Chapter 5: Peru, October 2020

My head was spinning, and the room was fading in and out. We had been to Peru for three months and we had not had any success in our search for Pachamama's Veil. Instead, my guilt and paranoia over what happened in New York had driven me to drug addiction. It had happened since I had almost unlimited money in a country where drugs were cheap and plentiful. I tried to get up, but I fell backwards, hit my head on the bed frame and fell unconscious.

I was floating in space. I recognised the feeling from my interdimensional travel and my near-death experience in Nepal, Was I dying again? Today's date was surrounding me. 20th October 2020. In 111 years, a gamma-ray burst would hit Earth. This gamma-ray burst would destroy humanity. What was it to me, anyway? No matter what I did, I would be long gone by then.

"Individuals are expendable. It's the collective that matters!" Rangda spoke in the back of my head.

Her statement angered me. Rangda was all about herself. She had started a multimillennial interstellar war to get revenge for the Zetans abandoning her mother, Kalianka. So much pain and suffering because Rangda couldn't forgive the past.

"War is progress. It rids the universe of the weak lifeforms so that the strong may live." I heard Rangda's voice echo in my head.

"Well, perhaps I am weak, and it's time for me to make space for the strong?" I suggested

"Maybe. But a Gamma Ray burst won't benefit the strong. At least not the strong as I see it." Rangda replied.

"Why is that?" I replied.

"Because the strongest of species are the single-cell organisms. They can survive anything. But not much progress happening on that level. A gamma-ray burst would kill all humans. Strong and weak alike. Thus, it wouldn't separate the weak from the strong." Rangda replied.

"Why did you choose me?" I shouted.

"I didn't. Destiny made our paths cross, and now it's up to you to save humankind. The only way you can do that is to do my bidding." Rangda replied.

"But what if I don't want to save humanity?" I asked.

"Your preferences on this matter is of no concern to me. Now get up and get to work. You are not meant to die here!" Rangda said and disconnected from mind. Once Rangda had disconnected I fell into deep dreamless sleep.

***

Splash! I woke up with a twitch as the icy water brought me back to my senses. "Get up! I found a lead. It's time to get to work!" Elaine commanded

"What happened?" I asked in confusion.

"That happened," Elaine replied and pointed to the stash of cocaine and various pills.

"You left me unconscious to continue on our mission," I complained.

"Yes. The mission is crucial for the future. Not even your life matters that much to me." Elaine replied, holding back her tears.

"I am sorry, Elaine," I replied and looked away. Elaine hugged me tightly and said nothing.

After a period of silence, Elaine spoke. "So, why do you keep doing this shit? Humanity's future is at stake, and you're busy overdosing on drugs!"

"I am acting this way because of the immense pressure. Also, I killed two men, remember!" I replied. "Fay Zhed was a scumbag paedophile rapist, and his bodyguard was complicit. You made the world better by killing those men!" Elaine stated. "That was CIA propaganda" I replied. "Yes. But you are better off if you believe it yourself so we can get on with the mission!" Elaine replied. "You are right," I replied in resignation, and I got up from the floor.

***

Half an hour later, we were having breakfast in the hotel restaurant. I felt sick, but I knew that I needed to sustain myself if I wanted to carry on with the mission. As I had my second cup of coffee, Elaine spoke. "I have located an artefact that is crucial for our mission."

"That's great news. Where is it?" I asked.

Elaine handed me a tablet with a picture of a silver statuette and spoke. "Well, you see that's the problem. It's located at the National Museum here in Lima."

"So, what do you suggest? That we buy it? Or that we steal it?" I asked.

"I'd suggest neither of those. I already spoke to the museum manager. He won't sell their national treasures to some cashed-up Gringo. And stealing it? Well that plan didn't work out too well in New York, did it?" Elaine asked rhetorically.

I sighed. The headache and nausea from were too much for me, and I couldn't think straight. "So, what do you suggest?" I asked in resignation.

Elaine smirked at me and replied. "Well. I have realised that the museum manager, Alejandro Orihuela, is a very traditional family man with strong hidden desires."

