The death relic
(Book)

After being vanquished by the Spanish empire, little remains of the Aztec and Mayan civilizations. From the ashes of their cities emerged a unified legend: Their conquerors possessed a mysterious artifact so powerful - so deadly - that it was universally known as the "Death Relic." When archaeologist Maria Pelati's research team disappears in the rugged terrain of the Yucatan Peninsula, she contacts Jonathon Payne and David Jones to help track them down. As Payne and Jones embark on a perilous mission to find the lost archaeologists, they realize that Maria's research may be the key to solving one of the darkest mysteries of the world.