskey.

Jonathan grimaced as he looked at his uncle. His clothes were wrinkled and worn and his hat was pulled down onto his forehead, that treasured hat that had long lost its original shape and form, looked tattered and mangled.

He put the bottle on the floor next to his chair, gripped his leather whip hanging on the cabin wall nail behind him, whipped it back, then fast forward, knocking a rat off the porch railing.

Marian had opened the front door and stood silently, listening and looking out the screen door. Jonathan grimaced his expression again.

To old, huh, So, what does that leave me to think, grandpa? I guess that the older and wiser I get, the more I should retreat into isolation and drink myself into stupors, like you do? Is that what you recommend, He raised his voice in anger.

Is it Grandpa? Jonathan’s voice was laced with disappointment and tainted with anger.

Harrison’s complexion flushed.

Listen boy, I recommend that you leave me alone.

He raised his voice.

And don’t call me grandpa, I feel too damn old already!!

Jonathan hung his chin to his chest disappointed, but a touch of hope entered his mind as he heard Harrison show some life as he said to not call him grandpa---as ‘it made him feel old.’ Then he starred at Harrison.

Great!! Thanks, gran—( he caught himself) I had hoped that when I have a grandson, I’d be able to share a few good stories with him. Now, I’m really disappointed, Harrison!!What happened to the man that used to run with the big dogs? Gees! You’ve never even taken me fishing, Harrison!

He held up his whiskey bottle.

This is my big dog!

He said bitterly holding the near empty bottle of whisky toward Jonathan. Harrison’s face reddened.

You know what, Jonathan? You’ve become too big for your britches since you’ve began teaching at the University!

Jonathan was that month 26 years old with earlobe length strait blonde hair. Being very good looking with an athletic build, made him the talk of the university as the professor with the killer smile which turned the heads of the vast number of female students. His daily gym workouts and his ferocious tennis matches with his younger pretty girl friend, Nicole, made him the man he was, full of vitality and a man to reckon with.

Marian looked at Jonathan, seeing the disappointment on his face and motioned him to come inside: He went to the door.

Jonathan, come inside and help me open a jar of peaches, will you?.

Harrison snarled and turned to look at her over his left shoulder.

Yeah, That’s right, Marian. Tell him that I’m drowning in my past.

She opened the screen door for Jonathan and as he passed by her, she looked at Harrison with a sneer.

You said it, I didn’t.

Jonathan walked into the dimly lighted interior furnished sparsely with country style rustic crudely built furniture.

Green and Amber glass Antique lamps sat on end tables next to an old providential couch and chair, covered with a flowered pattern cotton cloth. Old trinkets from local ranches hung on the natural discolored wood planked walls.

Four 3x3 small windows with lace curtains accented the county feel. A few Artifacts from long ago treasure hunts, lay on the end tables next to the glass lamps.

Jonathan leaned on the kit/dining room bar.

What’s wrong with Harrison, Marian?

She walked close to him and wrapped her right arm around his waist.

It’s nothing to do with you, Jonathan.

He looked at her with puzzled expression.

Marian was a pretty, slim 5foot 6 brunet, with a short cut style hair.

She was one of only a very few with the patience of a lion laying in wait for a prey.

Of course she had to be patient, living with a man like Harrison who at one time ran with the big dogs

She and Harrison had met in the 70’s and jaunted together on many treasure hunts in search for lost artifices around the world. She knew Harrison to be a very different man before he had lost his son Matthew.

He’s changed, Jonathan!

What happened? Jonathan asked.

He’s been like this since your dad was killed in Mexico.

Looking puzzled, Jonathan continued:

Yeah, but it wasn’t his fault!

He starred at the cross on mantel across the living room above the fireplace. Then he quickly walked to the fireplace, picked up the golden cross and buffed the jewel-studded face of it with his shirt sleeve as he continued to stare at it.

He blames himself. He said that he should have seen what was happening and not ran ahead of him.

Jonathan was still looking intently at the golden cross as if he was trying to remember something about it. He looked at Marian.

I thought he died in an earthquake.

Yes, he did, Jonathan.

But Harrison thought that he could have saved him if he had been close instead of running ahead."

Suddenly Jonathan excitedly buffed the cross harder as he stared at it, then at her, then quickly back at the cross.

