The Death Relic by Chris Kuzneski Read Free Book Online Page B

Obviously I know what your specialty is. It’s the reason I brought you here.’
    ‘Are you sure? Because—’
    ‘Trust me, I’m positive. I could’ve called any scholar in the world, and yet I called you. I am fully confident that you are the right person for this project.’
    She breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted to do was disappoint him. ‘Just so you know, I’m a quick learner. It’s one of my greatest strengths. Tell me what I need to know and I’ll remember it.’
    Hamilton nodded. ‘I’ll keep that in mind.’
    Unsure where to begin, he removed his Panama hat and ran his fingers through his stark white hair. Despite the mild temperature, it was plastered to his scalp with sweat. For the next few seconds he disappeared into his thoughts as he tried to decide what she needed to know about his project. No matter how bright she was, he couldn’t afford to bog her down with too many details. All that would do was confuse her.
    ‘Out of curiosity,’ she said, ‘what was wrong with it?’
    He blinked a few times. ‘Excuse me?’
    ‘My answer. What was wrong with it?’
    ‘Just about everything.’
    She stared at him, defiant. Then she used the same words that he had used against her a moment earlier. ‘Sadly, I was hoping for more from you.’
    Slowly but surely, the corners of his lips curled upward. What had started as a grimace ended as a grin. Maybe hope wasn’t lost after all. Maybe she was tougher than she looked.
    Suddenly recharged, Hamilton placed his hat on his head. ‘All right, my dear, I’m willing to play this game if you’re willing to listen. But don’t expect me to pull any punches. You must understand, when it comes to facts, you
must
be precise. Otherwise, your answer is wrong.’
    ‘Sounds fair to me.’
    ‘Let’s start with your initial statement about the Maya. They were
not
a local civilization as you claimed. During the course of their history, their territory stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the north to El Salvador in the south and as far west as Central Mexico. And even though there were some minor sites found in Cancún, this area was never fully developed.’
    ‘Good to know.’
    He continued. ‘And your notion that they were advanced for their time? Talk about a general statement. What exactly does “advanced” refer to?’
    She shrugged. ‘Their culture?’
    ‘Define culture.’
    ‘Everything that made them who they were – their beliefs, their customs, their technology. All of that encompasses their culture.’
    ‘In that case, the Mayas weren’t advanced at all – at least not according to Christian standards. As hard as this is to believe, the Maya never had the wheel. Or metal tools. Or draft animals such as horses or donkeys. They did not have a monotheistic approach to religion, choosing instead to believe in many gods and supernatural beings. To appease these deities, humans were sacrificed in public ceremonies that make horror movies look humane.’
    Hamilton shook his head at the brutality. ‘Sorry, my dear, the Mayas were not an advanced civilization,
unless
you broaden your definition to include other aspects of their life.’
    ‘Such as?’
    ‘You tell me,’ he said, unwilling to do the work for her. ‘What are the Maya known for?’
    She gave it some thought. ‘Their calendar.’
    ‘Now we’re getting somewhere. Although they didn’t create the Mesoamerican calendar that was used in this region, the Maya refined it in such a way that it was far more accurate than the original Gregorian calendar used in Europe. Do you know how?’
    She nodded. ‘Astronomy.’
    ‘That’s correct! The Maya were brilliant astronomers, able to calculate celestial events with amazing accuracy. Without the use of telescopes, they figured out the length of the solar year with only a twenty-three-second margin of error. The five-hundred-year cycle of Venus was only two hours off. Plus they calculated the eclipses of the sun thirty-three