Fault Line by Chris Ryan Read Free Book Online

OMB
    ‘A genuine Maya tomb . . .’ said Alex.
    ‘It’s almost completely hidden,’ said Hex. ‘We could be the first to find it.’
    While Paulo marked a notch on a tree, Amber started to trace the perimeter, stepping high to avoid the brambles and wait-a-while. ‘It’s quite big.’ She walked further along and then stopped. ‘I can see the corner.’
    ‘Hang on,’ said Alex. ‘Don’t go out of sight.’
    ‘Let’s look at the other side,’ said Li. ‘Come on, guys.’
    Alex had got to the corner. ‘It’s about twenty metres square,’ he called.
    Paulo, Li and Hex clambered over tree roots, leaning on the dark weathered stones.
    ‘Did the Maya bury their dead with a lot of grave goods, like the ancient Egyptians?’ asked Li.
    ‘I think so,’ said Paulo.
    Hex traced his fingers along the stones. One row had been carved, like a stripe of patterned tiles in a bathroom. They were weathered back to shadows but were deliberate markings: ovals, dots, circles; strange bubble shapes like the writing of aliens.
    They heard Amber’s voice. ‘Hey, guys. This is the entrance.’
    They hurried along to the end of the wall. Alex and Amber were standing by a tall black opening, tapered at the top, made of big stone slabs. It faced into a wooded valley.
    Hex looked at Amber. ‘OK, we’ve finished here. Let’s be respectful and leave the tomb in peace.’
    Amber was too excited to rise to his sarcasm. ‘I don’t think it’s disrespectful to investigate,’ she smiled. ‘After all, this could be preserved for the nation.’ She got out her torch and flashed it into the opening. The light bounced off mud-coloured stones.
    The others got their torches out too. Hex angled his downwards. ‘Hey, guys, there are steps.’
    Four torch beams converged on Hex’s. They revealed a perfectly preserved set of stone steps going down into the darkness.
    Paulo swept his torch over the walls. ‘I can’t see the bottom. Looks like it goes down for quite a way.’
    Alex slipped off his bergen and propped it against the tomb wall. ‘Who’s coming exploring?’
    ‘Doesn’t look like there’s room for more than one at a time,’ said Li. ‘Why don’t you go down and see what’s there? It might be blocked.’
    ‘Hey,’ said Hex. He took off his bergen and pulled out the night vision goggles. ‘Take these. You’ll get a better view.’
    Alex put the strap over his shoulder. ‘Thanks.’ He stepped into the opening.
    Paulo played a torch on Alex’s back to keep an eye on him. The steps went down sharply and soon all they could see was the top of his blond head.
    Paulo looked at the others and grinned. ‘Following in Dad’s footsteps.’
    Hex shuddered as he watched Alex descend. The tunnel came to a blunt point at the top, like a coffin. Alex seemed to be heading into inky blackness. Rather him than me, thought Hex.
    Alex took it slowly. The steps were steep, as though they were made by a race of people with longer legs than normal. It was hot; the rocks caught the sweat coming off him and held it. It was damp and smelled of animal droppings, like a cave.
    A few more steps and he would be at the bottom. Alex stopped and listened. It sounded as though something was moving down there. A noise like something crunching around on gravel. Was it an animal? Certainly enough wildlife had been in and out recently. There could be something living down there. He turned the torch downwards.
    Something threw him against the wall of the tunnel. He gasped and the sound was magnified by the close walls. He steadied himself. He was sure he hadn’t tripped. It was like he’d been hit but he hadn’t felt a blow – anyway there was no one else there. Yet his shoulder was singing with pain where a bruise was forming.
    It happened again. This time he was thrown forwards and his hands ground into the gritty guano on the steps.
    Amber’s voice shrieked down to him. ‘Alex get out, it’s a quake!’
    There was a rumbling noise like