What do you mean?

Marian walked to the sink.

You know he fell into a ravine that opened up during the earth quake don’t you?

Marian washed several dishes.

Yeah, but what does he think he could have done?

She looked over her left shoulder at Jonathan.

He thinks that if he had been beside him, they wouldn’t have tried to jump the ravine after your grandfather jumped. But then the ravine opened up further as he jumped. Matthew gripped the other side, but fell before Harrison could reach him.

God, that must have made him crazy. He said with a strained expression. She dried her hands on a dish towel, loosed her apron strings and put it on a hook on the pantry door.

"Yeah, any normal man, but Harrison hid his feelings for a long time.

Now they’re coming back to haunt him and it’s killing him, Jonathan!"

Jonathan suddenly brought the cross closer to his face, staring at it.

He quickly buffed the gold between the jewels at the cross upright, just above the crossbar. He spoke excitedly: Marian!! Look at this!

He walked toward her with the cross pointing to a marking.

I see it. What is it? Jonathan.

Marian!! Don’t you see it? It’s the inscribed symbol of a cloverleaf!!

She took the cross from him, reached for her reading glasses on the end table, and inspected it closer. Her voice was excited as she replied: What does it mean?

It’s the mark of the Spanish fray—Marcos de Niza.

She looked at him with an inquisitive expression.

What does that mean?

Jonathan looked out the front screened door seeing the back of Harrison’s head close to the open door and figured he was listening. He walked to mantle and lay cross down on top.

There’s something about it that reveals the location of the Seven Cities of Gold. I’m trying to remember what?"

I don’t follow you, Jonathan.

He slapped his hand on his forward, agonizing at his forgetfulness.

I remember, now!!

He looked at her with a wide grin on his face.

Of course you don’t! I’m an idiot!

He looked again out the screen door.

"Niza was one of the Bishops that went with the Aztecs to bury Montezuma’s treasure.

They hid it in strategic locations they referred to as The Seven Cities of Gold.

His voice grew louder and more excited.

Marian! This is the first time I’ve seen the Mark.

I know it’s the key to finding the treasure. I have to talk to Harrison!

He lowered his voice and walked to her.

Marian, you think Harrison as cracked?

She looked at him with an exasperated expression.

He’s not insane, Jonathan. He’s just running away from the past. He still hurts him too much to think about seeing Matthew get killed.

But you didn’t crack, Marian.

She turned toward the living room window and stared out reminiscing.

No, you’re right I didn’t. I loved Matthew, but he wasn’t my son. Your real mother Lacy, died when you were only five. Oh, yes, it’s true I cried for a long time about Mathew, but it hurt Harrison more deeply.

Jonathan began talking fast and loud.

So, you think he’s afraid that I might get killed too? Is that it?

He flushed with anger and his expression became exasperated.

"He was my father!! Marian. What should I be doing?

Damn it! Should I be like Harrison, drinking myself blind to cope with life instead of going on? Dad died doing what he loved and wanted to do. He’s not thinking right, Marian!!"

She walked to him and wrapped her arm over his shoulders, looking at him with an expression of trepidation.

He wouldn’t be able to take another loss, Jonathan.

Jonathan walked fast toward the front door as he spoke loudly with the intent that Harrison would hear, feeling flustered:

He’s not thinking right, Marian. What does he think I’m going to do, sit in my back yard and play mumble peg?

He pushed the screened door open hard. It banged against the outside wall, as he quickly walked off the front porch and stopped near the stairs. He turned back to face Harrison and spoke angrily in a high pitch voice:

"It was my dad that died in Mexico. I didn’t!! It was my dad, Harrison!

So, do you think that that ends my life to? Do I have to sit at home dreaming of doing just a fraction of what you and my dad did and waste away drowning my past, drinking moonshine whiskey, like you’re doing??"

He walked a few steps toward Harrison.

Is that what I should do, grandpa?

He spoke louder and unrestrained.

No, Harrison, I won’t do it!! I won’t, Harrison.

"I’m going!! I’m going, Harrison!! You could help me accomplish this trek. You have more knowledge than I’ll be able to acquire in fifty years, but if you won’t share it. I’m going without you.

You hear me, without you!!"

His voice became louder.

