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| “ | Melody: You believe in all that stuff? Marcos: Not belief. Knowledge. |
„ |
| ~ Marcos' initial stance on the teachings of his father. |
| “ | You had no choice, Josh. They gave you no choice. Like Captain Moroni and the king-men. | „ |
| ~ Marcos to Joshua Plimpton after executing the Wolf Witches. |
Marcos Alberto Sanchez is a major character in Chris Heimerdinger's Tennis Shoes Adventure series. Marcos first appears as a major antagonist in The Feathered Serpent, Part One, is redeemed as a major protagonist in The Feathered Serpent Part Two, and is a supporting protagonist throughout The Sacred Quest, Kingdoms and Conquerors, Sorcerers and Seers, Drums of Desolation, and Thorns Of Glory: Part One.
Biography[]
The Feathered Serpent, Part One[]
Marcos is first introduced when he applies for a job at Jim Hawkins' work. Jim agrees to hire Marcos as a salesman, but is suspicious of Marcos' eagerness to work with him and somewhat familiar features. Unbeknowst to Jim, Marcos is on a mission from his father Jacob Moon, to find out which of Jim's coworkers or bosses Jim would be most likely to kill, in order to frame Jim for murdering said coworker or boss.
As the story unfolds, it is revealed that Marcos is the child of Jacob Moon and his concubine Anna. After Marcos was born, Jacob took him back to ancient times with him and raised him as a full-fledged Gadianton.
Later, Jacob and his men kidnap Jim's daughter Melody to bring back with them to ancient times. When entering the magical cave that will transport them back in time, Jacob orders Marcos to escort a bound and gagged Melody through the cave's tunnels. Marcos guides Melody, then carries her as she eventually falls unconscious. On exiting the cave and entering the land of Melek, Marcos welcomes Melody to the world of the Nephites.
Later, after Melody has her clothes changed, Marcos talks to her and accidentally reveals that they have her uncle Garth Plimpton captured. Marcos also reveals that he is a believer in the ways of the occult, since he was raised by an evil father. When explaining this to her, Marcos lets it slip that he thinks Melody is beautiful and that he wants to instruct her in the ways of his father. Sensing the wrongness of Jacob Moon's ways, Melody declines his offer.
The Feathered Serpent, Part Two[]
As Jacob Moon and his men are bringing Melody to Jacobugath, Marcos continues to fall in love with Melody. As Melody is having intense stomach spams, caused by a kink in her intestines, Marcos feels for her and tries to convince his father to stop to give Melody time to recover. Jacob refuses, but allows Balam to perform a ceremony to cure Melody. When Melody refuses to allow Balam to heal her, Marcos furiously tells her she can die for all he cares. However, he later returns to Melody's side, keeping her company as they proceed.
After Jacob's men raid a nearby village for food, Marcos tries to offer Melody some of the stolen food. Melody attacks Marcos and scratches his face, while spilling the food all over him. Suspecting that Melody blames him for the attack on the village, Marcos tells her that he actually tried to talk his father out of attacking the village. He then brings her a pet dog, which Melody later names Pill. Later, when Melody accidentally falls off a cliff and into a freezing river, Marcos jumps off the cliff to save her. After the two of them get out of the river, Marcos and Melody begin to realize their feelings of love for each other. Their feelings of love continue to blossom as they continue their journey, prompting Jacob to order Marcos to keep his distance from Melody.
After Jacob's entourage returns to Jacobugath, Marcos decides to betray his father out of love for Melody. He leaves the city under the excuse that he is searching for the brigade of warriors led by Ilipichicuma, when in reality, he intends to ally with them. However, Ilipichicuma finds and captures Marcos, bringing him along with his army. When Ilipichicuma runs into the band of adventurers led by Jim Hawkins, they bring Marcos before him. Jim is initially angry at Marcos for his past actions, but Jonas is able to calm him down. Marcos tells Jim that Melody is still alive and is currently in a prison on an island of a lake in Jacobugath. Marcos also reveals his true intentions to help Jim, and warns them of Jacob's armies waiting to ambush them. Ilichicuma, appreciating the advice, asks Marcos if he would kill his father (Jacob) for him. Marcos says yes, much to the surprise of Jim. Marcos' warnings are proven true when Gidgiddonihah, Zedekiah, and Harry return above the curelom Rachel and tell them that they witnessed Jacob's armies gathering in the very positions Marcos described.
