Chapter Text
An Ancient Curse
by Poohbear
Judson Cross leaned back on the bed and gazed up at the ceiling. The trip home had been a long one with his two man crew still upset about the loss of the treasured medallion, but at least they were alive. He closed his eyes and winced as he shifted his lean frame on the bed. X-rays revealed he had a couple of cracked ribs from his encounter with Gregori Stanski. He smiled in spite of the pain, knowing the man was in worse shape. The last tine he'd seen Stanski he was being taken away in cuffs by a very angry government agent intent on carting him off to jail for a long, long time.
"Hey, Judson, are you in here?"
Cross heard the sound of Gabe's voice and tried to ignore it, yet he knew it was a lost cause as he heard the voice grow more incessant.
"Judson! We have company."
"Who is it?" the blond winced as he struggled to sit up and swung his long legs over the edge of the bunk.
"He won't give me his name. Says he'll only speak to you and that it's highly imperative he speak to you immediately!"
"Tell him I'll be there in a few minutes," Cross said tiredly, wishing, not for the first time, he hadn't refused the pain medication the doctors ordered.
The door opened and the young man looked at his friend sitting on the bed. "You sure you want to see him, Judson. I can tell him to come back later."
"No. Thanks, Gabe, but I'm okay."
"You sure? Mac and I can handle this," Peterson said, sympathizing as Cross held his right arm tight against his ribs and stood up.
"I know you can," Cross said, a weak smile on his face. "But you said yourself he doesn't want to talk to anyone but me. Just give me a few minutes to get dressed."
"Alright," the dark haired man agreed and closed the door softly.
Judson sank back to the bed and winced at the throbbing cadence in his rib cage. He knew from experience this would make him uncomfortable, but at least he could move. He reached for the blue jeans and black t-shirt on the floor and carefully began to dress. It took all of his small reserve of energy to get the clothing on and he looked at the socks and runners beside the bed. To bend down and put the on was going to be murder on his ribs, but he refused to ask for help. He grimaced as he reached for the socks, smiling as he spotted a pair of soft moccasin style slippers tucked slightly under the bunk.
'Perfect,' he thought as he hooked the footwear and pulled them forward. He eased into the slippers and once more stood up. Stealing himself against the pain he knew would come with moving around, the blond stood up and slowly made his way towards the deck. He squinted as the bright sunshine nearly blinded him, yet a chill ran down his spine as his eyes came to rest on the tall man standing beside the rail. The man hadn't seen him yet and Judson took the opportunity to study the newcomer.
Whoever he was, he stood over six and a half feet, was incredibly thin, almost to the point of emaciation. The shoulder length silver hair seemed drab as the wind lifted it and swept it around the darkly handsome face. For a minute Cross was reminded of the zombies in the old horror movies shown on late night TV, and he fought back the urge to laugh. The man's eyes came to rest on him and again a shiver ran down his spine as if death were walking on the deck of The Vast Explorer.
"Mr. Cross? Judson Cross?" the man asked, his voice raspy as if speaking through a ravaged throat.
"That's right," the explorer said and felt the chill deepen at the ice blue pools sunken deep in the man's gaunt face. "Who are you?"
"I am called Balondemu and I am in need of your services. May we speak in private?"
Judson looked at Gabe and Mac and shook his head. "Whatever you have to say can be said in front of my crew."
"I see, but can they be trusted?"
"I trust them with my life and I'm still here," he said with a cocky grin.
"But can I trust them with mine?"
"If you want to hire me, my crew is part of the deal!" Cross said, his distaste for the man before him showing.
"I am in need of your services, Mr. Cross and I will pay you well," the newcomer said.
"That depends," Cross said as he strode to the railing. "On what type of services you're looking for."
"I assure you it is nothing illegal, but it is rather dangerous. Many lives have been lost in search of this statuette and I have to be sure you are the man who can find it and bring it back home where it belongs."
"What makes you think I'd be interested in taking this job on?"
A smile shone on the older man's face, but did nothing to relieve the tough, arid skin around he mouth and eyes.