If I don’t come back, it’s because of you. You grandpa!! You know why? Because you sat on your haunches and let me make the mistakes you already learned to avoid!!

Harrison lowered his chin to his chest and starred at the weathered wooden porch floor feeling as if someone had just kicked him in the head. Jonathan began briskly walking away. Harrison called after him.

Hold on, Jonathan.

Jonathan paused with his back to Harrison.

You’re right. He said in a low defeated tone.

Jonathan turned, and looked at Harrison as he continued speaking.

You dumb ass. You couldn’t dig weeds out of the flower garden without getting bit by a rattlesnake. Hell, I gotta go, ta watch out for your dumb ass.

Jonathan ran back to him and went to his knees on the wooden floor next to him and wrapped his arms around him. He laid his forehead against Harrison’s chest.

Thank-you, grandpa, I knew you would come through.

Harrison pushed him away with a snarled expression.

Damn it, Jonathan. The first thing you gotta learn is not ta be so damn wimpy. I’m not gonna swat mosquitoes off your neck for you.

Jonathan stood and looked at Marian in the doorway wiping tears from her eyes.

Unseen by them were three men with black suits, crouching behind the brush twenty feet away and looking at Harrison and Jonathan through the thin leaved section of the thicket of brush.

Harrison stood.

Well, You gonna just stand there like a complete idiot or you gonna tell me about this big archeological find.

Jonathan excitedly pulled an envelope from his rear pocket and quickly unfolded three papers. He handed them to Harrison, who quickly handed them back to Jonathan.

You read-em to me. Otherwise I have to find my damn glasses and I have no idea where they are.

Jonathan clumsily and nervously brought the papers close to his face.

Okay. I’ll have to read you a few historical things to set it up. He said, looking at Harrison as if to get his approval. Harrison grunted, looking bored.

Yeah, Yeah. You’re gonna to show me why you got your teaching degree. Go ahead mister smartass.

Jonathan let the remark go unanswered.

The three men were listening, hiding behind the foliage while Jonathan spoke. He fumbled with papers again and looked at Harrison knowing that he was testing Harrison’s patience, then began reading.

"In 1519, Hernan Cortez set out to solve the riddle of what they thought was a mysterious place, Mexico. They had heard that the Aztec Indians wore gold sandals and trinkets and washed their faces out of bowls of gold.

With the kings eleven ships, He left Spain in a hurry to find the talked about riches.

Harrison took a drink from his moonshine bottle as Jonathan spoke. He reached back and gripped his whip and snapped a spider within a web extended from the porch roof eve to the porch railing.

They arrived at the Yucatan Peninsula with eleven ships, one hundred sailors, 508 soldiers, and 16 horses along with the normal weapons of the day.

Jonathan looked at Harrison seeing his bored expression and began to talk faster.

"The weapons they had with them were muskets, crossbows and swords!

You know, primitive killing things."

Okay, Jonathan. What are you going to do write a damn book? He said, looking intently at him.

I have to bring you up to date, grandpa!

Harrison sneered.

You gonna continue calling me grandpa?

"No, sir—I’m sorry. I forgot.

He continued feeling intimidated.

So, When Montezuma heard that Cortez had landed on the shores of Cosumel Island.

He looked at Harrison again.

That’s the present day Yucatan Peninsula, Harrison!

Harrison snarled and growled: Humm.

He ordered a band of three hundred warriors to carry his gold, and precious jewels to be taken away from his city to be hidden somewhere East of there.

Jonathan stood and leaned his back on the cabin wall as he wrapped up the long winded history. His voice became excited: But more important, is the golden idol that they called the God, Huitzilopochtli.

He was the chief deity of the Aztec people to whom they sacrificed thousands of humans too. The treasure was carried to a place of hiding.

He smiled looking at Harrison.

You’ll love this, Harrison. The idol is said to be of solid gold with emerald eyes and a ruby nose. It was seven feet tall and weighed over two thousand pounds. Its gold value alone is said to be worth millions, and the artifact value billions!!

Harrison sat up straight listening intently.

Okay, now you got my attention, Jonathan. I’ll give you an A for your research. So, what happened to the idol?

Jonathan grew excited to see Harrison’s interest.