On arrival at Jacobugath, Ilichicuma's army, along with Rachel, smash through the defending walls and storm the city. During the battle, Marcos gets ahold of one of Jacob's men and forces him to divulge the location of Melody. The man tells Marcos that Melody is in the tower, being tortured to try to get Garth Plimpton to break down. Jim and Marcos go to the tower, where Balam is trying to kill Melody. In the ensuing struggle, Marcos kills Balam and then watches as Jim reunites with Melody.
Shortly thereafter, an intense storm gathers over the land-the hand of God, wreaking destruction in the wake of Jesus' death on the other side of the world. As the winds gather and volcanoes erupt, Marcos assists Jim, Melody, Garth, Harry, Jonas, Gidgiddonihah, and Zedekiah as they try to escape Jacobugath. Jacob pursues them, intending to kill Jim once and for all. As Jim and Melody fight Jacob, Marcos steps in to save Melody's life. Marcos and Jacob wrestle each other, heading toward the edge of a crevasse. As he falls, Jacob tries to pull Marcos into the crevasse with him, but Jim catches Marcos' legs. Marcos knockes his father into the crevasse, killing him.
After the storm dies down, the land of the Nephites is coated in darkness for the span of three days. At the end of those three days, the voice of Jesus is heard. Marcos goes with Jim, Melody, Harry, Garth, Jonas, Zedekiah, Gidgiddonihah, Rachel, and the rescued prisoners as they spend several months travelling to Bountiful. In the land of Bountiful, Marcos decides to convert himself to Christianty. He spends much of his time talking with the prophet Nephi and learning the customs of the church. Later, Marcos is among the people gathered to see Jesus Christ's visit to Bountiful.
After Jesus leaves, Marcos decides to stay in ancient times to serve as a missionary among the Nephites and Lamanites. He bids a tearful farewell to Melody Hawkins, as the Hawkinses and the Plimptons are going back to modern times. As Melody leaves, Marcos promises to one day go back to modern times to visit her.
The Sacred Quest[]
Five years after the events of the previous book, Melody Hawkins still misses her lover Marcos and hopes that he will one day return. Likewise, Marcos misses Melody as well. He finishes his mission in the land of the Nephites and prepares to go back into modern times to see Melody once more. However, Kumarcaah has been losing his business in slave trading among the Nephites. Kumarcaah, after going through the Rainbow and Galaxy Rooms and discovering the New Testament world, returns to the land of the Nephites and begins kidnapping people to use as slaves. Marcos and Gidgiddonihah put together a force of one hundred warriors and pursue them to the land of Melek. In the ensuing battle, Kumarcaah and fifteen of his men escape with a thirteen-year-old girl. Marcos corners Kumarcaah and trades himself for the girl. Marcos is taken by Kumarcaah into New Testament times.
In the age of the New Testament, Marcos and Gidgiddonihah (who was subsequently captured) are sold to Roman slave traders in Salim to use in the local gladiator battles. Towards the end of the book, Harry Hawkins comes to Salim and discovers the gladiator arena where Marcos is being forced to fight. Marcos sees Harry in the crowd and is surprised to see him, but is then forced by the Romans to fight.
In the gladiator pit, Marcos easily beats the gladiators Flammus and Domiticus. The slave driver Quintus offers to take Marcos as his servant, but Marcos refuses, saying that he'd rather die. Quintus and Kumarcaah reluctantly decide to comply with Marcos' wishes. They order their Roman soldiers to release the lions to kill Marcos. However, Harry Hawkins intervenes and opens the lion cage before it is lowered into the arena. The lions escape their prisons and go berserk on the surrounding soldiers and spectators. In the commotion, Harry reunites with Marcos and Gidgiddonihah and rushes to escape the city of Salim. While fleeing, they are accosted by Kumarcaah. Marcos and Gidgiddonihah hold back Kumarcaah's men until one of the lions comes and kills Kumarcaah. Marcos, Harry, and Gidgiddonihah escape into the surrounding hills.
When the trio makes camp near Salim, Harry tells Marcos why he had came to New Testament times: Melody had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and was missing Marcos more than ever. Marcos, devastated by the news, is struck with grief. He explains to Harry the circumstances that prevented him from returning, and Harry explains how he and his stepsister-to-be Meagan (who had followed him on his journey) had came to this time and gotten involved with Simon Magus and his Sons of the Elect. Marcos opts to return to modern times to reunite with Melody while Harry and Gidgiddonihah rescue Meagan and Jesse.
