I didn't know what to say. Aside from being very direct and unexpected, it was, well...sweet. Quite possibly, the nicest compliment anyone had ever given me. "Guy?"

Several moments ticked by before he answered, "Yes?"

"Why are we connected? Why me?"

He sighed. "Because you are special."

"How?"

"It is something in your DNA."

"What is it?"

"DNA? Well, it is a chain of nucleotides-"

"I know what DNA is, Guy. What makes mine different?"

"We are in a bit of hurry, and explaining could take hours."

"I think I'll head into the pueblo and get lunch." I crossed my arms.

"Fine. Your genes have something...extra."

"Extra? Like what?"

"That, my dear woman, is all I can tell you without going into a science lecture on quantum physics and genetics."

"What? You can't say something like that and leave me hanging."

"You would never believe me, no human would."

"Except-you're telling me I'm not a regular human?"

"Even so."

How could he treat this so casually? My head was spinning, trying to put the pieces all together. "Does this have something to do with why you're trapped there?"

"No. I am here because I was tracking a group of men-evil men. They found out and set a trap."

"And you're sealed inside of some Mayan ruin in the middle of the jungle. Yes, I heard that part before. But how? How can a man be trapped without food or water for so many years? Are you dead? Am I going to find some scary ghost hovering over an old pile of bones?"

"No."

"Then how?"

"Because." He hesitated, then growled. "You won't believe me, Emma."

"Guy, you either trust me or you don't. And the fact I'm here-"

"Because I am not a man. Never have been. Never will be."

GULP.

"What do you mean, 'not a man?' Like, as in, you're a woman? Or"- the words stuck in my throat-"another species all together?" I always knew he was something...different, but my rational mind steered clear of anything too outlandish. Hearing him say the words suddenly made everything real, made the frightfulness of the situation undeniable.

"Emma, please. No more. You have to trust me."

"Why? You're some...thing who was apparently trapped by some men-"

"Dark priests, actually. Descendants from the Mayans," he interrupted nonchalantly. "But they're more powerful and vicious than one might think."

"Oh, great. Even better!" I threw up my hands. "And you were hunting them? But, of course, you won't tell me why. And I'm the only person who can hear or talk to you on the entire planet, so I have to rescue you. Oh, and you're not human. But I'm supposed to trust you. Did I get that right, Guy?"

"Yes, you did. And see? I knew you would never believe me."

"You're right. I don't believe any of this."

My grandmother sometimes told stories of the existence of another world, but I thought she was just having fun. And, I knew she was a New-Age kind of person who believed in energies and spirits. I could swallow those concepts, sort of. But this? Not a man? What did that mean? Was he an alien? Demon? Monster?

I stood and began pacing under the tree, kicking small pebbles off the side of the road. I still had to go to him; there was no other way out. Doing nothing meant suffering to the point of insanity. Attempting to free him gave me a chance at a normal life and to find out what happened to my grandmother. Sadly, all roads led to extremely bad places, like this jungle.

"Emma, what more can I do to convince you?"

"Nothing."

"Fine. You win. Leave me to rot for eternity."

"Not a chance because I'm not rotting with you." I opened my mouth to say something else, but then a tiny green dot appeared on the horizon. It was an actual taxi.

"Ha! See! I am good luck. Admit it." I clapped.

The chewed-up lime green taxi slowed and pulled to the side. "Buenas tardes, senor, voy a las cabanas Maya Sol," I said in my best espanol to the hot and tired looking driver.

"What was that? Klingon? You really need to work on that accent of yours, Emma. It's embarrassing," Guy said.

Arrogant turd. "I guess I'll never be a master of the universe like you, Guy." I realized that was a stupid comeback. Maybe he was master of the universe. Anything could be possible at this point, and he did know a lot about history, science, and math. Let's not forget he spoke almost every language on the planet, according to him.

"Perdon senorita?" asked the driver.

"Oh. Um-" I paused trying to think of the word. "Nada."

The taxi driver nodded and waited for me to load myself in. We drove for several minutes before the driver told me he passed down the highway every day at the same time to pick up passengers from the bus.

"More like dumb-lucky," Guy jabbed at my earlier statement about being good luck.

"Jerk," I said, hoping the driver didn't understand English or wonder why I was talking to myself.

The car continued for several minutes, finally turning down a narrow dirt road that cut into the jungle. The tree branches swiped the sides of the open windows as we passed, flicking small pieces of bark and leaves at my face. After several bumpy minutes, the road opened up into a large sunny clearing with an enormous thatched-roof structure at one end and several huts at the other.