"Why do I give a shit?" I asked.

"Because blackmailing is the way to convince Alejandro to steal the statuette for us. Being the museum manager, he can delete the record of the statuette so that no-one will know that it was ever there." Elaine revealed

"I still don't know what you're suggesting," I replied in disinterest.

"We need to make sure that Alejandro has sex with a man. And then we threaten to reveal the pictures. That will force him to help us." Elaine explained.

"No fucking way. I am not having sex with a man!" I exclaimed, a bit too loud, so people at the neighbouring tables stared at us.

Elaine smirked at me and replied. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Don't think too highly of yourself. You're not that irresistible. I have hired an accomplice. Miguel will do the seduce and sex part."

As Elaine mentioned his name Miguel approached our table. He was very handsome Latin American man in his twenties, and I was confident that he would do an excellent job at seducing someone. But at the same time, I felt jealous. If Elaine had hired this man, what had stopped her from utilising his services herself? I sought eye-contact with Elaine, who was staring at Miguel's bum and abs.

"Ah, fuck it!' I thought as I zoned out while Elaine explained the details of her blackmailing plan.

***

A few hours later, we were sitting in a windowless van, following Miguel's advancements with Alejandro. I didn't know why we had to do things this way, but I didn't want to argue. I hadn't found a lead for months, due to my failed self-medication against my anxiety and guilt. I felt like a paparazzi, the worst kind of bottom feeder with no life on my own. This feeling was amplified by sitting in a parked hot car with no air-conditioning.

"Don't be a sourpuss, our plan is working," Elaine said, and she was correct. The video images revealed that Miguel and Alejandro were getting undressed in a hotel room. A hotel room which we had rented for the setup. "Do I need to watch this shit!" I asked angrily.

"Yes. Please do. Miguel is a professional. You might learn a thing or two." Elaine said and smirked. "Did you learn a thing or two from him?" I lashed back.

"Ha-ha-ha. As tempting as that would be if he weren't a gay prostitute, he is a gay prostitute. So, no I didn't." Elaine replied.

"Whatever. Are we done here?" I replied.

"I'd say so. We are not posting the video on Pornhub, after all." Elaine replied.

"Okay, I am out of here, I need some fresh air," I said.

"Very well. I'll see you back at the hotel. After I have saved the day." Elaine replied and smiled at me as I left the van.

***

A couple of days later, we were in the mountains, close to Lake Titicaca. I held the Pachamama silver statuette in my hand, feeling both relief and anger. Relief that we had the first clue in the pursuit of the Primordial Zeto Crystal. Anger over how Elaine had acquired it. She had blackmailed Alejandro Orihuela into stealing the statuette for us. Elaine did this through threatening to reveal the video of Alejandro's homosexual encounter. Alejandro had obliged, and we had the figurine, but it was an immoral way of conducting business.

I snapped out of my moralising. Elaine had done what she had to do to retrieve the statuette, and at least no-one had died this time. The figurine was crucial to finding the Incan deity, Pachamama's, tomb where her legendary veil was located. Rangda couldn't tell us anything about the tomb. But she claimed that Pachamama's veil was crucial for re-energising the primordial Zeto Crystal. It was clear that we needed to find it and secure more clues.

"Hmm. Open your heart from the mouth of the lake." Elaine read from the inscription on the statuette written in the ancient Incan language, Quechua.

"Are you sure that is the correct translation?" I asked.

"No. Why don't you try?" Elaine replied irritably. I sighed and looked at the figurine. While the monocle heightened my senses and intelligence, it didn't make me an expert at every single language on Earth.

"I am sorry, babe. I got the same translation." I said.

"So, what does it mean?" Elaine pondered.

"Hmm the mouth of a lake, would be where the water flows into the lake. Open your heart might mean to keep an open mind. Many ancient civilisations thought that the mind was in the heart." I replied.

"So, open your mind?" Elaine pondered.

"Exactly. The safest place to hide something would be at a depth, at the bottom of the lake. There is an underwater temple built by the Tiwanaku people. That would be our best bet."

