High Aztec

Specialist in the scam, the con, and the rip-off, Jerry Manelli is running around New York hot on the trail of a priest: a thousand-year-old, two-foot-tall, ugly, misshapen, dancing Aztec priest made of solid gold, with eyes of pure emeralds, worth a million dollars. Somebody stole it from its museum home in South America and smuggled it through U.S. Customs in a shipment of plastic imitations. But the wrong one got delivered, and the million dollar statue, mixed with the fifteen copies, is somewhere in New York.

If you are curious about how the extraordinary Aztecs lived and ran their empire, then pay attention! The remarkable Aztecs formed a vast, organized empire renown for military prowess, expansive trade, intriguing culture, and ingenious agriculture - all from an island in a swamp. But where was their mysterious homeland of Aztlan? How did they ascend to dominance in the Valley of Mexico?

Sierra Carter learns that her former employer's technology is in reality a means of spreading a deadly evil around the world. Necocyaotl, god of death and destruction, has placed his essence in every device, causing people to place their self-interest and personal desires above all else. If Sierra's going to stop him, she'll need some help. And help is on the way. Chaco, also known as Coyotl the Trickster, is a handsome young man when he isn't a coyote - and an excellent cook. Fred the mannegishi has the gift of disappearing at will and a few well-kept secrets.

Six months ago, Cynthia Guerrera's lover and fellow archaeologist Rafael Santiago trekked into the Mexican jungle in search of one of the fabled Cities of Gold—and never emerged. Guilty over their parting, Cynthia won't rest until she knows what happened. When the discovery of a conquistador's journal corroborates Rafe's intended path, Cynthia is determined to finally leave the safety of the museum to rescue him, despite the conquistador's dire warnings, and her own traumatic past.