I left the taxi and was immediately greeted by a sweet looking, old couple. Their faces were dark brown and leathery from the sun, with deep soulful wrinkles around the edges of their eyes. The woman had long white hair pulled neatly back into a bun and wore a white dress with elaborately embroidered flowers. The man had straggly silver hair pushed under a worn straw hat. They were too cute, in a rustic sort of way.

The man reached out for my bag and spoke in a thick local accent, "Hemos estado esperandote mi-ja."

I did a double take. "Did you say you've been waiting for me? Your daughter?"

"He meant-we're glad you've come to stay with us...my dear," said the woman, plucking a leaf from my hair. "My name is Senora Rosa, and this is my husband Senor Arturo. Will you be staying long?"

"Tell her you're only staying one day, that you're an avid bird watcher and heard about the toucans."

"I don't know, exactly," I said, ignoring Guy. I hated when he barked orders. "I'm just passing through, doing a little sightseeing. Then I have to head back to Cancun to meet my friends," I lied.

They both gave me a peculiar look.

"You've taken quite a detour just to see our quiet corner of the state. What kind of sights are you here to see?" the woman asked.

"The lake, birds...you know, stuff like that. Maybe it'd be nice to see a few of those Mayan ruins I've read so much about."

"Emma, stick to the plan. You childish-"

"Oh. I see." She narrowed her eyes. Was she trying to size me up? "Well, most of those things are an hour or two hike from here, and it's much too late in the day to start out. So, you'll have to wait until morning."

"Well, I'm really tight on time, and it looks like there are a few more hours of sunlight-"

"Don't argue with her. Just check into your cabana and go. You can still make it!"

"But you're probably right. I don't want to get lost in the dark." I agreed with Rosa just to irritate Guy. In reality, I was just as anxious to get this over with as he was.

She nodded. "Good. I'll show you to your cabin." She turned to Arturo and mumbled something in a language I didn't recognize, and then started toward a row of thatched roof huts. "Dinner is at eight if you're hungry, and we sell good trail maps for your hike tomorrow, if you're interested. Oh, and do not forget to bring a walking stick with you."

"A walking stick? Is it a difficult hike?" I asked.

"No, for protection-from snakes and other animals. We even have jaguars, but if you see one, say a prayer. Don't bother with the stick."

Oh, goody. Jaguars.

"Here we are." She stopped in front of the very last hut and handed me a small key.

The cabana didn't look like anything special-palm-frond roof, stone and mortar walls, a few random geckos playing "you can't see me"-but when I turned toward the other direction, I saw a breathtaking view of the water a few yards down the hill. It sparkled like a jewel composed of every luminescent shade of blue, green, and turquoise. The lush shoreline was peppered with wooden docks. "That's a lake, not the ocean?" I asked.

Rosa nodded.

I'd never seen anything like it before. It reminded me of that man's eyes from my dreams. "How come this place isn't infested with all-inclusive resorts?" I asked.

She chuckled. "Oh, the gods would never allow that."

Okaaay. "Thanks, Senora Rosa. I'll probably hop down to the lake for a quick swim and then hit the hay as soon as the sun goes down." I faked a yawn. "It's been a long, hot day, and I want to get started early."

Once again, she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Very well. There's a flashlight on the shelf next to the bed. The generator shuts off at nine."

I nodded, tucking a few loose, humidity-crazed curls behind my ear. "Thanks."

"Hasta manana, my dear."

I flashed a polite smile, trying to hide my frayed nerves, and shut the door. "Is it just me, or is that lady a little strange?" I wondered.

"I don't want you to panic, but you need to get out of there."

I dropped my backpack on the cement floor and froze. "Why? What's wrong?" If I weren't already sopping from head to toe, I would have started sweating; I knew in my bones he'd meant what he just said. I felt his fear for me.

"What she said to her husband-it..."

"What?" I was moving quickly into panic mode.

"She said that he needed to go get the others, to tell them that you'd finally arrived."

"Oh, shit. Guy, right about now would be a good time to start talking."

"Emma, I don't know how they could possibly know you."

"Shit. Shit-"

"Stop swearing and get moving. Put your bathing suit on, and pretend you're going down to the lake. Wrap your wallet, map, and water bottle in your towel."

"Okay. Okay." I panted, emptying the contents of my backpack onto the hammock that stretched across the room. I threw off my drenched clothes, which felt fantastic, and put on my bikini. I rolled up a fresh t-shirt and shorts, along with the other items in my towel. "Guy?"

"What?"

"I really have to pee."

"Oh Christ, woman. You have the bladder of a guppy."

"It's been over five hours, which qualifies for 'camel.' Can you hum? My iPod's out of juice."

Now's no time for modesty, Emma. They could be coming for you any minute!

"Fine. Did I tell you that I hate you?"

Chapter TEN.

1940. Pizzaro's Ship. Gulf of Mexico.