"I can't believe we spent all that time going in one huge circle and finding nothing!" Arny kicked at the base of the wooden table in their hotel room back in Callao. Gretta sat staring down into the street, her note pad perched on her lap and her pencil playing an absent tattoo on her front teeth. "Let's get back to the hospital, pick up Chester and go home."

She turned her head and frowned. "In the first place, Chester can't leave yet, he's still in lockdown from the contagion at the facility. Secondly, this ornament is far too important to just ignore. Its archeological significance requires a full investigation."

"Maybe so, but you don't have to be the one to do it."

"In case you haven't noticed, Arny, I'm here already. Didn't we have this conversation? As long as Cheesy is in hospital I'm using the time to track this thing down."

He knew it was useless to argue when she was in CIA gear; Gretta became another person altogether, a person he was not always comfortable around.

"How are you planning on doing this then?"

"Sander found out that two men came from La Oroya to Lima by train after coming from up country by boat. I'm betting they own the pair of tracks we found leading off into the gorge. He also found out that a small party flew from Obenteni while we were still on the way back and they landed in Callao. Want to bet that they belong to the set of four tracks we found by the body?"

Arny heaved his shoulders and paced about the room. "So what then, you find them and ask them nicely to tell you about that ornament thing? You do recall what happened in that village and the body you just mentioned?"

"First things first." She tossed her notepad on the bed and stood, stretching. "I'm going to shower, change and then find the quickest way to Lima."

"Lima! What for? You said those other guys flew into here - Callao!"

"Because I think that the two men that went there are planning on leaving the country as fast as possible and there must be a very good reason they're doing it ahead of the others. Besides, I'll bet more money that the four will conclude the same thing so they'll be in Lima with us." She grinned at his pained expression.

"But you don't know where they are, Lima's not village it's a big bloody city. Besides, how do you know they haven't left already?"

"I don't, but I will bet your money they will try for false IDs before attempting it and that takes time." She untucked her blouse and slipped it off on the way to the bathroom. Arny lost the thread of his protest, following her progress visually and physically.

"How will you find them, I'd really like to know your methods?" He leaned on the bathroom door frame while she shed her clothes and stepped into the shower.

"Don't underestimate the Congress, Arny, ve haf our vays," she mimicked in corny German. "Are you going to watch me shower?"

"May I?"

"Close the door behind you, Arny." She turned on the taps and steam began to fill the room. Arny closed the door, slipped out of his own clothes and sneaked into the shower behind her.

********

Cavanaugh entered the room and stopped short as Andy waved his gun toward him.

"Sorry, mate, never know who's just dropping in."

"As long as you wait to see . . . partner." He shut the door and tossed his pack on the bed. "I found a guy who knows a guy."

"Which means?"

"We'll get a call before the end of the day with instructions on where to go." Jack opened the small refrigerator and took out a beer. "I see you've had your share of these already."

"Bloody thing only holds twelve, we need bigger digs."

"This'll do fine. Out of sight out of crosshairs, Andy."

"You think old Salvatore will come to Lima?"

"Wouldn't you?" He sucked back half the contents and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "I wonder what he's done with Sophia and Anton."

Stork popped the magazine out of his gun, looked at it and snapped it back in again. "Anton's probably dead and your Sophia likely wishes she was."

"What makes you think she's my Sophia?" Jack coloured, gritting his teeth against the image Stork implied.

"Come on, Jack. You running off with those," he kicked a foot toward the pack, "and the bird whose part of the plot to stuff the rest of the party gets left behind? Not your modus operandi, mate."

"Keep your dirty boots of my pack and who says there was a plot to stuff the rest of the party?"

Stork grinned and pushed a hand toward him. "Give me break, Jack."

"Maybe your right . . . anyway that's over." He finished his beer and tossed the bottle in the wastebasket. "I'm hungry, what say we head out for something?"

"What about the call?"

"It won't be until dark. Trust me."

Stork stood, holstering his gun beneath his jacket. "I do, Jacko, I do."

********

Salvatore hung up the phone and cast a dirty look at Sophia. He'd been on the phone to Sebastian, reporting the events to date and had received a shredding for his efforts, including a reiteration of his original warning.

"Our employer is not pleased. I think it's time we learned precisely what was discovered, how much and where it has gone." He crossed to where Sophia sat, nervously squeezing her fingers.

"You have everything we had," she started. "Anton and I carried everything we pulled from the mine in those packs."

"What about Cavanaugh?"

"I told you, I don't know. I never saw anything else."

"Why did he leave alone then?"

"I told you that too. He and Anton weren't getting along and they argued and Jack left."

"Without a share of all that?" Salvatore nudged the two backpacks by the bed.

"What can I say? I don't know. We were going to meet up again at the airstrip. I told you that."

Dante came around and stood by her chair, lifting her hair with a meaty hand. "Was the argument about you, sweetheart?"

"No- no it was- it . . . " She pulled her head away and looked up at the leering face.

"It was about this Two Gun Cavanaugh usin' one of his guns for you, wasn't it? And old Anton didn't like poachers."

"You're a pig!" She shifted away from him on the chair but he caught her by the neck and twisted her face toward him.

"Say the word, Salvatore, and I guarantee she will tell more than she knows." His grin made her stomach turn over.

"It is your choice, Mrs. Varga," he said formally. "Tell me what I want to know or tell him." Sophia looked to Mumford for help but the Englishman just sat calmly watching the proceedings.

"I can't tell you what I don't know," she pleaded.

"Leave her be, old boy. I think the lady would rather talk than have your friend there try to pry it out of her." Cyril swung his feet flat to the floor and watched the two Italians.

"Always the gentleman Limey," Dante mocked, moving Sophia's head toward him provocatively.

"And ever the bloodthirsty goon eh, Dante?" His hand moved swiftly and the revolver came up to a point between Dante's eyes. "Nothing foolish, old man, we're all on the same side here, right?"

"Leave her. He's right. She wouldn't be stupid enough to submit to your methods my friend." Salvatore signaled for him to let her go. Cyril watched the big man glare threateningly as he shoved Sophia's head away and with equal but opposite calm, put his gun away.

"We must make arrangements to get to Lima. If Stork and Cavanaugh do have something they'll be doing their best to find a way out of the country."

"Quickest is by car." Cyril said.

"Right. Dante, go get us a car, we'll leave immediately."