Doc Savage #2 (1972)

The beginning of the story finds Savage and his men being shot down in a plane over the jungles of Central America. He manages to land his plane on the airport tarmac of Hidalgo. He is greeted by the President of the country and the Secretary of State, Don Rubio Gorro. The two dignitaries make sure that Savage and his men are OK and bid them farewell as the move on to accomplish their mission. Savage and his men obtain a pontoon airplane and fly into a large chasm which leads them to the Valley of the Vanished. They disembark their plane and are immediately attacked by a group of Mayans. The attack continues until king Chaac arrives on the scene and brings a halt to the fighting. The king seems to know Savage and also speaks great English. The king reveals that he knew Savages father and that he made some sort of agreement with Clark Savage Sr. One of the Mayan warriors Morning Breeze expresses his dissatisfaction with Savages presence in the valley but the king reiterates his support for Savage and his men. King Chaac goes on to explain that Clark Savage foretold that he would send his son to the valley someday and that the Mayans would judge him for 30 days to see if he was worthy. The king then reveals that his kingdom is full of gold and that Savage would be allowed to take some of it if he was worthy. One third of the gold would go into a trust fund for the Mayans, one fifth would go to the country of Hidalgo and the rest would go to Savage to continue his fathers work. Savage does not wish to exploit the Mayans but King Chaac urges him to think on it. Later that night a band of renegade Mayan warriors attack Savages men. They are dropped into a pit of vipers but unbeknownst to them, Savage is easily able to rescue them. The rebel leader Morning Breeze then declares that Savage and his men are actually demons. Savage proclaims that his men were murdered but that he can bring them back to life. He makes each one appear one by one with the help of flash powder and nylon ropes. The trick works and the Mayan people proclaim Savage and his men as being messengers from the gods. Later that night the warrior chief Morning Breeze secretly meets with the mysterious Son of the Feathered serpent. He reveals that his men have failed to eliminate Savage and his party. The Son of the Feather Serpent declares that Savage must not obtain the gold. He wishes the gold for himself to finance a revolution in Hidalgo. He states that he will now release the Red Death. The Feathered Serpent then contaminates the community water supply with a germ that he refers to as the red death. The villagers immediately start to drop as their skin becomes afflicted with red splotches. Savage concludes that the virus can only be emanating from one place. He takes a sample of the water and develops an antidote. As he tries to distribute the cure he is accosted by the serpent and his men. Savage eludes his pursuers and begins administering the cure himself. The villagers quickly recover but Doc Savage is attacked once more by a desperate Feathered Serpent. He leaps at Savage with a knife but plunges to his death as he falls from atop a pyramid. They take off his mask and the Serpent is revealed to be none other than Rubio Gorro, Hidalgo’s Secretary of State. Savage is initiated as a member of the tribe and is deemed worthy to receive the gold promised to his father.