CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER
THEY REACHED MYITKYINA THE NEXT morning. Thura had not spoken the whole way, but he kept shooting furtive glances at Temple and Nash.
Amrita said, “Myitkyina is the capital of Kachin State. It translates to ‘near the big river.’” She pointed to the water. “That is the Irrawaddy. It goes all the way to the Andaman Sea. Its delta is one of the biggest in all the world.”
“What, are you a tour guide now, Amrita?” said Thura snidely.
They looked up when a jet plane flew over as it ascended into the sky.
Thura said, “The daily flight to Bhamo.”
Nash said, “So we’ll be on that flight when we’ve completed our business here?”
He had told Temple about Amrita’s suspicions of Thura, that the bodies of Zeya and the soldier had almost certainly been found, and also about the likely impossibility of taking a plane to Bhamo.
He had also told Temple of the plan to take a slow ferry with Amrita instead. But Nash wanted to hear Thura’s take.
“That is right,” said Thura, without looking at him. “A very short flight. The fastest way between here and Bhamo. Very easy.” He now looked at Nash. “The easiest part of the trip.”
Okay, it seems that Amrita was spot-on in her analysis, thought Nash.
As they walked along with their backpacks over their shoulders, they noticed piles of burned objects along the roadway.
After seeing Nash’s questioning look, Thura explained, “That is how they get rid of their trash and other waste. They burn it, usually starting in the afternoon and early evening.” He took a shallow breath.
“That is why the air is not too good. Even if you do not smoke, you smoke in Myitkyina.” He tacked on a brutal, exaggerated laugh that Nash interpreted as coming from fragile nerves.
“And it’s safe for us coming into the city now?” said Temple.
Thura nodded. “No government restrictions here for foreigners. At least not now.”
“Then let’s make sure they don’t know we were responsible for the death of the soldier,” said Temple. “I assume your employer is paying you well enough to keep all secrets. And would be displeased if something happened to those in your care.”
Thura gave Temple a dark look, but Nash looked at his boss approvingly.
Nash said, “In fact, Thura, I’m not sure we need your help anymore.” He looked at Amrita. “Or yours.” But out of sight of Thura he winked at her.
Thura said, “My orders are to get you on that plane.”
“Give us the tickets. We can get ourselves on that plane. And this way you can avoid being with us if the KIA do find us. Isn’t that best for you? Or is there something I’m missing?”
Thura looked at Amrita and then back at Nash. He reached into his pocket and took out two pieces of paper. “Your tickets.” He looked at Amrita. “Let’s go!”
They trudged off, but Amrita looked back and smiled.
Nash and Temple cleaned up at a hotel that neither man would have looked twice at back in the States. But after their ordeal in the mountains, they welcomed its meager comforts like it was the Ritz.
After changing into a fresh set of clothes, Nash and Temple met downstairs in the lobby in a private nook to discuss their next steps.
“Amrita could also be lying about Thura so you’ll help her get out of the country,” Temple pointed out.
“I considered that,” said Nash, who did not trust anyone anymore, including the man sitting across from him.
“But did you notice how Thura is behaving? He’s worried.
And to tell the truth, I always thought it ridiculous that after having us grind through the mountains on dirt bikes, horses, and finally on foot that Steers would think it perfectly fine to get on a government plane. It just doesn’t add up.”
Temple shot Nash a glance. “You really think she’s setting us up then? But why not just kill us in Hong Kong, or turn us over to the Chinese as murderers with all the proof necessary?”
“Because I think she’s actually setting us up to take the blame somehow when Masuyo is freed from that prison.
I mean, what does she really need us for?
She said it was because her people are known here.
How does that make sense? Her people are coming here to help us free Masuyo.
They could easily do it without us and then fly back to Hong Kong with her. ”
“You’re right, Dillon. So we’re the American patsies in Myanmar?” added Temple bitterly. “But Steers probably doesn’t know about the soldier dying.”
“And maybe we can use that to our advantage.”
“How?” asked Temple quickly.
“Let me think on it.” Nash checked his watch.
“You have your first meeting in five minutes.” He glanced toward the front doors of the hotel where three men in khaki suits had just entered, sweat lining their faces in the morning heat and humidity.
Two of them carried briefcases. “And I think your potential partners just showed up.”
Temple rose, adjusted his cuffs, and buttoned his jacket. “At least this shit I know how to do,” he said firmly. He walked off with a confident swagger while Nash followed.