"I have studied your explorations and know you are a man of integrity, one who is very skilled at finding things that others have long since given up on. I know you are a seeker of the truth and a believer that history and her vast chest of lost treasures are to be protected and preserved. As evidenced by your tactful disposal of Sunda Man."
"I did what I thought was right," Cross said defensively.
"I admire you for that, but there are those who would do anything to get their hands on the remnants of the fossilized remains. Some say you have hidden them for your own use!"
"Judson wouldn't do that!" Gabe snapped and only Mac's hand on his shoulder put a stop to his emotional display.
"I did not say that I believed the rumors. I merely stated what I heard."
"Statements have a way of coming back and biting you in the..."
"That's enough, Mac," Cross interrupted, smiling gratefully at his team. "Get to the point Mr. Balondemu..."
"It is just Balondemu, Mr. Cross. As for the reason for my visit, I wish for you to find something that belongs to my family but was stolen many years ago."
"What exactly is this statuette?" Cross asked, his ribs throbbing the longer he stayed on his feet.
"It is called Unwabe..."
"Wait a minute. I know of Unwabe...it's part of Zulu history isn't it?" Gabe asked.
"That's correct, Mr..."
"Gabriel Patterson and that's Mackenzie Previn," Cross said by way of introduction. "I've heard of Unwabe as well. It was some kind of Chameleon sent by the Sky God with a promise of immortality wasn't it?"
"That is essentially correct, Mr. Cross. The artefact was part of my families collections for many years until it was stolen by an ancient enemy..."
"An ancient enemy?" Mac asked sceptically, her lips curling up in a half smile. "You make it sound like something evil stole the so-called artefact."
"It may very well be that one did. There is an ancient curse involved with the Chameleon and I am afraid it must be heeded or evil things will happen." Balondemu turned his attention back to the blond, all but ignoring the two people who were his partners.
"Mr. Cross, I am willing to pay anything you ask. It is not a matter of money for I have the funds to pay whatever you ask."
"What are you planning on doing with the artefact once we find it?" Cross asked.
"I will put it back where it belongs," the tall man said simply.
"In your collection?" Gabe asked.
"That's correct. After all it is part of my heritage. My family's history. It is fitting that it be on display in my home."
"It belongs in a South African Museum," Cross told him.
"Mr. Cross, allow me to show you how generous I can be." Balondemu pulled something from his pocket and held it out to the blond.
Judson took the sealed envelope and slid his finger along the edge, wincing as something sliced into his fingers.
"Damn!" He cursed, popping the injured digit into his mouth.
"Judson!" Previn said, instantly on the alert.
"It's okay, just a paper cut," the blond laughed as he handed the envelope back to the older man. "I don't need to look in this."
"But..."
"Look, Mr. Balondemu, I don't believe in putting artefacts into the hands of people who think they have the right to keep them from public displays. Unwabe is very important to Zulu tradition and if I do find the statuette I will turn it over to a museum, not to you. Go find yourself another flunky!"
"You will not like me as an adversary, Mr. Cross. If you try to go after the chameleon yourself you will find I am a force to be reckoned with."
"Is that a threat?" Cross asked.
"Take it any way you wish, but do not interfere in my search! You'd be well advised to stay out of my way!"
"Get off my Boat!" Cross said.
"Heed my warning, Mr. Cross. I will leave you with my card in case you decide you wish to work for me!" Balondemu said, dropping a small white gold embossed card onto a deck chair before leaving.
"Obnoxious little man isn't he?" Mac said as the three friends stood on the bow of The Vast Explorer and watched the newcomer leave.
Cross' eyebrows rose and a cocky grin formed on his face. "Little, Mac? The man gotta be over six and a half feet," he observed as Balondemu climbed into the back of a sleek black car. A slight tingling sensation began in his stomach as the window was rolled down and the icy eyes looked straight at him. His eyes closed and he wavered as his legs refused to support him and he sank to the deck of the boat. He heard Mackenzie and Gabe calling to him as if from a distance, but could not find the energy to open his eyes. He sank into a dark abyss where glowing red eyes stared out from a Ivory statuette.
TBC