"The Mexican Assignment" - Part 2 countinued from 7/15/2k4
All pictures drawn by Drew Peberdy during the heat of battle

        Weary with their battle with the Fifth Column agents, and with still no cluesto Alice Thompson's whereabouts, Zachary and Drew checked in at the HotelPrimero in Mexico City to meet with their mysterious informant Juan "Lagarto"Cortez. Inviting them into the hotel restaurant, Cortez ordered up some pollocon mole for everyone and told the destructive duo that they were in seriousdanger. In the past few weeks, several Mexican history museums had been brokeninto. Exhibits were tampered with, but nothing was stolen, Cortez had a hunchthe Fifth Column was involved somehow.  Having no less than two deadly run-inswith the Fifth Column so far, Zachary and Drew knew something big was goingdown in Mexico City. It was time for swift, decisive action. 
      But first everyone ordered up dessert. Zachary and Drew weren't very hungry,but Cortez insisted that they allow him to treat them at least nice flan ofsomething. 
      So after polishing off two servings of arroz con leche, Drew and Zachary headedback out to the streets looking for information. It was now late at night andthe city was full of life. Taxis roared down the busy streets. Musicians playedon the sidewalk. Obnoxious Americans drank too much and bought authenticMexican puppets made in Taiwan. But amongst the crowds, the distinct smell ofevil was palpable to the acute nostrils of our heroes. 
      After a while of wandering, the terrible team noticed that there were less andless people around. They didn't know it at they time, but a massive CarlosSantana concert was going on simultaneously with their hunt for Alice, andsubsequently most of the population of Mexico City was in the city square.Suddenly, as Drew stopped at a stand to purchase a tamale, he heard the clickof the safety being taken of a .45 from behind him. Gritting his teeth, he spunaround, knocking the deadly magnum from the hands of his would-be assassin, aneight foot tall brute of a man with a walrus moustache and a black trench coat.The man stumbled with the blow, but recovered quickly, sliding on a pair ofbrass knuckles and lunging at Drew's head. Unable to move in time, Drew watchedthe meaty fist collide with his jaw, sending him flying through the plate glasswindow of a candy store.  Dazed and winded, Drew attempted to remove thesingle-shot tranquilizer gun he kept hidden in his jacket for such emergenciesbut was grabbed by the hoodlum and hurled into a newsstand. His vision blurry,Drew staggered to his feet, cradling his broken ribs. "Where is Carvin'Kervin?!" He asked himself as his assailant moved in for the kill.
        Zachary was in the middle of an involving philosophical discussion with asidewalk Jew’s Harp artist, whose mournful tunes had stirred something in theheart of the deadly killer. Zachary let out a deep sigh, handed the man onethousand pesos and continued his walk. So enthralled was he in the music he hadheard, Zachary did not notice the eerily familiar raspy sounding of air beingsucked through a gas-mask, and was knocked unconscious by a night-stick wieldedby The Baron.
        Meanwhile Drew had planned a creative strategy. Eventually, he reasoned, his assailant would grow tired and would have to pause for breath. At that moment,Drew would imitate the unique snarl of the Pampas Cat, thus distracting his foeand earning him precious seconds with which to escape. Unfortunately, the mannever stopped to take a breath, deciding instead to pummel Drew's head into amanhole cover. Just as things seemed their darkest, Drew had a brief spot ofluck when his foe made the fatal error of tossing him into the windshield of apassing taxi. As the taxi sped away and the man waved his fist and cursed, Drewcouldn't help stifle a satisfied chuckle at the irony of it all before heblacked due to tremendous pain.
        When Zachary awoke he was wrapped in chains and in some dark, damp place.Thunder boomed in the distance, and he could hear the sound of raindropssplashing against rocks from above. As he struggled to with his bonds, a glovedhand switched on a flashlight, illuminating the area. Zachary was in a giganticunderground tomb of some sort, and was tied to a sacrificial altar. Above himstood the towering figure of the Baron, his pale eyes glowering with hatebehind his WWII era gasmask. Behind the Baron stood a man Zachary had neverseen before, dressed in a long black trench coat, a black fedora, andreflective aviator style sunglasses. The man chuckled and lit a cigarette. Hethen tossed the match in to a channel carved into the stone wall. Apparentlythe channel was filled with oil, for it instantly burst into flame andilluminated the entire cave. He leaned down and pressed the blunt edge of aknife gently against Zachary’s throat. 
      “Allow me to introduce myself,” said the man in a raspy voice. “I am Mr.Nighttime, director of a small but highly effective secret governmentinstitution. I take it you have heard of me before?” he laughed again andtickled Zachary’s adam’s apple with the tip of the knife, which stirred an ironic giggle from the captive. I consideredmyself lucky to have captured your colleague, Ms. Thompson, but I never dreamedI would be so fortunate as to acquire two JREZHS agents!” Zachary strained toturn his head, and could barely make out the unconscious body of Alice Thompsontied to the reverse side of the altar.
        The man known only as Mr. Nighttime, gestured to the Baron, who brought forth asmall green skull. The Baron held it under the flashlight for Zachary to see itbetter.
        “This is the Jade Skull of Apuch”announced Mr. Nighttime with atiger-like grin. “It is an unusual artifact, sculpted hundreds of years agoby an insane Aztec priest. This man foresaw the defeat of the Aztec empire atthe hands of the Spaniards, and prepared an army of two hundred mightywarriors, an army he dubbed The Embrace of Death! These warriors were slain,their bodies treated with certain chemicals, and then entombed underneath thischamber. When the time was right, the priest would resurrect his soldiers andan army of savage undead ghouls, destroying the Conquistadors utterly!"
        Mr. Nighttime was interrupted by a hoarse cough. The Baron quickly handed hismaster a cup of peppermint tea, from which Mr. Nighttime took a long drink.Wiping the tea from his lips, Mr. Nighttime resumed his bizarre story.
        “Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for us.” smiled Nighttime, “hewas slain before he was able to summon his warriors to life. Centuries later myspies discovered the origins of the Skull of Apuch. and here we all are. In asecret chamber underneath the architectural ruins of the Templo Mayor, ready tocreate an army of unstoppable undead warriors.” Mr. Nighttime threw back hishead and cackled with glee.
         “And now Mr. “Carving” Kervin, I bet you’re wondering what I need toperform the ritual that will awaken The Embrace of Death. The answer is simple,HUMAN BLOOD, of which you have quite a lot of. About six pints I believe, to beexact.”
        Zachary’s eyes narrowed. His hands squirmed, trying to slip free on theropes.        “Farewell, Mr. Kervin.” said Mr. Nighttime bringing the knife toZachary’s throat. “Give my regards to the underworld.”

Will our scruffy little friend Zach escape? Will Alice ever return home? Will zombies destroy the greater Mexico area? Find out in the thrilling conclusion to: "The Mexican Assignment".