A security guard came into view, and Marco created an icicle in the doorway of the observatory—the sign to stay out of sight.
The guard reached the foot of the stairs and looked up toward the observatory. Cam hadn’t mentioned any sensors or internal security cameras, but as the guard started to ascend the stairs to investigate, he had a feeling that Cam had overlooked something.
Not even badass Cam was perfect.
The guard was only a few steps from the bottom of the stairs, so he iced the small pool of water on the next step up. The guard slipped and fell back onto the muddy ground, and while he remained on his back, he was squirming and clearly conscious. Marco needed to create a diversion so that Cam and Zalika could get the hell out of there.
Jacek was standing guard behind the stone platforms that held up the observatory. Marco sent him a text, and quickly checked his phone before brushing his drenched hair over his face, and grinding his knees into the mud.
He made his way to the stone platform, careful to keep to the trees until he was next to the bottom of the structure. He jumped, grabbed the edge, and pulled himself up. He staggered out into the guard’s line of sight and sung one of the hit songs he’d heard in Merida, deliberately slurring his words. He stumbled down the stairs, making sure to trip on the last one, and landed on his hands and knees in the mud next to the security guard. Marco swayed a little for extra effect.
The guard reached for something at his side, so Marco quickly said in Spanish, “Can you believe Mexico lost to Brazil in the Confederation Cup?” Marco rolled none too gently until his ass plopped into the mud. “Don’t get me wrong, Mexico is strong this year and would kick Colombia’s ass in a rematch. But just once, I’d like to see Brazil lose.”
The guard visibly relaxed. “The ruins closed hours ago and you shouldn’t be here.”
Marco gave a one-shoulder shrug. “I remember drinking at one of the eateries on the road into Chichen Itza, stepping out for a smoke, and somehow ending up here.” He attempted to get up, but fell back onto his ass. “Are you going to call the cops on me?”
The guard sat up slowly, trying not to wince and show weakness. Marco finally stumbled to his feet and put out a hand. The guard took it, and Marco stumbled backward enough to get the guard on his feet. “No,” the guard said. “I probably would’ve tried to drink away the loss to Brazil too, if I hadn’t been on duty. I’ll escort you to the entrance and call you a tax
i.”
“Thanks, friend.” Marco followed the guard, careful to wobble on his feet as if he were drunk, and drew the guard into a Brazilian soccer trash talk competition all the way to the front entrance.
Cam held herself up on the window’s ledge with her arms and watched as Marco drew the guard away. From the way he was stumbling and practically yelling at the guard, he played a convincing drunk.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the icicle in the doorway splash to the floor. That was their cue to leave.
Except there was a problem. Cam lowered herself from the window and went to where Zalika was slumped against the wall, massaging her ankle. Cam whispered, “Can you walk?”
“I won’t be running any marathons, but I can limp pretty well.”
Cam nodded, helping Zalika to her feet. “Lean on me.”
Between the two of them, Zalika managed to hobble out of the door. She made it as far as the outer wall surrounding the observatory building before she had to lean against it and take the weight off her ankle. “I won’t be able to climb down the rope like this.”
Cam had been afraid of that. “Then we’ll get Jacek to help.”
However, before she could take out her phone, she heard an owl hoot and Cam returned the call. Jacek came over the wall, took one look at Zalika, and said, “Couldn’t contain your clumsy side, eh?”
Zalika stuck out her tongue. “At least I’m not afraid of moths.”
Cam shushed them. “Jacek, can you scale down the wall with Zalika on your back?”
Jacek nodded and moved so his back was toward Zalika. “Climb on.”
Zalika put her hands over his shoulders and jumped. Jacek grabbed her thighs and hefted her up. “Squeeze with your thighs because I won’t be able to hold you as I climb down.”
Jacek took the rope, maneuvered over the wall, and slowly walked down the side of the first wall, and then the other. Only once the pair had reached the bottom did Cam follow. When her feet touched the ground, she swung the rope upwards a few times until the grapple came lose. She gathered it up and disappeared into the jungle.
She ran and only caught up to Jacek’s long legged stride because of Zalika’s extra weight. As soon as they were deep enough in the forest and far enough away from the site, Jacek broke the silence. “Not only did Marco save your asses back there, but he also let me know that you two might need some help. I think it’s safe to say he’s on our side, and we should start to trust him.”
Cam probably could’ve come up with an alternative escape plan, but with Zalika twisting her ankle on the spiral staircase inside the observatory, Marco’s solution had simplified things. “Finding one of the Talents is too important to risk on ‘maybe’ trusting someone. We have no idea what waits for us at the end of all this clue chasing, and I don’t want Marco to fail us at the last minute. He’s young, with little experience. Do you remember how long it took me to trust the two of you?”
Jacek frowned. “Yes, but you said Jaxton Ward sent him here. That counts for something.”
“Do you want to know my true reason for an additional test?” They nodded. “I need to figure out his strengths and weaknesses so I can use him in the most effective way. If I ask Marco directly, he’ll probably say he’s good at everything, so I need a way to find out the truth.”
Zalika spoke up from Jacek’s back. “Well, that kind of makes sense.”