The Three Investigators in The Secret of the Ancient Astronauts The Three Investigators in The Secret of the Ancient Astronauts Text by Christopher Workman Based on characters created by Robert Arthur. Illustrated by Christopher Workman. Design by Ian Regan (based on an original design by Jackie Vedovato, née Mabli). Story, text, and artwork © Christopher Workman 2012, 2016. The Three Investigators and related characters are trademarks owned and copyrighted by Random House and the Estate of Robert Arthur (Elizabeth Arthur, Robert Andrew Arthur) 1996. The Secret of the Ancient Astronauts is a work of fan fiction intended for enter- tainment purposes only and may not be reproduced or sold. Contents A MESSAGE FROM ACTOR STEPHEN TERRILL 7 1. JUPITER JONES LANDS A CASE 11 2. A SECRET MEETING 23 3. INCIDENT ON A COUNTRY ROAD 32 4. THE OLD DARK HOUSE 46 5. BOB MAKES A DISCOVERY 61 6. THE ECCENTRIC MILLIONAIRE 71 7. A BRIEF OUTLINE OF OLMEC HISTORY 86 8. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE SECOND AND THIRD KINDS 103 9. IN AND THEN OUT 118 10. THE TWO INVESTIGATORS MAKE PROGRESS 131 11. THE DIARY OF A MADMAN 143 12. A GHOSTLY MESSAGE 150 13. THE NOT-SO-FIERY EYE 165 14. ANCIENT ALIENS 175 15. MYSTERY AND MORE MYSTERY 191 16. INTRUDER IN THE YARD 204 17. TURN OF EVENTS 215 18. THE LURKER IN THE DARK 229 19. THE PLAN 236 20. PETE STEPS UP 247 21. THE MASTER OF THE KEY 260 22. THE CURSE OF THE ANCIENT ASTRONAUT 276 23. THE MYSTERIOUS BENEFACTOR 294 6 A Message from Actor Stephen Terrill BEAR WITH ME: I’ve never introduced anything before. I’m an actor, you see, not a writer or an editor, although I’ve worked with some of the greatest horror directors the world has ever known, including Alfred Hitchcock, John Carpenter, and Wes Craven. Still, there’s always a first time for everything, and this is one for me. Up until now, my literary experience has been restricted to read- ing movie scripts. Now I'm putting pen to paper to tell you about some remarkable boys who fancy themselves juvenile detectives. Perhaps I shouldn’t use the word fancy. If my experi- ence with these lads tells me anything, it’s that they are detectives. They may not be old enough to be licensed investigators, it’s true. But they can solve a mystery like nobody’s business. And if you’re already familiar with The Three Investigators, there’s no need for you to stick around for this introduction. Skip right on to Chapter 1 and become embroiled in one of their most fascinating and terrifying cases yet. If, on the other hand, you’ve never met these intrepid young men, then let me give you a brief description—and whet your appetite for some thrills and chills. 7 8 THE SECRET OF THE ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS Before I tell you about this trio of lads, though, let me give you some background on how I met them. It was two years ago, and the world believed I was dead. You see, a couple of decades ago, I was considered filmdom’s leading horror actor. But then the tide turned, as it always does, and audiences lost interest in my work. My films were too old-fashioned, they said. Not gory enough, they said. Distraught, I pretended to com- mit suicide and for a long time afterwards holed up in my castle in the hills outside Los Angeles. A few years later, The Three Investigators decided to charm a world-famous director into introducing their stories. He was going to make a film in a real-life haunted castle, so they figured that if they found the perfect place for him to shoot, he'd be grateful enough to work with them. That’s how they stumbled upon my home—and discovered that I was still alive. They blew my cover in the process, but ultimately that was a good thing. I’m working again, after all, and I’m more popu- lar than ever. Gothic horror has made a comeback of late, and I have these boys to thank for jumping in when they did and pulling me back into the thick of things. Unfortunately, the director who introduced their sto- ries died about a year and a half after the team formed. A mystery writer took up the mantle, but six months later he had a New York Times bestseller on his hands. And you know bestselling authors: they love their A Message from Actor Stephen Terrill 9 worldwide book tours. That’s when the boys approached me. At first I was reticent about introducing one of their cases, but after some consideration, I real- ized how much I owe them. So here I am. But