I replied.

"Well, let's go. But we better get some dive instructors with us. We only got basic certifications in diving." Elaine suggested.

"No, we better not involve others if we can avoid it. Let's go and get some equipment." I replied and rushed ahead.

***

I was studying the majestic view where the Ramis River connected to Lake Titicaca. My head was pinging, and I could sense that a Zeto Crystal was near. It was probably a replicated one, but I needed to find out. I couldn't leave any stones unturned. We had encountered a practical problem that we should have foreseen. There were no dive shops close to the lake, and when I dipped my toe in the water, I realised why. The water was freezing and not suitable for a leisure dive.

'Ping, ping, ping' kept humming in the back of my head. A Zeto Crystal of some sort was nearby. Severe paranoia gripped me. It would take days to get the required scuba equipment to this location. What if someone else was going to find the crystal in that time? I knew that my thought made no sense, but when fear and paranoia strike you, logic stops working!

Against better judgement, I got undressed and ran towards the lake to dive down and look for the crystal without equipment. I didn't get far as the icy water shocked my body and made me come back up as quickly as I went in!

"You'll enjoy swimming more at Mancora Beach," A female voice said. I froze and slowly turned around. There she was, Josefina Fiero, the Latin American femme fatale I hadn't seen since Nepal five months earlier.

At first, I felt like an idiot, shivering in my wet swimwear. This was particularly embarrassing since the freezing water had shrunk certain body parts. But then, paranoia struck me. Why was she here and how did she find us?

"Josefina, what brings me the pleasure?" I said, faking enthusiasm to conceal my worries.

"I am bringing news about your friend, Alejandro. Despite your well-meaning attempts at improving his sex life, he ended up committing suicide. What a tragedy!" Josefina said theatrically.

Hearing the Josefina had us under surveillance, I freaked out. I activated combat mode on my monocle, to identify any threats in the surroundings.

"I wouldn't try that. I tested out the technology and concluded that it couldn't identify threats more than a kilometre away on the standard-setting. And I have snipers outside of that range." Josefina stated.

"You are lying!" I exclaimed.

"Perhaps, but are you willing to take that risk to fight a woman who came in peace?" Josefina asked.

I sighed, tapped the top of my monocle, and removed it, revealing my purple eye. Josefina followed suit and removed her monocle as well. After that, she handed me a towel, and we walked towards a picnic table and got seated.

"So, Martin. Tell me why you're here." Josefina stated.

"Can't a couple visit this beautiful location without an ulterior motive?" I asked rhetorically. "Tourists don't blackmail museum managers into handing out priceless historical artefacts!" Josefina replied.

"So, you have been spying on me for a while?" I replied.

"Well, not personally but my associates have. I have got a successful business to run." Josefina replied.

"A lot more successful due to a certain artefact, I'd assume?" I replied.

Josefina smiled seductively at me and replied: "Yes, and that's why I have come to help you. I need to know what your goals are, and my organisation can help you reach them."

I hesitated for a moment, and then I gave in to Josefina's suggestion. There was no way I could say no to a smile like hers, and besides she had come in peace.

"We are looking for an alien artefact. The Veil of Pachamama. A Zetan alien who posed as an Incan god." I revealed.

"Oh, a treasure hunt. How exciting!" Josefina replied enthusiastically.

"Well, I hope it can save me. Since Nepal I have been living on borrowed time. I have severe brain injuries that should have killed me." I replied.

Josefina's smile disappeared, and she gave me a concerned look. "I am so sorry to hear that. You're the reason I am still alive, with a heightened awareness. If there is anything that I could do for you, just say the word!"

Josefina's kind word moved me, and I was close to breaking down. But I kept my composure and replied. "Thank you, Josefina. If you could organise for express delivery of Scuba gear and a dry suit, that would help."

"Of course. I'll tell my helicopter pilot to bring the supplies here right after dropping me off at the airport. I'll need to go back to Brazil now. Let's keep in touch." Josefina said, hugged me and rushed off towards an approaching helicopter. As she got on it, I saw several men with sniper rifles. I was grateful that I hadn't tested Josefina's claim about her men surrounding the location.

