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W. E.
Lawrence’s latest historical romance novel Chakana is filled with action, adventure, suspense, and
intrigue.
Synopsis:
In
1940, before the start of World War II, James Fleming, the original British
secret agent, races on a high-stakes chase to track down the ancient lost
treasure of King Huascar of the Incas. He must recover it before the Nazis do
or the whole world will be in imminent danger.
But
this is no ordinary treasure hunt. The Incas have proven their cunning and
intellect in not only how they hid their treasure, but how they protected it.
Fleming joins forces in the remote ruins of Peru, South America with Kate
Rhodes, a policewoman on leave from the United States, her archaeologist
brother, Nick, and their college professor, Dr. Charlie. Together, they must
decode, interpret the clues, and face the challenges of the Chakana on their
hunt for the treasure.
If
this wasn’t difficult enough, the group is hounded throughout their search of
the ancient Sacred Valley by international artifact smugglers, familiar with
the Chakana and working with the Nazis, who are determined to acquire the
treasure to help finance their war effort. 
Intrigue, danger, suspense, action, adventure, and even romance abound in
this brave band’s quest to save the free world.
About
the Author:
W. E. Lawrence graduated in 1978 from the
University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill with a BS in business
administration. He has run a successful home health care supplies
distributorship for the past twenty-three years.

Passionate about God, writing, reading, family, sports, politics, and America,
Lawrence currently lives in Davidson, North Carolina, with his lovely wife and
their two wonderful children.

W. E. Lawrence enjoys writing historical romance
novels filled with action, adventure, and suspense. He published his debut
novel Guardian of Paradise in October
2014.  To learn
more, go to http://welawrenceauthor.wix.com/author
Readers can connect with W. E. Lawrence on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
PROLOGUE
Countryside outside Athens, Ohio
1934
    The rumble of thunder sent the horse into a
nervous prance.  The animal jerked its
head and whinnied as James Fleming pulled in the reins to steady his
mount.  “Whoa there, big fella. It’s just
a few boomers, nothing to be concerned about.” 
But when he raised his gaze to study the sudden ominous build of cloud
formations, the certainty of a brewing storm made him decide it was time to get
back to the barn.  With a gentle tug, he
turned the horse.  “All right, Major, you
win.  Let’s go home.”  
     James had enjoyed these lone horseback
outings through the hills and valleys of the countryside and took them as often
as he could.  However, this would be his
last ride.  He would miss America. Ohio
in particular.  He had learned a great
deal the three years he spent there, working and studying.  He even learned things he hadn’t intended,
like riding horses owned by his sponsors who graciously opened their home and
provided him with a place to stay.
     But the time had come to return home.  The winds of war were building between his
homeland of Great Britain and Germany, now ruled by the radical Nazis hell-bent
on avenging their defeat in the Great War. 
His country needed him, and James, always a patriot, would contribute
any way he could.
     He again looked to the sky.  The storm had moved in quicker than he
expected.  Dark angry clouds now directly
overhead made it look as if night was descending.  Gusty howls of wind and more rumbles of
thunder gave sound to the suddenly eerie scene. 
His horse became more frantic by the moment, pressing the need to get
out of the weather as soon as he could. 
Although unfamiliar with the shortcut through the valley and having been
warned by the ranch hands that the territory contained dangerous marshland, he
decided to take the chance.
    Entering the valley, his heart beat
faster.  After little more than a hundred
meters, the trail narrowed but he pressed on. 
Clouds linked together and the low whistle of wind made the hair on his
neck stand on end.  Thank God, it hadn’t
started raining …yet. 
     Then a sudden crack of thunder crashed
over their heads.  The horse bolted.  Using what he’d been taught, James fought the
reins and had his mount under control in a matter of seconds.  He exhaled, then stopped to regain his
bearings.  The animal had only traveled
another dozen meters, but his relief was short lived.  
   The ground beneath them began to
quiver.  When he tried to turn the horse,
the earth sucked at the animal’s hooves like quicksand.  Again, his heart raced.  He had to get out, but the horse, now in full
panic, reared back and threw him. 
Falling backwards, he landed hard in the swampy marsh.  As he lay stunned, he heard the horse
struggle to gain its footing, and then gallop away to freedom.
     The horse escaped, but James was not so
fortunate.  Sinking, he tried to scramble
out but the marsh restricted his movement. 
The more he struggled, the faster he went down.  When up to his waist, he stopped.  This couldn’t be happening.  This was supposed to be his last day in
America.  He couldn’t die like this.  But the wet mud and the tangy smell of
rotting vegetation made it all too real. 
     Nearly panic stricken, James turned his
head and caught sight of a fallen branch sticking up out of the marsh like an
outstretched hand.  With trembling
fingers, he reached out and grasped it. 
After he pulled himself closer, he slung an arm over and hung on.  He tried to relax so he could catch his
breath but each time he started to sink, he had to wiggle upward to keep his
head above the marsh.
     Soon, the wet mud and exhaustion began to
take its toll.  Though it looked hopeless,
he began to shout.  He shouted as long
and as hard as he could.

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