In the epilogue of the book, Jim Hawkins is sitting in the hospital with his daughter Melody when Marcos comes to visit her. Marcos and Melody embrace each other, reveling in each other's love.
The Golden Crown[]
Marcos briefly appears in the middle of the book, when Meagan, Garth, and Apollus go back to modern times to get help from the rest of the Hawkins clan. Although Melody is starting to recover from the cancer, Marcos opts to stay behind with her while Meagan, Jim Hawkins, Sabrina Sorenson, and Steffanie Hawkins go back to ancient times to rescue Harry.
After everyone concludes their adventures, a double wedding is held where Marcos marries Melody, and Jim Hawkins marries Sabrina Sorenson. After their wedding reception, Marcos carries Melody out to their Toyota 4-Runner (which has been decorated in shaving cream and Oreos by Harry Hawkins). The two of them drive to the airport to fly to Cancun for their honeymoon.
Warriors of Cumorah[]
In the beginning, it is established that Joshua Plimpton, who was born in Nephite times, has a personal attachment to the people of the Nephites and likes to talk with Marcos about the Nephites. During one such conversation, Joshua shares his desires to go back in time and prevent the Nephites from being destroyed at Cumorah. Marcos, with the help of Melody, tries to counter Joshua's arguments for saving the Nephites, until Joshua's father Garth takes his son into the other room to talk to him on his own.
In the end, after Joshua and Rebecca Plimpton, Mary Symeon, Meagan Sorenson, Ryan Champion, and Apollus had gotten lost in a time warp while pursuing Todd Finlay, Marcos goes with Jim, Harry, Garth, and Steffanie to try to find them. While Harry and Steffanie go to ancient Babylon, Marcos and Garth go to the time of the Nephites' final days.
Tower of Thunder[]
In the epliogue of the book, Marcos and Garth end up in Nephite times and are captured by a squad of Nephites. The Nephites bring Marcos and Garth to their captain. To the shock of Marcos and Garth, the Nephites' captain is a now-older Joshua Plimpton.
Kingdoms and Conquerors[]
Marcos and Garth talk to Joshua and discover that he had been transported to the time of Nephites and spent years of his life there and ascended to the rank of captain in the Nephite army's Fox Dvision. Joshua goes on to reiterate his intentions to save the Nephites from their destruction at the hill of Cumorah. Marcos and Garth try their best to talk sense into Joshua, saying that he does not have any right to change history. Joshua resists their efforts and goes so far as to tell Marcos that he has the responsibility to help the Nephites, as they are his people. Marcos argues that his people lived centuries before this Nephite era and that he is not inclined to help a people that tramples upon God's commandments. Garth breaks them up, and Joshua leaves their tent.
Later that evening, Marcos and Garth are discussing what Joshua had said when they realize that the Book of Mormon mentions that a Nephite captain named Josh had fallen with his army during the battle at the Hill Cumorah. Garth worries that this means his son will be killed, but Marcos tries to convince him that this was an error in record-keeping. The two of them try to sleep on it, but they are soon attacked by an assassin of the Wolf Witches. Marcos produces a Glock 30 from his pack and shoots a hole in the tent, scaring the assassin off. Joshua and his men come on the scene to investigate, and Marcos tells them what happened. Joshua and his men recall an incident earlier that day when their hunting dogs were fed poisoned food and come to the conclusion that the assassin is among them. Joshua decides to go to Cumorah for an audience with General Mormon.
Marcos and Garth accompany Joshua and his men on their way to Cumorah. On the way, they encounter the same assassin that tried to kill Garth and Marcos the night before. The assassin shoots one of Joshua's bodyguards with an arrow and immediately catches the group's attention. Marcos follows the Nephite warriors as they chase the assassin into the jungle, where the assassin lures them into an ambush by the Wolf Witches. They manage to fight their way out of the ambush and capture one Wolf Witch paragon. Joshua tries to interrogate the paragon, but the paragon refuses to divulge any information. Joshua, Marcos, Garth, and Joshua's men take the paragon with them on their way to Cumorah, but he dies on the way. Marcos, seeing that he only has six bullets left, prays to God that he will never be forced to use them again.