***

I woke up as the frost was chilling into my bones. Despite being close to the equator, the high altitude caused the region to be barren and cold. I hated the thought of getting into the Lake's chilly water, and I hoped that the dry suit would work.

I nudged Elaine to wake her up. She looked at me with worried eyes. "Martin, I don't like this. Why did Josefina just show up offering to help you?" Elaine said.

"I don't know. Considering that Josefina brought several snipers to the meeting, that means she doesn't trust us either. But she did deliver scuba gear, and we need to get going." I replied.

"I guess you're correct. If she wanted us dead, we'd already been dead, right?" Elaine pondered. "Correct. Josefina got the resources to kill us. Let's go." I said

I got up, left the tent, and watched the magnificent sunrise over the picturesque lake.

***

I was pleasantly surprised when I entered the water with the scuba gear that Josefina had provided. She hadn't spared any expense, and the dry suit kept me warm and comfortable in the freezing water. I had opted to have a full-face mask instead of a typical scuba mask. I needed to be able to communicate with Elaine who was on a boat at the surface looking out for dangers.

"Your video link is up and running," Elaine said via the radio. "Copy that. I am moving towards the ping of the Zeto Crystal. Martin out" I replied and disregarded Elaine's follow-up messages.

The water in the lake was blurry and not ideal for diving. This because I was at the lake's inlet where a river brought freshwater and sediment to the lake. But I was where I needed to be. The inscription had mentioned the mouth of the river, and I could feel the Zeto Crystal acting like a beacon. The pinging in my brain was becoming louder as I approached the crystal in the depths.

I checked the depth gauge. I was below 30 metres depths, way deeper than I had even been before, and the visibility was poor. I felt like death surrounded me, and I struggled to keep calm. I took a deep breath to calm down, and I saw a rock formation that looked like an old temple carved into the mountainside.

'Ping, ping, ping'. The Zeto Crystal was near. I closed my eyes to visualise, and I noticed a hidden compartment of the wall. I swam towards it, but it couldn't nudge the door. Fuck! If I had only worn the monocle when diving. Then I would know what to do. Unfortunately, I had to take it off to fit my full-face diving mask.

I realised that Rangda might know how to open the doorway. I contacted her telepathically via the Zetan Angel Chip. "Empress Rangda. I am lost. I know there is a Zeto Crystal behind this hidden wall, but I don't know how to open it.

"Bloody fool. Haven't you expanded your mind from using the Zetan Monocle?" Rangda hissed.

"I had to take it off to fit on my scuba mask. Sorry, Empress Rangda." I replied apologetically

"Very well. Look around yourself in every direction. Move your head slowly. I'll access your vision, and I'll let you know if see anything." Rangda replied.

I started looking around, hoping for Rangda's enhanced awareness to detect something that I was missing. After a few minutes I heard Rangda screeching: "Look, over there. A hidden lever masked as a broken-off twig!"

"What? That looks like a normal piece of debris."

"Ih. You fool! That twig is from a non-native tree. How do you think it got there?" Rangda hissed.

"I am sorry, Empress Rangda," I replied.

"So, so. Apologies won't get us closer to finding the Zeto Crystal. Swim over there and pull the secret lever!" Rangda commanded.

I did as Rangda instructed, and I made my way to secret lever. I tried moving the lever, but it seemed to be stuck. What should I do? I didn't want to ask Rangda and have her taunt me again, so I looked around for a suitable tool.

I saw a medium-sized stone a few metres away from me. I tried to lift it, but I couldn't. I thought about it for a few seconds and then I got an idea. I inflated my diving vest a bit while holding the stone. This gave me enough buoyancy to lift the rock off the bottom of the lake. I swam towards the lever with the stone clutch to my chest.

As I reached the lever, I grabbed the stone with both hands and slammed the lever. I heard a noise, and the bar moved. I heard a loud noise and a secret passageway opened in the cave.

