Free The Vilcabamba Prophecy: A Nick Randall Novel by Robert Rapoza

sponsored your father’s
research?” Dumond replied.
    “What do you mean?” Sam
asked
    “Dr. Randall, Dr.
Randall, Dr. Randall,” Dumond said, shaking his head.
“I’m your father’s biggest fan.   Why, when he was just a young graduate student giving his lectures and
being shouted down by his peers, I’m the one who helped save his job.”
    “What are you talking
about?”
    “I heard about your
father through some colleagues of mine and decided to pay him a visit. I heard
him speak about Dr. Drake’s equation for predicting the amount of intelligent
life in the universe and found his theories fascinating. In fact, when I paid a
visit to Dr. Andrade, it sounded like your father was on his way out of
academia. Of course, not by his own choice.”
    “You know Francisco?” Sam
asked.
    “Indeed, Dr. Randall. In
fact, I made quite a generous donation to the University to keep your father
around. You could say that my associates and I are very interested in seeing
him complete his research here,” Dumond said.
    “Your associates?”
    “That’s right. There’s a
group of us who feel that your father has discovered something very important
here. So you can see, I haven’t done anything with you father. In fact, we
can’t seem to locate him. We were hoping you might help us find him.”
    Samantha laughed. “Why
the hell would I do that?”
    Dumond’s expression turned to one of a father addressing a disrespectful child. “Because
you really don’t have a choice now do you? As I have
explained, Dr. Randall, I have a great deal of resources invested in finding
what your father is looking for, and I’m willing to do anything to protect my
investment. Even if that means killing you and your friend, here.”
    Dumond stepped closer to Sam, grasping her throat between his thumb and index finger.
Sam’s eyes widened.
    “I see you’ve met Captain
Middleton. If you don’t do exactly as I say, he will be the one to carry out my
orders to dispose of you and your friend, and I promise you, the Captain won’t
be gentle.”   With that comment, from
the periphery of her vision, Sam detected a disturbing grin from Middleton.
    “What exactly is my
father looking for?” Samantha asked, as Dumond released his grip.
    “A power source unlike
any other, one that could change the face of energy on this planet. Do you
realize what the right person could do with such a device?”
    Samantha could see that Dumond was excited about the prospect, but she was also
sure that he was about as far from being the right person to find this device
as she could imagine. “In the hands of the right person, this device could
change the political structure of the world as we know it. All other energy
sources would immediately become obsolete, and the man who owned the technology
would become a king.” Dumond emphasized the last
words with a nod of his head. Once again, he moved to within inches of
Samantha, his faced virtually pressed against hers.
    “So you’re going to help
me find it. Captain Middleton, escort our guests to their quarters,” Dumond said.
    Middleton gestured for
his guests to move toward the villas, his finger resting on the trigger guard
of his assault rifle. Samantha and Monica walked slowly, surveying the
compound. The living quarters were quite lavish with polished stone floors and
artwork adorning the walls. The room had two overstuffed couches, which looked
very cozy to Samantha, especially in her exhausted condition. As nice as it
was, it was still a cell, and they were prisoners. Samantha was reminded of
this fact as she tried to open the door, only to find it bolted from the
outside. Without doubt, guards armed to the teeth, and aching for a reason to
use their weapons, were stationed just outside the door, for good measure.
Middleton had explained that they were waiting for someone else to join their
group before they returned to the jungle.
    Sam wasted no time
searching the room for anything that might