Plunder of the Sun Page #4

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Well, that's a long story.

What've you got there?

It's pictures of pretty girls

in bathing suits.

You can do better than that.

Let me see.

That's the second time you've hurt me.

That's right.

I'll bet you beat your women.

When they need it.

Where are you going?

Going down to the hotel office

to put this in a safe place.

Then I might take a look at the ruins.

Let me go with you.

Please.

All right.

Yeah, they sure like to have

the dredging concession around here.

Why?

Here's one of their sacrificial wells.

- So?

- See that platform up there?

For about 500 years, the priests used

to throw maidens right off the top...

and they'd drop them in here.

I wouldn't like that.

Well, I don't think

you'd have been in any danger.

What would you do

with a dredged-up maiden?

Probably strip all the jewelry off her.

They used to load them down...

with gold and jade

before they gave them the deep six.

That place is probably

loaded with treasure.

How do you know all this?

I used to watch them jump.

This is where they played a game

sort of like basketball.

See, up along the sides there,

that's were the people sat.

- Are you really interested in all this?

- Why do you think I came here?

I think you're up to something.

They'd have two teams

and a rubber ball...

and instead of a basket, they used

a ring right in the center, there.

I saw you go into the nurse's cabin

just before the old man died.

That makes it twice you saw me.

If one of the players scored...

the others had to give him their clothes.

I bet you'd like to know

who I saw her with today.

Who?

I thought that would interest you.

Who was she with?

At last I've got something you want,

mystery man.

Which means

you're going to be very nice to me.

Colby.

Colby.

What's that?

Colby.

What do you want?

I'd like to talk to you.

What about?

Tell that female to beat it.

Tell her to get out of here first,

then I'll talk to you.

I really will.

I've got something interesting

to say to you.

Take the car and go back to the hotel.

I will not,

just when things are getting interesting.

Will you do what I say?

- All right, if you'll promise to meet me.

- I promise. Come on, let's go.

How do you like the acoustics here?

They tell me...

that you can hear a pin drop

from one end of the court to the other.

What do you want to talk about?

I'm not going to waste any words.

Could you hand it over without a fuss,

or do I have to take it from you?

You know something?

I forgot what I did with them.

Perhaps I can help you to remember.

You're playing with grownups now,

junior.

How do you like that package you got?

I see that I underestimated you, amigo.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have led

with my right.

Let's make a deal, huh?

I'll give you $5,000 for it.

It isn't mine to sell.

It isn't anybody's.

- You just happen to have it.

- Yeah, I still don't know what it is.

A manuscript.

Yeah, sure. But of what?

I Turistas!

Let's get away from these clowns.

Here. Right here is where the warriors

used to rip out their victims' hearts.

You seem to know

an awful lot about this.

I was a sort of an archeologist once,

but I got disbarred.

You know, there's a man in Oaxaca...

who can decipher the writings

they used to use around here.

Not Navarro.

You're not going to Navarro, are you?

Why not?

He's a worse crook

than Berrien ever was.

He would tell you

it's a recipe for apple strudel...

or the laundry list of the high priest...

and you would never even know

the difference.

Yes, I will,

the way I'm going to give it to him.

How are you going to give it to him?

Well, that's a trade secret...

like opening hotel doors.

He'll piece it together,

no matter what you do.

Look, why don't you sell it to me, huh?

Or come in with me,

and I'll give you half.

Two days alone with that manuscript

and I could lead you to...

To what?

Why should I tell you?

- I might cut you in on it.

- Half?

First, I'd want to know what half is.

Well, back in 1562...

the Spaniards put a torch

to every native manuscript...

they could lay their hands on.

AII, that is, except four codices.

Now, these are writings in which...

Spanish letters are used

to express native symbols.

Now, three of them have been found.

Here's more tourists.

Come on. I'll take you over to Mitla.

This is the burying place

of the Zapotecan kings and priests.

It was a city in itself and inhabited right

up to the time of the conquistadores.

And here's the church

the Spaniards built when they arrived.

Right on the ruins

of a Zapotecan temple.

- What happened to the Zapotecs?

- Nobody knows.

But because of these previous wars,

they had built long tunnels underground.

Then, when they were defeated this

last time, they took to these tunnels...

sealing themselves up

in a mass sacrifice...

leaving everything behind them...

their lives, their temples,

their gods, their treasures.

Now, this fourth codice

is the Book of the Tiger Priests.

A dozen pages listing...

the hiding places of the treasure

the Spaniards never found.

- How many pages?

- Twelve.

You ought to know.

For 400 years,

nobody ever heard of them...

until some fool in Cuba

wrote the museum in Oaxaca...

saying that he'd come across

a strange parchment...

and a piece of carved jade

which might interest them.

While the museum was fooling around

trying to make up its mind...

Berrien got wind of it and so did I,

but too late.

The Cuban was sorry,

but he'd already sold it for $5,000.

Well, that cinched it for me,

because I knew right then...

that there was only one manuscript that

Berrien would give that much money for.

So I took out after him, followed him

aboard the Cinco de Mayo...

and the rest you know.

Yeah, the rest I know.

So you killed him?

You asked me that question yesterday.

You still haven't told me what it's worth.

More that you and I could count

in 1,000 years.

$10 million, $50 million,

nobody knows how much.

Gold and silver and jade.

Make a deal with me, Colby.

Half, and I'm your man.

I can translate that manuscript...

and I can get the stuff out of the country.

How about it?

I'll think it over...

carefully.

The thing didn't really hit me

until I got back to the hotel.

The Book of the Tiger Priests.

Twelve pages of parchment

suddenly bobbing up after 350 years.

They'd be after what I had,

the three pages...

a quarter of the total.

Suppose it was only $10 million,

altogether.

A quarter of that was $2.5 million.

I tried to imagine

what $1 million in gold looked like.

- You said you'd be right back.

- I did?

You call two hours "right back"?

I don't like being stood up.

- I didn't stand you up.

- Yes, you did.

You stood me up,

because you think I'm a tramp.

- I don't think you're a tramp.

- Yes, you do...

'cause I am.

I'm a tramp and everybody knows it.

Julie the tramp.

What's a lady have to do

to get a cigarette around here?

That's better.

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