Ascension. Saksaywaman. Shard of eternity. Alexander Zubkov

– Linda livened up. – Yes it's the dream of any archaeologist. You yourself know very well how many secrets this mysterious land holds.

      – That's right, – affirmed Matthew. – And to solve them, you have to communicate closely with the local tribes, who have not yet broken the civilization.

      – Isn't that scary? – she smiled enigmatically, staring intently into her friend's eyes.

      – What do you mean? – Matthew didn't understand. – Don't you know me?

      – I know you very well, and I'm sure you're not afraid of death or torture. But I'm not sure that you know the legends of South America very well. There are worse things there than death.

      – From this point, please, – Matthew asked, anticipating a new challenge.

      – All right. You're quite a stable young man. I'm sure you'll manage. Have you heard anything about professor of archeology Matvienko?

      – He's even published a book, if I'm not mistaken, – Matthew answered after thinking for a while. – A very serious scientist.

      – Absolutely right, – expressed Linda. – But, among other things, he was my mentor.

      With that, Linda leaned over the table and spoke more softly.

      – One night he called and asked me to come over, – the girl leaned even lower. – What I heard him say was beyond my comprehension, but there was no reason not to trust him. An international team under his leadership was in Peru. There they collected evidence of all sorts of legends and tales. One evening one of the local shamans showed him an unknown plant and told him to get Ivan Grigorievich undressed and rub him all over with it. After that he sent him for a walk in the woods, asking him to keep his eyes open and his ears perked up. The result was impressive, – Linda emphasized. – It got dark quickly, but he could see better than he could in daylight. The juice of the plant lulled his rational mind, sharpened all his senses to the extreme, making him feel like a wild animal. He said it was incomparable to any of the pleasures of our physical world. This plant gave him so much vitality and energy that it allowed him to share it with everyone around him. He no longer felt himself an individual, but an integral part of that world. Ivan Grigorievich said that he could clearly see energy flows flowing through him,– the girl paused to emphasize the effect of what she had said, and continued her story again. – After a while an Indian came up to him and asked him to help him catch fish for the children. They went together to the river. Ivan Grigorievich said that the fish came to him on its own, but when he took it in his hands, he cried, because he felt an incredible kinship with it, and then he let it go.

      Matthew thought for a moment. The story reminded him so much of today's dream.

      – It looks like the effect of a psychotropic potion, – he informed Linda. – I have heard of them and that they are very common among shamans. Thank you for your valuable information. Our trip will have to be postponed for a while. I have to meet your mentor. It will save us some time.

      – That's not going to happen, – Linda concluded, leaning back in her chair. – A month after we met, he left for Tibet as a pilgrim. More than two years passed, and no one has heard from him since.

      – I see. So, are you worried that I will go as a pilgrim, too? – Matthew smiled.

      – That's no cause for irony, – Linda said reproachfully. – People change completely when they come back from there.

      – Thank you, – Matthew answered just as seriously. – It's really valuable information, and it's a pity we won't be able to meet your mentor. Now let's get down to business. Do you agree to come?

      – You're asking! – Linda exhaled happily. – Yes, I am.

      – That's wonderful! – exclaimed Matthew, and leaned back comfortably, following her example. – How much time do you need to finish your business?

      – Not much, I think. I have a very good assistant now, and at the moment there are no cases he can't handle.

      – Great, – Matthew said happily. – So, we need your instruments. I'm worried that we won't have time to gather all the necessary documents to transport them to South America, because I'm setting up to leave tomorrow, the day after tomorrow at most.

      – If you really want to, – the girl objected, – you can do it. Is that all I have to do so far?

      – That's the main thing, – Matthew nodded contentedly. – Now tell me what their approximate weight is. That will determine whether we take them with us or fly them out by cargo.

      – They're not too heavy, – Linda answered. – They're mostly reagents. I have my own ways of doing things. By the way, how many of us will be on the team?

      – That's the second and very important question, – Matthew answered, – which is entirely up to you. At the first stage I'll help you a little, and we can work together to determine the age of the buildings. Afterwards we would have to separate, because I have to go deep into the jungle, as I said to find out the technology of the buildings. You will be alone. And I don't want that. So please, choose any assistant you see fit.

      – You risk not having a team at all, – Linda pouted, crossing her arms across her chest defiantly. – We'll do the necessary analysis, and then we'll go wherever you see fit, just the two of us. What do you think I am a burden?

      – Forgive me for being blunt, – Matthew protested, – burden isn't quite the right word. Believe me I've been in situations where I could only survive on my own. If I'd had a partner with me, even one of my own calibers, we'd have been stuck there for ages. And there have been several such situations. That's why I'm a loner. I don't have much skill in teamwork.

      – I see, – confused the girl, completely drooping. – To tell you the truth, I don't know who I could trust as much as I trust you. So there's no one I can take.

      – Well, let's not lose heart, – encouraged her Matthew. – Let's change our plan a little. We'll go together. We'll survey the area. Determine age. How long will that take, by the way?

      – I can't say definitively, – Linda concluded. – So many factors can affect the analysis. In addition to chemical studies, we would have to look at the inscriptions and writings. We would also have to study the climatic conditions of the area at different points in time…

      – Is that possible? – Matthew interrupted her.

      – Science never stands still, – the girl stipulated with an expert look. – It's not only possible, it's not even very difficult. But you would need close visual inspection and painstaking analysis of all the samples. Any little detail could make a decisive difference. If we take an average timeframe for this kind of work, the two of us can do it in three weeks.

      – Great, – Matthew said enthusiastically. – In the meantime I'll survey the surroundings and make the necessary contacts. As you say, every little detail may be important here, but which one? So it's just the two of us. I will take care of the tickets and equipment, and you will prepare the equipment and authorize its transportation. In the evening, we call to discuss and adjust plans.

      – I'll need some cash to buy some reagents and arrange a work visa to take the equipment out. How will we travel, by the way? This is necessary to know in order to get the paperwork.

      – Our route will take us tentatively through Portugal, where we'll take a flight the day after tomorrow, – Matthew stipulated. – From there we'll take a boat to Brazil, and it won't take long to get to the mainland.

      – О!… – Linda exclaimed with undisguised pleasure. – Oh, that is simply splendid! A cruise across the Atlantic would be a dream come true. But it's too expensive and time-consuming, isn't it? Why should it be?

      – You know I speak Spanish quite well and that most of the South American population speaks Spanish dialects. While we're sailing, I can learn three, maybe four basic ones. The sound of the waves creates a great atmosphere for learning, well, and for relaxing too. I recently finished a case and was planning on taking a break, but offers