"That’s the interesting part. When the band of warriors returned after hiding the treasure, Montezuma had all, but four, killed and sacrificed to their Aztec Gods. He allowed his brother-in-law Montquezel to live and the three bishops.

Montquezel and Montezuma were the only two that had a map to the location of the hidden treasures. But, recently, another enlightenment, came about when the mark of the Bishop Marcos de Niza was found on petroglyphs near Victorio peak in New Mexico and decoded."

Harrison looked him in the eyes.

"Yeah, Yeah, I know the story. When the People killed Montezuma, the scepter, the symbol of kingship was buried with him!

"That’s the logical assumption, Harrison. We need to find the scepter.

The Marcos petroglyrphs revealed that the king hid a map to the treasure location inside the hollow end of the scepter."

Jonathan looked down at the porch floor as he continued speaking hoping that Harrison wouldn’t be insulted by the information he was going to add. Then he looked at Harrison and forced a smile.

"As you probably already know, Aztec nobility were buried with much of their gold and the personal items of treasure and jewelry.

I have to believe that the scepter with the treasure map was buried with him."

Harrison snarled.

Hey, hotshot, you’ve already forgotten that I taught ancient burial habits before you were born, boy!!

Jonathan put his hands in his back pockets and his complexion flushed knowing that he had belittled Harrison.

No! Harrison! I was just reminding myself.

He quickly continued:

I also believe that the ancestors of the Aztecs have an idea where the other treasure map was hidden. So, Harrison, we need to go to Mexico and locate the tomb of the king and snoop around.

Harrison smiled proudly.

Okay, professor. I’ll admit it. I think you stumbled onto something worthwhile. I’ll give you that much.

Suddenly, Jonathan slapped his palm over his forehead again.

God! I almost forgot. Hold on a minute. I’ll be right back.

He ran into the cabin, picked up the golden cross and returned standing near Harrison. Harrison impatiently spoke:

Well?

Jonathan’s words are broken by his shortness of breath. He pointed to the mark on the cross.

It’s here, on the cross, the mark, Harrison!!

Harrison took the cross and tried to read it, but cussed under his breath: Damn it!

Marian opened the screen door and handed him his reading glasses with no expression. He looked at her with a snarl on his lips, and quickly put on his glasses. A surprised expression came over his face.

I’ll be damn! There is a cloverleaf here. I didn’t notice it before now.

Jonathan replied proudly.

That I stumbled upon, Harrison, but I didn’t stumble upon the rest of this. Nicole and I spent a lot of time researching this.

Harrison looked at Jonathan with a snarl expression upon his face.

Look, before you get too bigheaded, you should know something about our work.

You can fool yourself into thinking that you found out about this Aztec treasure by application of your Archeological education and skills, but, when it comes down to it, we all just stumble into finds that shake the world. You, Jonathan have stumbled only into gopher holes until the treasure is located.

Sometimes these holes lead to a catch of treasure.

He paused looking at Jonathan.

How many others have you told about your findings?

Jonathan grimaced.

Eu, that hurts! Harrison. That’s one thing I learned from you a long time ago. To keep my mouth shut and my backpack filled.

He stood erect.

There’s something else.

Harrison looked at him with a blank expression.

Okay, Professor, I’m listening.

Jonathan smiled and spoke proudly: It’s one of Cortez’ ships that sank carrying thousands of pounds of gold artifacts.

Harrison snarled.

"I know nothing about salvaging Shipwrecks.

Jonathan quickly spoke.

"That’s okay! Nicole and I are certified divers and well.

Since researching this wreck, we’ve learned a lot about driving on wrecks when we worked with the Real Eight Company in Florida, a year ago and also we dove for Mel

Fisher on the Atosha Spanish treasure ship , off key West, Florida in the 1500s."

Harrison felt frustrated.

Who? I never heard of them, Jonathan.

He replied‘ a matter of fact.

In 1962 the Real Eight Company found one of the fourteen Spanish ship wrecks. The Capitana" in the shallow water near Sebastian Inlet on the East coast of Florida. It was part of the flotilla that was carrying gold from Mexico and Peru.

He paused looking at Harrison.

Will, Harrison, we learned all about salvaging shipwrecks when we worked with them.

Harrison became irritated knowing he knew nothing about salvaging shipwrecks and he would be at a disadvantage to search for and