Dungeon Raider System

Chapter 72 : Madman

On top of the ancient pyramid of Kukulkan located within Chichén Itzá, a man was maniacally arguing with himself.

"Why is it not working!? I did everything right but it's not fucking working!"

Flanagan stood by himself surrounded by the corpses of the unfortunate bodyguards that followed him, even the field medic that betrayed Stella lied limp in the ground.

"It doesn't matter, there's still those two around, maybe it just needs more blood." He laughed. "And if it's not enough I can still bring more people later, whatever happens, as long as I have this bracelet I won't lose."

He laughed some more and then caressed the bracelet on his forearm with a grin.

"No, no, but what if they try to take it from me? I can't go back like this. I need to find it before someone gets ahead of me!"

Flanagan continued his monologue for a long while, not knowing he was being spied on by both Nika and Uriel from the hidden chamber located right next him. Although they couldn't see anything, his words were enough to make them realize they had been betrayed by Flanagan and they quickly retreated to the bottom of the ladder to discuss things without being spotted by Flanagan.

"What the fuck did that imbecile do?" Nika was outraged, visibly affected by the betrayal of her comrade.

"I told you that guy was sketchy."

"You don't understand, besides Walter, he was the closest to me in the Mapple corp. He was my first boss when I joined the company and... he was like an uncle to me." Nika covered her face with her hands and slid down the wall she was leaning on, sitting gracefully on the corner. After a couple of minutes of silence, she gathered herself and asked. "Do you know what is he trying to do?"

"I can't be sure, it seems like he's not trying to activate the building but to open the door. I don't think that's going to work, though."

"What do you mean?"

"It's an emergency exit, just that. The riddle I told him before, I made it up on the spot." Uriel confessed.

"Even if he was a smuggler, it still doesn't make sense. I mean, even though I've been studying archaeology for as long as I remember I'm only at a level where I can brainstorm some wild theories. Something like this is more than just smuggler's gossip."

"Did I mention that he was Schlieman's pal? In fact, I think the only reason why Schlieman was hired was because Flanagan himself recruited him."

"They say birds of a feather flock together." Uriel sighed, but that also gave him an idea. "I think I have a plan, but if it goes wrong we're done for."

"You're kidding me, right? We're literally trapped underground in between a madman and undead, without food, without water, without a comfy pillow. Whatever it is I'm in, I don't care anymore, all I want is to be able to punch his stupid face at least one time before I die."

"Then, I don't think you're going to like my plan. I say we help him."

"But he betrayed us! Who knows what he did to the rest of our team!?" Nika was dumbfounded.

"Yes but, he also found his way to the top of the pyramid safely, just hear me out. If you say he used to be an antique dealer..."

"Smuggler." Nika corrected him.

"Whatever, my point is he dealt with antiques so he's centered on the monetary value of artifacts and not their cultural background. Most likely Schlieman was the one in charge of all the cultural aspects of his shady deals as a smuggler."

"What does it have to do with anything?"

"It's simple... he's missing a partner to figure out how to fully activate the bracelet and I think I can bullshit my way into making him helping us activate the barrier instead."

The plan was simple enough. Trick Flanagan into letting them activate the protective barrier and then run away as quickly as possible but, no matter how well thought a plan was, few of them survived reality. It was one thing to think of something, but actually seeing it through was the difficult part.

Anyhow, once they made up their mind the only thing left for them to do was to risk it all and cross their fingers hoping for the best.

"Yo, Flanagan!" Said Nika as the hidden door was suddenly opened, but she was stunned in place when she saw the dantean picture in front of her.