Rick Luke's Letter to Lillian

Dear Miss Avery,

I hope you won't think it too forward of me to write, but I learned a few things while I was recovering from the ambush in the jungle, and I thought I should pass them on.

First of all, I paid a visit to Francisco de la Vega. I know you thought he wasn't a cultist, but something just didn't sit right with me. He's the one who recommended Guillermo to you and Jacinto to the other group, and both of them turned out to be rotten apples.

So, I thought, "This is just too much to be a coincidence, Rick, my boy." And I took a couple of the folks you hired — the ones whose loyalties we could trust — and paid Senor de la Vega a visit.

Things got a little, ah, heated, but suffice it to say that Senor de la Vega is the head of a local Golxumal cult that is very protective of Chichen Xoxul. I'm sorry I can't say "was", but, well, we had to leave in a bit of a hurry, I'm afraid. Senor de la Vega may be a superstitious fool — do you know, Miss Avery, he actually believes in Goluxumal, believes his god will awaken, and that, when Golxumal does wake up, the world will end! I'd thought all of that sort of thinking went out centuries ago!

But, that's Mexico for you. Always full of surprises. It's why I love her.

I'll be dealing with Senor de la Vega again, have no fear — and I will get to Chichen Xoxul. I'm envious you all got to see it without me. What did you think of it? What was it like? I can't wait to see it with my own eyes, once I've recovered. As I was saying, Senor de la Vega may be full of nonsensical superstitions, but he and his servants do know how to shoot, I'll give them that. And, he has some pull in Merida, so I'm lying low for a while.

But I did want to let you know — and also to let you know something else.

I was wondering about Martin Locksley — you know how it is when you meet someone with the same interests as you, right? So, I wrote a few letters, made a few inquiries, and here's the thing.

There is no Martin Locksley as a grad student in any American university in any department that would give someone credit for looking at Chichen Xoxul.

Maybe he's studying abroad — I'm making inquiries — but, frankly, I doubt it. I don't know what his game is. I doubt he's one of de la Vega's. But, he's got to be playing his own game, and he might be a superstitious nutcase of a different flavor than de la Vega.

Or, he might just be a thief or smuggler. So, keep your guard up. Keep an eye on the notes and artifacts you have from Chichen Xoxul (and if you could send me copies and photos, that would be great!)

Anyway, it was fun — and I'll tell you all about how it goes when I get there.

Sincerely,

Rick Luke