Author's Notes
(as included in the original email to the mcogold list)

Okay, here it is! I hope you all enjoy it. I finished typing this at 2:30 AM so I hope there are no glaring errors. :)

Here we go.....

The travelers made their way through the jungle wilderness. It was steaming hot and sapped the strength of the weary explorers. Sancho and Pedro were far from pleased with the situation.

"This miserable, rotten jungle!" Pedro complained. "Mendoza! How far are we from the sea?"

Mendoza sighed in exasperation. "It hasn't changed from the last time you asked."

"W-w-well how was f-far was that?" Sancho chimed in.

Mendoza paused to rubbed the bridge of his nose. "We are still at least a day's journey from the coast."

"A day!?! We can't last that long. Its too hot!" The two `fragile' sailors collapsed in a heap on the ground.

Tao rolled his eyes but Zia and Esteban laughed. "We could all use a rest, Mendoza," Esteban said through his laughter.

The navigator nodded. "We'll rest here a while before moving on."

But Pedro wasn't through complaining yet. "I don't see why we couldn't just fly to this Tenock...Tinoch...What was it again?"

"Tenochtitlan," Tao said distractedly. He was using the break as an opportunity to study. In one hand, he held the silver sphere and in the other, his encyclopedia. Kukapetl was resting on top of the Hevan boy's head.

"Yeah, that's it," Pedro went on. "Why couldn't we just fly there and save our feet." He had pulled off his shoe and was massaging the afflicted appendage.

"Oh, yes. An excellent idea," Mendoza replied sarcastically. "The further away the Golden Condor is from the capitol, and Cortés, the better I like it." The children nodded their agreement.

The two dejected sailors fell onto their backs, resting until the journey began again.

None were aware of the eyes that were following them.

******

Gomez watched the weary travelers from the cover of the jungle. Gaspar sprawled behind him panting.

"I thought he would never stop!" the exhausted former Captain exclaimed.

"Be quiet, fool!" Gomez hissed. "I don't want them to know we are here."

"Why are we following them, Commander? They left the Golden Condor behind..."

"Which is exactly why we are following," Gomez cut in. "Where are they going? Why did they abandon the Condor? And what was that explosion the other night? I must know!"

"But Commander, how far do we follow?"

"However long it takes to get the answers I seek!"

*****

The three children, three Spaniards and one parrot continued on and eventually found the sea. Mendoza led them up the coast, trying to find a quicker means of travel. By chance, they met a Spanish galleon and Mendoza made a bargain with its captain. He, Sancho and Pedro would work for free in return for the children's passage. The greedy captain agreed and the group was delivered to Veracruz. From there, they traveled west on the same road that had led Cortés to the Aztec capital over ten years before. In so few years, the land had become a thriving Spanish colony with green farms and rich mines.

"It is impressive that they have accomplished as much as they have," Mendoza commented watching the activity of a hacienda they were passing.

"It is only accomplished by the oppression and misery of slaves," Zia said vehemently, looking with pity at the Indians toiling around them. "It is wrong!"

Mendoza looked at the upset young girl with some sympathy. "There is little you, or any of us, can do. We will reach the valley of Tenochtitlan sometime tomorrow. Concentrate on that if you can."

Zia didn't move.

"Please come away, Zia." Esteban moved to stand beside the Inca girl. Taking her hand, he began to gently lead her away. Tao took up a position on her other side, as if he and Esteban could shield her from the pain around them. Zia smiled sadly at both of them and continued on along the road.

*****

Four days before the solstice, Esteban, Zia, Tao, Mendoza, Pedro and Sancho stood at the top of a mountain and looked down into an oval shaped valley. The view before them was spectacular. Lake Texcoco was glinting with the light of the setting sun. And on an island in the lake, was a beautiful city that gleamed golden in the fading light.

"That is it," Mendoza said in awe.

Esteban completed the thought. "That is where we will find the next City of Gold!"

