gorddum

The return to Puno is far quieter than the journey out. The laughter and easy conversation that had accompanied the expedition's first days have vanished, replaced by weary silence and wary glances over shoulders. The encounter on Nayra's island has left its mark on everyone. Black Jack withdraws almost immediately upon reaching the hotel, locking himself away in his room. Before allowing himself even the thought of sleep, he drags the heavy bed across the floor and wedges it firmly against...

After the horrific events at the Museo de Arqueología y Antropología, the group gathers at Lyonell’s manor for a frank and necessary discussion. The weight of the day hangs over them as Lyonell and Eustis recount what they discovered below—Trinidad Rizo’s lifeless body, the grotesque wound at her neck, and the unnatural stillness of the scene. They describe the golden artifact found nearby, its intricate geometric markings and burned flesh fused to its surface, cold to the touch despite the...

The following day at 3 p.m., the group assembles alongside Jesse Hughes—Jackson Elias—at the Museo de Arqueología y Antropología to meet with Professor Nemesio Sánchez of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Jesse Hughes—Jackson Elias introduces the party to Professor Nemesio Sánchez in his office at the museum. As the discussion turns to Augustus Larkin’s planned expedition, Sánchez grows visibly heated, expressing his frustration that Peru has no laws preventing foreign explorers...