I swam towards the passageway when I heard a terrifying loud alarm go off. 'Beep, beep, beep!'. I froze as several squid-like robots approached me.

"Rangda. Help!" I shouted in panic. "Damn. I should have known that the hidden temple had defences in place. Be completely still and don't resist. Most Zetan defensive measures are set to be non-lethal by default. I'll try to come up with something." Rangda said.

"Yes, Empress!" I replied.

I stared in horror as the terrible robots approached me. They looked like they came straight from a nightmare, and my heart told me got the fuck out of there. The quickest way was up. If I inflated my vest and dropped my weights, I could reach the surface and the boat quickly. But I'd never survive the decompression sickness. I was 40 metres below the surface, and unless I got rid of excess gas in my bloodstream through following diving protocols, I was a goner.

One of the squid-like robots squeezed me with its metal tentacles, and all I wanted was to wake up from the nightmare. But I wasn't sleeping, and I was gasping for air as it squeezed my body. As the metal tentacles slithered over my body, the robot disconnected the regulator hose to my compressed air tank. Shit! I was going to die! I wriggled to get out of the grip of the robot but to no avail, and things faded to black.

'Gulp!' I woke up in shock as I ingested a mouthful of water. I had lost my scuba mask. On the flip side, the robots seemed to be deactivated. My vision was blurry, but I saw my salvation. The iridescent blue light of a Zeto Crystal in front of my arms. I grabbed, the crystal, dropped my weight belt and inflated my diving vest. I could no longer worry about decompression sickness, I needed to get up.

A few seconds later, I reached the surface, and Elaine dragged me unto the boat. Then everything turned black.

***

"Wuah!"

I woke up vomiting up water. Elaine was wearing scuba gear, and she was doing chest compressions on me. What a nightmare that I had survived. I realised that I wasn't out of trouble yet. I needed to get to a decompression chamber quickly. But how would I get to one on time?

"Get me to the hospital!" I said between coughing and vomiting.

"Oh, thank god! You're alive! What were those horrible things?" Elaine asked.

"Zetan sentry robots. The inscription on the statuette lured us into a clever trap." I replied.

"Yes. I saw the video link. I wonder why the robots turned off?" Elaine pondered.

"It was probably a way to preserve battery time. I must have died and returned. I passed out, and then I woke up underwater, and that's when I saw the Zeto Crystal in front of me" I said.

"Yes, I saw it all on the camera. You were lifeless for over a minute. I got into my scuba gear hoping to save you, but then you woke up and came up to the surface." Elaine revealed.

"Well. Let's hope that I'll be safe now." I sighed and closed my eyes.

"Yes. I'll call an ambulance helicopter, and then I'll pray for you." Elaine replied.

I fell asleep and started dreaming. I dreamt about my visit to the Divine Dimension the previous year and my conversation with Brahma. He had warned me about Rangda the Deceiver, but here I was serving her. Then again, Brahma and the Zetans had abandoned me, while Rangda had saved my life and made me wealthy. So, who was good and who was bad?

'Wake up' I heard echoing in the back of my head, and as I opened my eyes a helicopter was approaching.

***

"We are safe. Help has arrived!" Elaine said joyfully when we looked at the incoming helicopter. I wanted to share Elaine's positive affirmation, but something was gnawing in my head. How had the helicopter arrived so quickly?

I looked at my broken diving equipment, and I saw something. Hidden inside a ripped seam were a camera and a GPS tracker. Josefina Fiero must have decided to spy on us when she gave us the equipment. Thus, this helicopter was likely to be her men in disguise. In that case we would better run off and hide.

I grabbed the replicated Zeto Crystal and directed its energy to heal my damaged lungs. Then I sprung to my feet and yelled: "Elaine, grab your stuff. We must run and hide."

"Martin, what's wrong?" Elaine asked.

"Josefina was spying on us along. That helicopter must be her men. We need to get out of here." I said.

Elaine believed me, and we grabbed our bags and made a run for it before the helicopter had landed. We ran until we had made our way to a small cave. Once we were out of sight we collapsed to the ground.

