Evil Star

been living. They were sitting in the main room, a single living space with two beds, a sofa, and a multicolored rug spread out over the stone floor. Two of the walls were lined with windows. These were strangely shaped, narrower at the top than at the bottom, like cut-off triangles. Matt had seen the same design all over Cuzco. There was no glass, no electric-ity, no running water. At night, it would be lit by candles.
    There was a fast-flowing stream, a tributary of the River Chamba, on the other side of the city. The toilets and bath houses were all located here.
    The two of them had been given lunch: a large bowl of something called locro, a mixture of meat and vegetables somewhere between a Horowitz, Anthony - [Gatekeepers 02] - Evil Star soup and a stew. They were on their own. Pedro had gone off with Atoc — presumably to rest in one of the other houses. Matt was glad to have a bit of time with Richard. Just being with him reminded him of the normal life he'd once had.
    Matt told his story first, beginning with his meeting with Pedro, his time at Poison Town, the escape from Salamanda's hacienda. Then there was the journey to Cuzco, the chase through the streets at night, and finally his arrival here. The two of them had been given a jug of beer — the same stuff that Matt had tried in Cuzco. Richard had drunk it all by the time he had finished.
    "So this boy, Pedro, is one of the five," Richard said.
    "Yes."
    "And you talk to him in your dreams."
    "That's right."
    Richard sighed. “You know what really worries me? I believe you!
    Six months ago, if anyone had told me all this, I'd have laughed in their face." He thought for a moment. "Does Pedro have . . . you know . . . any special powers? Can he see into the future or anything like that?"
    "No. He's very ordinary. And he doesn't want to be involved."
    Richard's story was more straightforward. After being seized on the way from the airport, he had been taken to a room in Lima where he had come face-to-face with his kid-nappers. Matt knew who they were by now. One was Atoc. The other had been Micos.
    "I was feeling pretty pleased with myself because you'd got away,"
    Richard said. "I figured they wouldn't be inter-ested in me and they'd just let me go. But then they explained to me that they were on our Horowitz, Anthony - [Gatekeepers 02] - Evil Star side. They'd tried to intercept us before we walked into a trap. The police were at the hotel."
    "I know." Matt shivered. "I met them."
    "Atoc and the others always knew we'd come to Peru. They were waiting for us from the very start. The trouble was, so were Salamanda and his people. The Incas had to try the kidnap thing because that was the only way they could get hold of us. Of course, they weren't too pleased that you'd got away. In fact, they've been looking for you ever since. They've had people out all over the country. As for me, they took me by car to a private airport, then by plane to Cuzco, and finally by helicopter to the middle of nowhere.
    Just like you. I got bitten to death in the cloud forest and I nearly threw up coming down into the canyon. Did I ever tell you that I don't have a head for heights?"
    "No."
    "Well, I've been here ever since. They've looked after me, and the food's good. But like I said, I've been worrying about you. I couldn't believe it when they told me they'd found you in Cuzco. I'd love to have seen that secret pas-sage. One day maybe you can show me.
    Perhaps on the way out. . ."
    "Who are they, Richard?" It was the one thing Matt still didn't understand. "They say this is the lost city of the Incas. But there aren't any Incas anymore, are there?"
    "There aren't meant to be. Most of them died out." Richard lifted the jug of beer, realized it was empty, and put it down again. "These people are the only survivors, the descendants of the tens of thousands killed all those years ago. And this city is like their secret headquarters. Did you notice the path along the edge of the canyon?

    Horowitz, Anthony - [Gatekeepers 02] - Evil Star They have a way of making it disappear after you've walked down it. No planes can fly over here because of the surrounding mountains and the weird air currents. Nobody knows about this place apart from the people who live here — and you and me, now that we're their guests."
    "And they want to help us."
    "That's right. You've got Diego Salamanda on the one hand. At least this time we know who the bad guy is. And you've got the Incas on the