Joshua, Garth, and Marcos reach Cumorah and have an audience with General Mormon. Mormon assigns Joshua the mission of taking the Golden Plates and leaving them in the sacred vault of another hill. After Mormon gives Joshua a Priesthood blessing that he will succeed, Joshua speaks with Garth and Marcos. Joshua apologizes for all the grief he has caused them and their extended families, and for disrespecting Marcos. Marcos and Garth both forgive Joshua and agree to accompany him on his mission.
Sorcerers and Seers[]
Marcos and Garth are accompanying Joshua to the Cumorah vault when Akish comes through a time rift and attacks them. During the attack, Marcos is caught in the time rift and brought to Akish's time period. Marcos is able to evade capture from Akish's clansmen and find a rift leading back to Nephite times. While entering the rift, Marcos encounters Joshua, who is tracking Akish. Joshua explains to Marcos that Akish stole the Golden Plates from him, and that he has retrieved Akish's sword to exchange for the Golden Plates. Marcos accompanies Joshua as he goes through the time-rift cave that leads them to Akish's homeland.
Soon after exiting the time rift, Marcos and Joshua are captured by a group of female warriors led by Teshebel and Uguleth. The warriors bring them to their king Omer and his granddaughter Asherah. Omer and Asherah explain that their people are under threat from the armies of Akish and his estranged son Hathrom. Marcos and Joshua come to the conclusion that they were sent here by the will of God to help the Jaredites deal with their threat.
Omer takes Marcos and Joshua to a feast, where he reveals that his people possess ancient, valuable records that are coveted by many people in the land, hence why the Jaredites are plagued with civil war. Marcos insists that Akish and the sons of Mizerath will destroy each other in their war and leave the Jaredites unharmed. Asherah refuses to believe his words. Marcos and Joshua reiterate their beliefs that they were sent here by God to help the Jaredites, but their words merely cement Asherah's belief that they are lying.
Shortly thereafter, Joshua shows King Omer the Liahona. On close scrutiny, Omer notices that the Liahona is warning them that the armies commanded by Akish and Hathrom are marching on the Jaredites' territory right now. The Jaredites rush to evacuate as the area slowly begins to flood from the rain. During the evacuation, Marcos and Joshua are ambushed by Uguleth and Teshebel, who are acting under orders from Asherah to kill Joshua and Marcos. Marcos and Joshua hold their own in the fight, until King Omer breaks them up.
Working together, Marcos, Joshua, and the Jaredites are able to escape the flood and find refuge on higher ground. While Joshua and Hamira are on a scouting mission, Marcos watches as King Omer's wife gives birth to a baby boy. Omer and his wife name the baby Emer, saying that he will be the next true prince of the Jaredites.
Shortly thereafter, Marcos goes to look for Joshua and Hamira with Uguleth, Hearthrah, and Shoalah. They come across Nimrah on their scouting mission. Uguleth calls out to Nimrah and makes Marcos realize that she has been conspiring with Nimrah against King Omer. Marcos clobbers Uguleth as Nimrah informs Hearthrah and Shoalah that he has murdered the princes Esrom and Coriantumr, paving the way for himself to become the king of the Jaredites. Marcos, Hearthrah, and Shoalah hurry back to the Jaredites' encampment to warn King Omer.
At the Jaredites' encampment, Marcos exposes Asherah's treachery. Asherah makes no effort to hide her true intentions and tells the assembled Jaredites that Nimrah is their true king, and that they must bow before him. King Omer's wife, Elorah, cries out against her and says that Emer is the rightful prince. Asherah angrily draws a dagger and goes to kill the baby Emer. Horrified, Marcos is forced to use his gun to shoot and kill Asherah.
Drums of Desolation[]
Marcos goes with a group of Jaredite warriors on another mission to find Joshua and Hamira. They come to the beach and find that Akish, Hathrom, and Elam have captured Joshua and hung him by a noose. Marcos and the Jaredite warriors attack the gathering of Akish's followers and rescue Joshua. During the battle, Marcos manages to defeat Hathrom in a fight and cause him to fall into the rising tide.
Marcos, Joshua, and the Jaredites soon come across Akish farther down the beach. Marcos offers Joshua the sword of Laban to kill Akish, which Joshua accepts. Joshua hesitates to attack Akish, much to the dismay of Marcos and the Jaredites. The Jaredites begin to attack Akish one by one, until King Omer stabs and kills Akish. Akish's curelom Muskah notices what's happening and charges at the Jaredites. Marcos steps into Muskah's way and, using his Gift of Tongues, communicates with him and convinces him not to attack.
