Ancient Hiss Story by Leighann Dobbs

put surveillance on Markovic’s people so we know their every move,” Max said.
    “I’m sure I can handle it,” Kate said. She wasn’t afraid of Onion Mole, Snake Ring or Ace Mason. She could take care of herself and she was intrigued by this find. Being the first to uncover an Aztec emperor’s burial tomb would be a huge coup for the museum and a heck of a lot of fun.
    “Okay, well that leaves only one problem, then,” Gideon said.
    Kate’s brows tugged together. “What?”
    Gideon opened the folder that lay next to the painting and leafed through a few of the pages. “According to my research, the secret of Itizuma comes with a curse.”
    “A curse?” Kate scoffed. “Don’t tell me you believe in some stupid old curse?”
    “Well, I think Reginald White should have believed in it. You know that he disappeared mysteriously on an expedition to find the tomb, right?”
    Kate’s laugh was a bit higher-pitched than usual. “I doubt that had anything to do with a curse. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation. The tomb is in a remote place, right? He could have been attacked by animals or something. What, exactly, is this curse, anyway?”
    Gideon adjusted his coke bottle glasses, picked up the page and held it close to his face. “According to what it says here, the curse says something like this—‘He who takes of greed will suffer with need in time’.”
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” Kate asked. “It doesn’t even really rhyme.”
    “I don’t know what it means, but do you want to suffer with need? I know I sure don’t.”
    “Hold on there,” Max cut in. “I know all about this curse and apparently so does Markovic. That’s why I sent you out to the museum with money. So that we wouldn’t be ‘taking’. We paid for that painting fair and square, so we shouldn’t suffer the curse. Not that I believe in curses, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
    “That sounds good to me,” Kate said.
    Gideon shrugged. “Well, if you guys aren’t worried then I’m not. I did some additional research and came up with the name of a guy you can talk to about the tomb. I can arrange a meeting. Not sure how accurate what he has to say will be, but it’s better than nothing.”
    “I can be on a plane tomorrow.” Kate batted away the doubts that flapped around in her brain like rabid bats. She didn’t believe in curses.
    Her glance fell on the ripped canvas that lay on the table. She was sure that the fact that they would probably need the other half of the painting to find the tomb was just a minor bump in their plan and had nothing to do with a stupid curse.

9
    T he open-air market was alive with activity. Kate looked around at the blankets, clothing, fruits and vegetables. She contemplated buying one of the large, colorful shopping bags and stuffing it with produce to bring back to her hotel.
    The thought of her hotel brought a sigh to her lips. It was decent, not top-notch, but Kate didn’t really need a top notch hotel. That wasn’t what made her sigh, though. It was the company.
    Max hadn’t wanted her alone on the job and Gideon had spilled the beans to her parents, who just ‘happened’ to have always wanted to go to Mexico on vacation. They agreed to eagerly combine that with helping out Kate. If Kate found the site, Max would get the appropriate permits and send a crew out to dig, but for now, it was just her and her folks.
    Kate had to admit she was a little put out and she couldn’t help but wonder if her parents’ eagerness to accompany her had anything to do with her freezing up in the steam tunnel. It would be just like her mother to spill the beans to Gideon and he would probably tell Max. Maybe they were all worried she would freeze up again.
    She knew they had the best of intentions, but she could do her job without her parents watching over her and she hardly thought that fumbling around in the jungle for an old tomb would require the skills of a jewel thief and