enough about me and the boys’ history. Let me tell you about them. The leader of The Three Investiga- tors is a stocky youth named Jupiter Jones. Don’t let his looks fool you, though. Jupe, also known as the First Investigator, is as brilliant as they come. His brainy detective work has led to the capture of some infamous criminals. Like myself, Jupiter was once an actor (though he doesn’t like to be reminded of the fact), and that early experience groomed his talent for assuming uncanny disguises in his pursuit of the truth. He also has a photographic memory, and often when he thinks deeply, he gives himself away by pinching his lower lip. If Jupe is the brains of the team, then the brawn is the Second Investigator, Pete Crenshaw. Pete is tall and ath- letic and as strong as an ox. He’s also the son of a special effects wizard in the film industry, a man who has worked on many of my pictures. Because of this, Pete has seen more than his fair share of horror films— and, truth be told, he’s a little scared of them. Or any- thing that has the appearance of the ghostly or the supernatural. You can’t blame him really, but in the end 10 THE SECRET OF THE ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS it’s never been a problem. He never shirks his duty to the team, even if it sometimes takes a little nudging. Last but certainly not least is the Records and Research member of the group, Bob Andrews. Bob is a slight kid and nice enough fellow, though his poor eye- sight requires him to use glasses and his small stature often results in adults underestimating his abilities. He’s certainly no dummy, and he’s learned his skills from the very best, thanks to a father who’s the editor of Los Angeles’s largest newspaper. Industrious beyond his years, Bob is also a part-time employee of the Rocky Beach Public Library, a position that works to his advantage when he needs to research a case. Together, these three boys have solved over forty mysteries, some of them serious, some of them funny, a few of them downright scary. And let me tell you, this case might be the scariest of them all. An ancient South American statue, an alien visitation, and a secretive organization are at the heart of The Secret of the Ancient Astronauts. But as you turn the pages to come, you won't be braving it alone; you'll be riding along with Jupiter, Pete, and Bob. So get set as they guide you on a harrowing journey into the twilight realms. STEPHEN TERRILL Chapter 1 Jupiter Jones Lands a Case JUPITER JONES RECOGNIZED the sound of his uncle’s pickup truck the moment it pulled into The Jones Salvage Yard. He put down his book about the tribes of South America and got up off his bed, excited about what his uncle might have purchased. Bounding down the stairs, he ran out the door and across the small, mostly unused side street to Rocky Beach’s swankiest junkyard. Being a bit on the stocky side, he was already out of breath by the time he reached the truck. A short, strong man with salt-and-pepper hair and a handlebar mustache, Uncle Titus was just stepping out of the driver’s side door of the truck. He was followed by Hans and Konrad, the two Bavarian brothers he employed who lived in the little cottage behind the Jones’s two-story white house. The back of the truck was loaded with material from the estate auction the men had been to earlier in the morning. “Is everyone okay?” Jupiter asked. He was bent over with his hands resting on his knees. “How did you know—?” his uncle began. 11 12 THE SECRET OF THE ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS Jupiter interrupted him. “All three of you are getting out of the driver’s side door, which suggests that the passenger door won’t open. Since it worked fine this morning and the truck is loaded with material from the auction, most of it in disarray, I assume that something happened to you on the way home.” “Well, yes,” his uncle began, “something did hap- pen.” He hesitated, took off his cap, and scratched the back of his head, as if trying to find the right words. “Small car sideswipe us,” Hans said in his peculiar, semi-broken English. “Try to run us off road,” his brother chimed in. “What makes you think it tried to run you off the road?” Jupiter asked. “It’s not like bad drivers are uncommon between here and Malibu Beach.” “I’d like to believe that, Jupiter my boy,” Uncle Titus responded, placing a cigar in his mouth and lighting it.