After the skirmish on the beach, King Omer asks Marcos and Joshua if he can borrow their Liahona. Marcos convinces Omer that bartering with him for the Liahona would go against God's will, and that his son Emer will be the new king of the Jaredites. Marcos and Joshua bid farewell to the Jaredites and leave with Muskah and the Liahona.
Marcos, Joshua, and Muskah return to the Nephites' time period and encounter soldiers from the Nephite army's Fox Division. The soldiers attack and wound Muskah, hoping to kill him for meat. Muskah angrily lashes out at the soldiers and stampedes through their village. Marcos chases Muskah and yells at him to stop, but he is whacked by Muskah's trunk. Muskah, realizing what he's done, calms himself down. A wounded Marcos reprimands Muskah for not listening to him.
While Joshua and the Nephites are tending to Marcos' wounds, they learn that Ammonchi has usurped Joshua's position of leadership and plans to take his division of Nephites away from the battle at Cumorah. Marcos goes with them as they go to the camp of Ammonchi, where they root out the Wolf Witches that have gone along with Ammonchi's treachery. Marcos, Joshua, and the still-loyal Nephites execute Ammonchi, Helor, and the rest of the Wolf Witches. After the execution, Marcos speaks with a guilt-ridden Joshua. Though Marcos tells Joshua that he had no other choice, Joshua insists that killing the Wolf Witches has made him just as bad as them.
Marcos, Joshua, and Nompak lead Joshua's Nephite soldiers in an attack on the Cumorah battleground. The Lamanites lead by Spearthrower Owl, Fireborn, and Lamanai are surrounding the Nephites' encampments at Cumorah, preventing them from leaving and preventing outsiders from entering. On the way to the battleground, Marcos and Joshua discuss the rightousness of themselves and the other Nephite leaders. They come to the conclusion that the Nephite soldiers should be just as righteous as their leaders, and that by choosing to worship false deities, they have brought about their own destruction.
On arriving at the battleground, the Nephites scope out the Lamanites' defenses and devise a plan: they will enter from the south, through the swampy Marshes of Ripliancum, and ascend a series of cliffs to where their fellow Nephite armies will help fight through the Lamanite soldiers. However, they are soon detected by the Lamanites. The Lamanites quickly amass soldiers to prevent the Fox Division from rejoining the Nephite ranks. Marcos rides Muskah toward the cliffs, with the goal of bringing the Golden Plates back to Mormon. But before long, Muskah is struck by an atlatl dart from a Lamanite soldier.
Marcos ends up directing Muskah towards the northern face of the cliffs. The Nephite soldiers, frightened by the sight of a curelom, fire darts and arrows at Muskah. The Nephites are ordered to stop by a commanding officer, who Marcos is surprised to discover is Gidgiddonihah. Gidgiddonihah sees Marcos and encourages him to keep going, which he does. The Lamanites continue to fire arrows at Muskah and wound him, prompting him to stop to allow Marcos to check his wounds. Marcos determines that he cannot treat Muskah's wounds and is forced to go on without him.
Thorns Of Glory, Part One[]
Marcos continues ahead on the Cumorah battleground until he runs into Moronihah, grandson of Mormon and member of the Nephite army's Tarantula Division. Marcos tells Moronihah that Fireborn's troops are approaching and that Muskah needs medical attention. Moronihah inquires about the Golden Plates that Mormon entrusted to Joshua, Marcos, and Garth. Marcos tells Moronihah that he has the Golden Plates with him, and that he is trying to bring them back to Mormon. At Marcos' request, Moronihah summons a doctor named Omrah to tend to Muskah's wounds. Marcos and Moronihah continue to fight their way through the Lamanite warriors, until Moronihah is killed by an arrow to the chest. Marcos briefly glimpses Fireborn on the battlefield, but he wisely chooses not to engage him and instead reunites with Muskah. As Marcos and Muskah are crossing a nearby plateau, they run into the Jaredite warrior Pagag. Pagag reveals to Marcos that he had fallen in love with Marcos' sister-in-law Steffanie Hawkins, until he was unexpectedly warped back to his own time by the Gadianton Ghosts. Marcos agrees to help Pagag on his journey to the village of Zenephi, where he knows Steffanie is waiting.