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I aided other villagers with injuries and sickness. My crew was given many rare objects and precious stones for digging a canal to bring water from a river to their village.
One year later the King died. Just before he left us he ordained me as the new leader of the people and gave me the name Topiltzin Ce Acatl Quetzalcoatl. He bequeathed a headdress of the great feathered serpent god. He gave me an amulet as a symbol of my power as ruler and god, a large green stone from the south that glows with the life of the sun: the Eye of Heaven.
In the years that followed I showed the people how to smelt iron, lay masonry, and carve sculpture, to grow food and build roads and waterways.
Under my rule our empire grew. We conquered the Mayan city of Chichen Itza. I moved the capital of our vast lands to this city and there I built a temple to the feathered serpent like the one in Tollan.
As I lay dying the people of this land wept and said that my brother, the god Tezcatlipoca, was casting me out but that I will return to them.
My warrior comrades have returned to our homeland laden with the wonders of this world, with plans to return. A marker has been built where my ships came ashore. When my people of Gotalander return they shall return to these people with the Eye of Heaven, marking my return to them.
Sam and Remi puzzled over the final line as Lazlo watched their reaction. When Sam looked up, his expression reflected the frustration Lazlo felt after spending half the night on the translation.
“So there’s a marker near a rock cliff beneath a hill or mountain. Piece of cake. That only leaves, what, several thousand miles of Mexican and Central American coastland? And a marker that could have well disintegrated long ago,” Sam said.
“Assuming it wasn’t a casualty to one of the earthquakes that have reshaped the coastline and decimated cities in Mexico over the last thousand years,” Remi added.
“Or hurricanes. Let’s not forget the hurricanes.”
“Although it does say that a marker had been built. Not erected or carved. Built. I take it to mean that it must be referring to a structure. Where the ships landed,” Lazlo said.
“Oh well, in that case forgive my pessimism. All we’re looking for is a marker that was built on the coast a thousand years ago. Which could mean anything from a pile of rocks to who knows what,” Remi corrected.
Sam appeared lost in thought. He took a long sip on his coffee and then stopped, the cup frozen in midair as he turned to Remi.
“On the ship. The Baffin find. There was a rune stone aboard. Do you have a picture of it?”
She nodded. “I think so. But I’m not sure where. Probably on one of the flash drives.”
“We never bothered to translate it.”
Remi pushed back from the table. “Oh . . . my . . .”
“If I might be so bold, I’d love to get a look at that photo sooner than later,” Lazlo said.
Remi almost ran back to the room. The waitress cleared the plates out of the way and Sam was laying down several large-denomination peso notes when Remi returned, holding a blue flash drive aloft in triumph.
“How long will it take you to translate it?” she asked as she handed it to Lazlo.
“Depends on how much text there is. How big was the stone?”
“Maybe two feet by three. I honestly thought it was ballast the first time I saw it in the hold.”
“Let me get to work. Shouldn’t be more than an hour or two. Certainly not after all the practice I’ve recently had.”
“We’ll wait here for you.”
“No need. If you want to go to the dig, I’ll meet you there once I have something to report.”
Remi nodded. “One thing, though. I think for now it would be best to keep our discoveries to ourselves. This could well lead us to the Eye of Heaven. I don’t want to broadcast that and become targets. Or get beaten to the punch. So mum’s the word,” she said.
“My lips are sealed,” Lazlo agreed as he rose. “You can tell the lads I slept in, should anyone have a burning desire to consult with me about the price of tea.”
“The man needs his beauty rest,” Sam agreed.
“Good luck, Lazlo,” Remi said.
Lazlo gave her a pained smile. “Luck will have little to do with it.”