*****

The following day, they descended into the valley and stood before one of the bridges that spanned the distance between the shore and the city. Immediately, they could see all was not as it appeared the night before.

"Everything is destroyed," Esteban exclaimed in horror.

Mendoza nodded solemnly. "I had heard that Cortés had ransacked the city," but it was evident from the tone of his voice that even he could not believe the destruction that had taken place.

"How can we find the City of Gold in this mess?!" Tao said angrily.

"M-m-maybe that b-ball is a fake," Sancho said looking around.

"You're right, Sancho" Pedro put in. "This has just been another wild goose chase!"

Tao gave them a look that made the two grown up sailors backpedal furiously. Esteban stepped in between the trio and said soothingly, "Don't worry Tao. I'm sure the silver sphere was pointing us in the right direction."

"That's right," Zia added. "The sphere said that the next City of Gold would be revealed on the morning of the summer solstice. If you could find it before then, Cortés would have discovered it long ago."

"Well, maybe," the two sailors mumbled in acquiescence.

"We need more information," Mendoza put in. "Tao, you've been studying the sphere. Have you discovered anything new?"

Tao struck a thoughtful pose and explained, "There is more, but even after studying it for so many days, I'm not sure I understand..."

"Out of the way," a voice yelled behind them. Everyone jumped and spun around. They were so deeply involved with their own conversation, the travelers had failed to notice the group of soldier's approaching them.

Mendoza, of course, recovered almost immediately and asked in his most polite manner, "Is there a problem, Captain?"

"Yes, you are blocking the bridge!" the hostile Spanish Captain barked.

"A thousand apologies," Mendoza replied. "We will be on our way then." He bowed to the officer and turned to lead the others away.

"Just a minute there!"

They all froze. Mendoza slowly turned back, an innocent looking smile on his face. "Was there something else, Captain? We do have pressing business to attend to in the city."

The soldier snorted. "Which is, no doubt, why you were standing here blocking the way." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "But where did you get those two children?" He pointed to Tao and Zia, huddled with Esteban behind Mendoza.

The navigator glanced behind at the frightened children and shrugged. "What does it matter where I acquired them. They are mine." Despite their fear, the Inca girl and Hevan boy both threw the Spaniard an angry look. Mendoza continued as if he hadn't noticed their outrage. "If that is a crime, you will have to arrest most of the colonists in New Spain."

The army Captain grunted, clearly unsatisfied with the response but there was little he could do about it. "I won't have any trouble in the city. Move along and don't block the bridge."

Mendoza bowed again and hurried the others on across the water.

*****

"I had forgotten what a strange group we made," Mendoza said as he led them into an area of the city with little activity. "We must be cautious not to arouse suspicion." He looked back at the children. "Tao, please continue to tell us what you have found."

The boy pulled out his encyclopedia. "There seems to be a riddle we must solve in order to find the City of Gold."

"Tell us what it is Tao and maybe we can help you solve it," Esteban said encouragingly.

Tao nodded and continued, "Roughly translated it reads: The Path of the Temple will be opened by the messengers of Quetzcoatl on the day of greatest Sun. Light's Child will lead the way into the dark where the Golden City lies hidden in the depths."

"That isn't much to go on," Pedro said, despondent again.

Mendoza silenced him with a look and said, "The day of the greatest sun is the summer solstice, that much is clear."

"And Esteban could be called `Light's Child' instead of `Child of the Sun," Zia added helpfully.

"That could well be but what is the `Temple' and who is `Quetzcoatl'?" Tao pondered.

"We will have to make inquiries to find out," Mendoza said turning away, his cape billowing in the air behind him. "Sancho, Tao, come with me and we will try to find the `Temple'. Pedro, you go with Esteban and Zia and find out who Quetzcoatl is. We will meet back here in three hours. Don't be late and be cautious," he warned as they parted.

*****

Mendoza, Tao and Sancho made their way deeper into city, looking for the `Temple'. After talking to many people they learned that at the heart of the city, the great Temples of the Aztecs had stood. And that the greatest of these was devoted to the Sun.

