The Champion by Taran Matharu

Author:Taran Matharu
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

CHAPTER

34

“Codex, run us through the remaining remnants within the twenty-mile radius.”

As the group sat on the old tree stumps outside the tunnel, Cade only hoped there was something they had overlooked close by. That, at least, would get the conversation about leaving on an expedition moving.

A dot flashed.

“Charles Redheffer, con man who claimed to have invented a perpetual motion machine, disappeared in 1820.”

Cade shrugged. “Anyone want a fake perpetual motion machine?”

“Next,” the group chorused.

“John Jeffrey, Scottish botanist, disappeared while researching plants in the Colorado desert in 1854.”

“Another desert one,” Cade said. “It’s like Abaddon just watches over deserts, waiting for someone to wander through it.”

“Next,” Amber said. “Unless someone wants to learn about plants.”

“Bela Kiss, insane serial killer, disappeared in 1916 after murdering twenty-three women.”

“Moving swiftly on,” Amber growled. “I’d only stop there to spit on his corpse.”

“That is all,” the Codex replied.

Cade sighed. This was not going to be so easy.

“Show us the remnants within thirty miles,” Cade said, trying not to let the desperation show through to his voice. The nuclear bomb would be a hard sell. Without some way of setting it off remotely, it was basically a very large suicide bomb—and an unwieldy one at that.

“Imperial German Army Zeppelin LZ 90 disappeared without a trace after it broke loose in a storm and was blown out to sea in 1916.”

“Now, that’s more like it,” Cade said, pounding his fist into his palm. “They could have guns on there, right?”

“No,” the Codex replied flatly. “It was unmanned.”

Cade cursed. “Next, then.”

“Panfilo de Narvaez, a Spanish conquistador, and a raft he built following a shipwreck,” the Codex intoned.

“Useless,” Cade muttered.

He peered at the screen, where a cluster of blue dots stood out, deep in the jungles.

“The tombs of: Imhotep, 2950 BC; Alexander the Great, 205 BC; Cleopatra and Mark Antony, 30 BC; Boudicca, 61; Attila the Hun, 453; Genghis Khan, 1227; Atahuallpa, 1533.”

Cade gaped at the blue dots flashing on the screen.

“What, all together?” Cade asked.

“Yes,” the Codex intoned.

“That’s … messed up,” Scott said.

“What use is that?” Cade asked, half to himself. “There might be weapons in there, but we need guns, explosives…”

“You can trade,” the Codex said. “Treasure for favors.”

“Favors?” Scott asked.

“Information, teleportation to locations. Most anything within Abaddon’s power. Primarily remnants, undiscovered or otherwise,” the Codex replied. “It is how the Ninth Legion was summoned by the previous contenders.”

“Could we use it to trade for guns?” Cade asked.

“If Abaddon deems the trade worthy,” the Codex replied.

“Well, what did the Ninth Legion cost?” Cade asked.

“The Ninth Legion cost the entire contents of the Las Cinque Chagas, a Spanish treasure ship that disappeared in 1594. It contained two thousand tons of precious metals and jewels.”

Another dot flashed blue on the map, the farthest point on the long string of dots that marked the Roman expedition’s progress. Clearly, that was what the Romans had been looking for.

“Can we trade it then and there?” Cade asked. “As soon as we find it?”

“Yes,” the Codex replied.

Cade cursed quietly.

“Wait, why is that a problem?” Scott asked.

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