Legend has it that Aztec Indians used gold from their El Dorado claim to build their seven cities of gold. When the Spanish conquistadores came to the Western hemisphere in the 1520s, the Indians flooded their mine. Its location remained a secret until the days of the California Gold Rush, when the Dutchman Mining Company may have rediscovered it. After a short time, a powerful earthquake caused the mine to become lost again.Suddenly, on March 6, 1989, a new entrance to that mine was revealed once more when two construction workers who were excavating a foundation fell into a pit and were killed. The accident occurred on the grounds of the naval training base of Fort Warren, outside of San Diego, along the beautiful Pacific coast.Secret mining operations resumed with government money stolen from the construction project. Shortly thereafter, the discovery of an antique golden hourglass unlocks an adventure tale of cover-ups, greed, kidnapping, and murder. Both naval and civilian personnel face unusual challenges and must make an ultimate sacrifice to appease an ancient Aztec curse.