***

"What happened back there?" Elaine asked.

"I realised that Josefina had rigged our equipment with spy cameras and GPS trackers. I also found it strange that the ambulance helicopter came so fast!" I replied.

"Do you think Josefina wants to hurt us? Elaine asked.

"I am not sure. But I don't trust someone who rigs my equipment with tracking devices and spy cameras." I replied.

"So, what do we do?" Elaine asked.

"We need to find Pachamama's temple and get away from Peru as quickly as possible," I replied.

Elaine looked at her tablet. "Hmm, I saw a map on the wall when you were unconscious in the underwater temple," Elaine said.

"Let me have a look," I replied.

"Sure, I took a screenshot of the map," Elaine replied and handed me the tablet.

I grabbed the tablet and looked at the map. It resembled the Titicaca region, but it was different. Did the area look like this, several centuries ago? I studied the map together with Elaine. "What do you think about this?" I asked.

"I don't know. Maybe we should plug in our monocles?" Elaine suggested.

"I would rather not. That will alert Josefina about our position. That's hardly ideal." I replied.

"42! 42 is the answer." I heard a faint whisper.

"Rangda?" I asked, but there was no response.

I looked at the map again. 42 degrees northeast of us there was a location marked in the Quechua language. I didn't want to use the monocle to confirm my theory but staying here didn't seem like a smart idea either. I made up my mind. We were moving to the cave listed a few kilometres away from us. We would move at nightfall to be harder to spot.

I told Elaine about the idea, and while she wasn't enthusiastic, she didn't argue against it. We were in a tight spot, and we had to act.

***

A few hours later, we were outside an ancient temple, dug out into the mountain. I felt a deep sense of relief. My intuition had led me in the right direction.

I picked up the shiny, silver Pachamama statuette that I had packed down in my scratched and weather-worn backpack. I looked at Elaine, and she nodded. This was it. This was the sacred tomb of Pachamama, the Incan goddess of Earth, a Zetan alien who had taken a divine form to gain human followers.

I compared the tomb with the map on my tablet. This was it; this was the location from the map in the underwater temple. We had the key to get into to this hidden temple. We had the statuette that served as the key to the inner sanctum of the temple.

I looked at the wall. There was an opening, shaped like our Pachamama statuette. I was about to insert the figurine into the hollow compartment when I heard Elaine's voice: "Martin, I am afraid. Are we really meant to see a dead deity? What if she isn't dead?" "Don't worry, Elaine. The Zetans are not real gods. If Pachamama were locked up here centuries ago, she would have perished by now." I replied, but I felt that my partner's unease was influencing me.

I pushed away my fears. I was here on a mission, and I would complete that mission. I inserted the figurine in the opening, and I waited for something to happen. Suddenly, the wall moved and revealed a tunnel. I heard a shrill, piercing voice, hissing nonsensical chants in an alien language.

"What's that noise?" Elaine exclaimed.

"It's a recording. Pachamama used that to keep the locals away back in the day," I replied with fake confidence. "Anyway, we have a mission, and I am going in!" I continued.

"I am not going in there!" Elaine said obstinately.

"Oh well, then I'll go myself," I replied irritably and walked into the tunnel.

As I entered the inner sanctum of the Pachamama temple, a sweet and pungent smell overwhelmed me. Where did the smell come from? I found the source of the distinct smell in the centre of the room, where the body of Pachamama was lying on an altar.

Elaine approached me: "Is she dead?" she asked tentatively.

"So, it would seem, but there is only one way to find out," I replied.

"But why would a corpse smell like that?" Elaine asked.

"It is Probably because of a Zetan preservation technology." I replied as I walked up to Pachamama and touched her body. The body that was cold and greasy filled me with disgust.

"What do I do now?" I asked the voice in my head that had followed me since my incident in Nepal. "Your mission here is to get Pachamama's Veil. Burn the body, humanity is not ready to find out the truth."

"Yes, Empress Rangda," I replied and took the veil.

We cremated Pachamama's body and left the temple without a word. Our real mission was still ahead of us!