laser light was refracted by the falls. But she didn’t need millimetric precision, only for enough of the beam to reflect off the cliff for her to get a reading . . . or not.
Osterhagen stood beside her as she scanned the waterfall, sketching the results. It became clear that there was indeed an opening hidden behind the deluge – a large one, at that. The cave mouth was some seventy feet wide and at least forty high, its lowest point fifty feet above the pool.
Always fifty feet above the pool. While the outline of the opening was irregular in shape, its base was completely level. ‘That’s got to be man-made,’ Nina said.
‘It could have formed along a rock stratum,’ said the German. But it was clear he didn’t believe it.
Eddie looked at the drawing. ‘Be a bugger to get to it. Even if you climb up that high away from the waterfall, you’ve still got to get across – and that much water coming down’ll knock you right off unless you’re seriously well attached. That’s a job for a pro climber.’
‘I used to climb,’ offered Cruzado. Everyone looked at the portly, middle-aged Peruvian. ‘A long time ago,’ he admitted.
Nina continued surveying the cliffs. ‘We might not need to go all the way up,’ she said, pointing at a spot almost dead centre of the waterfall, and considerably lower. ‘There’s another opening.’
‘It is not very big,’ said Osterhagen as she took more readings. He marked it on his sketch. It was roughly twenty feet above the base of the falls.
Nina swept the rangefinder back and forth. ‘I think that ledge leads to it. Someone might be able to climb up to it and then go along behind the waterfall.’
‘Someone,’ said Eddie, with a faint but distinct sigh. ‘You mean me.’
‘I’d volunteer,’ said Mac, ‘but, well . . . ’ He banged his stick against his prosthetic leg, plastic and metal rattling.
‘Can you do it, Eddie?’ Nina asked. ‘With the climbing gear that we’ve brought, I mean. Or will we need to go back to town for more equipment?’
‘No, I can probably do it with what we’ve got,’ he said. ‘I’d rather take the chance than drive along that bloody road again!’ He looked between the waterfall and Osterhagen’s drawing, judging distances. ‘We’ve got enough rope, so . . . yeah, I think I can do it. I’ll put in some spikes so I can hook up the line.’
‘So that we can get across?’
‘I was thinking more so I can get back. It’s only twenty feet up, but I don’t really want to end up in that pool. There’re a lot of pointy rocks.’ He gave the cliff one last look, then nodded. ‘I can do it. Let’s get the gear.’
Eddie, Nina and Macy trekked back to the Jeeps, finding the four soldiers sitting around smoking and looking bored. Their interest perked up when Macy filled them in on developments. The highest-ranking of them, a young lieutenant called Echazu, decided to accompany the group back to the waterfall – purely in the interests of gathering information for his superiors, of course, rather than the hope of being involved in something mediaworthy. Another soldier, a corporal, persuaded him of the benefits of having a second pair of eyes to help with his report, but the two remaining privates were left disappointed as they were told to stay and watch the vehicles.
The soldiers in tow, they returned to the waterfall. Mac and Osterhagen had been to the base of the falls in the hope of glimpsing what lay behind it, but nothing was visible through the water and spray. ‘That looks like the easiest way up,’ Mac told Eddie, indicating a particular section of rock face.
‘Yeah, shouldn’t be too hard,’ Eddie agreed, before giving the older man a look. ‘Been trying to find a nice simple route for yourself, have you?’
‘Well, of course! If El Dorado really is hidden behind there, I’m not going to stand outside like a lemon while you and Nina explore it. I want to see the place for myself.’
‘That’s if there is anything back there.’
‘There must be,’ said Osterhagen earnestly. ‘Everything fits - the map at Paititi, the khipu, the trail of huacas. This is the place.’
‘Then let’s find out,’ said Nina. She regarded Eddie expectantly.
‘Muggins leads the way, as usual,’ he said. ‘All right, I’ll go and find you another archaeological wonder. If I must.’ He grinned, then gathered his equipment and went to the foot of