The trio returned and found the others waiting for them with important news of their own.

"Zia talked to an Aztec who told her about Quetzcoatl," Esteban revealed.

Zia picked up where he left off. "The woman told me that he is a god to her people and that he is also known as `The Plumed Serpent'."

Tao grabbed her arm and asked in an excited whisper, "You are sure of this?"

The girl smiled and nodded. "Quetzcoatl must be the Aztec name for the Winged Serpent. The woman also told me that his temple is in the middle of the city."

"That would mean that it is near the Temple of the Sun." Tao concluded.

"That must be where the entrance is," Mendoza exclaimed. "And in three days it will be revealed to us."

Tao beamed at the other two children and Pedro and Sancho did an impromptu jig.

Mendoza brought them back down to earth by noting that it was getting late. "It will soon be dark," he noted, "and I, for one, don't want to spend the night in the city."

The others agreed and they began to make their way back to the bridge.

Mendoza shifted his gaze, taking in their surroundings and noting the increased number of guards on the streets. "Something strange is going on. We had better leave quickly." They quickened their pace but the feeling of uneasiness grew with each step. Just ahead, the bridge came into view...and it was guarded by four Spanish soldiers in full armor. The three children and three sailors came to an abrupt stop, with Kukapetl flying above their heads.

"You can't get out that way, Señor Mendoza," a voice called. Behind them was a whole troop of soldiers, led by the captain who had stopped them earlier.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mendoza asked angrily, clearly taken aback by the use of his name. "Why do you detain us again? We have done nothing wrong!"

The captain smiled unpleasantly. "This isn't a detention. It is an invitation. The Governor wishes to speak with you and these children." He raised his musket, "Now!"

*****

The six captives (and one bird) were led to the Governor's residence and brought into a richly appointed room...where Cortés was waiting for them.

The conqueror of the Aztecs spoke to them as if they were old friends. "Ah, welcome Mendoza, Esteban, Zia and Tao. It is so good of you to join me." Each of the children flinched as he said their names and Mendoza's expression grew darker.

"Excellency," Mendoza spoke carefully, "why have you brought us here?"

"Because I asked him too," a voice from the back of the room replied. A beautiful woman stepped into view. She was dressed in the clothes of a Spanish lady with her hair turned up.

Mendoza recognized her first. "Marinche!!"

This was a short summary of the story to this point that I wrote when this chapter was posted to the list. (SH-2003)

Here is a basic summary (if I forget anything or misinterpreted something let me know everyone).

Sometime after Papacamayo's death (I don't think we've determined how far for certain) Esteban and the others are searching, of course for the Cities of Gold. They land the Condor in a remote area. While exploring, they see a bright light in the jungle. Esteban, Tao, Zia and Mendoza try to discover what the light is when they stumble into a large pit and are trapped. Gomez and Gaspar appear and offer to help but only if Esteban and the others will help them escape from the wilderness. After some really good background information on Mendoza and Gomez, our favorite navigator ( ;D ) refuses the offer. Gomez and Gaspar leave them and latter the mysterious light appears again...and explodes. The blast leveled the sides of the pit allowing our heroes to escape. But the area surrounding the blast seems to be drained of life. At the epicenter of the blast, Zia finds a strange silver sphere that is covered with Mayan hieroglyphs. Tao interprets them and explains that the sphere says another City of Gold will be revealed in Tenochtitlan, the former Aztec capital, at dawn on the summer solstice. In my part, I take the group to Tenochtitlan (Gomez and Gaspar are following our heroes unbeknownst to them) and they discover that the entrance to the city will be revealed at the heart of the city near where the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of Quetzcoatl stood before the Spanish conquest. When attempting to leave the city for a while, the group is captured by Spanish soldiers and taken to Cortez. My part ends with the surprise appearance of another old villain...Marinche.

And that is as far as we got...