Excerpt from Amichu, by WIll Belegon and Alessia Brio

"Hey, Man. Get some sleep, will ya?"

"I told you, I can't sleep on planes. I've been reading up on our host and our destination—the real one, not Santiago."

"So we agree that our soon-to-be friend the Professor has Easter Island in mind for us, then?"

"Has to be. Bruce, I've read an awful lot about our benefactor in the last few hours, and the tone of that letter doesn't fit with what I've read. This is not a man who seems like he has anything to hide. He is incredibly well respected in his field, and the only time he ever did anything unusual was thirty-five years ago. That was when he made his great discovery."

"The one where he found this figure he wants to give to Erotique?"

"Yes. He was digging near Ayacucho when he stumbled onto something that had somehow been completely overlooked—a tomb that was the Incan equivalent of King Tut's. Completely untouched by grave robbers and intact back to its original sealing. He was very careful and meticulous in his cataloging of every pebble or footprint. The dig is now used as an example of how a new discovery should be treated. It's literally textbook—no outside contamination."

"Hmm. So how come I've never heard of this guy if he discovered this wonderful tomb full of gold and silver?"

"Oh, no. It wasn't like King Tut in that way. It was just unspoiled. Sure, there were some beautiful things, but the real value is archeological. It was the tomb of a legend, the daughter of Pachacuti. He was one of their greatest kings, credited with aggressively expanding the empire. He sent his own son as far away as Ecuador and his most trusted commanders anywhere with the goal of expanding the borders. Within three generations after him the Inca ruled most of South America."

"And the daughter?"

"Until her tomb was discovered, she was believed to be a legend. Pachacuti introduced a radical change in the way wealth was inherited by adopting the Chimú practice of split inheritance. It meant that one heir received the political advantages and any others, the material. So his son would be king, but whoever married his daughter would be rich. It created quite a competition for her hand."

"I can imagine it did."

"The stories that made it down to our times about Pachacuti's daughter all indicate that she would accept no suitor. She rejected everyone for many years and died childless, and her wealth reverted to her brother. Because such stories are often told as cautionary tales, it was thought by many that she had never truly existed."

"Fascinating stuff. Now, will you at least try to get some sleep? I've had my chance and…Okay, what's so funny?"

"Everybody on the plane knows you've slept. Look around! See how empty it is back here?"

"Well, I hadn't noticed, but…" Bruce looked at the surrounding seats. Overnight flights were often scarcely populated, but with the exception of one overweight gentleman snoring quietly a couple rows up, the two of them had the back of the plane to themselves.

"I had a snoring fit again, huh?"

"The loudest I've ever heard, but that might just be due to the fact that we're in an echo chamber. You make less noise than that when we're doing other things in bed."

"Well, nothing to be done about it now. C'mon, Man, lights out."

"I can't relax enough on a plane, Bruce. I just can't. I've never been able to do it."

"What if I relaxed you?" he asked as he switched off the overhead light.

"What's that supposed to mean? You wouldn't…Oh, my! I guess you would. At least give me the blanket."

"Don't try to tell me you weren't planning this all along, Man. Why else would you wear that long cotton skirt on a plane?"

"Lots of reasons. Um, are you sure you want to…"

"Take off your panties."

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