The Cortez Conspiracy by Mark Seidemann

In a raging Louisiana forest fire, news photographer Mike Tunis discovers an injured man impaled by an old Spanish sword. Miles away, in a long forgotten swamp, a secret is about to be exposed. Soon, Mike founds himself drawn into a centuries old plot that can topple empires. But Mike’s actions have triggered other people into action. Some will kill to keep the secret hidden. Others see the secret as an unstoppable weapon that must be obtained at any cost. Mike must piece together the clues from the past with time running out. His discoveries will uncover the tale of a Spanish conquistador and his lost expedition. It will tell of sacrifice during the US revolutionary war. He exposes a massive cover-up for a doomed submarine. In the end, Mike finds out the actual terrible plan of Cortez and what really happened to the Aztecs. The chilling climax will see redemption and revenge played out between old and new foes.