Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Kholod
"Raw lazurite?"
I stared at the data on screen, frowning. Noelle wanted ultramarine ground from top-grade lazurite from Afghanistan's Sar-e-Sang mines.
"What?" Nick was stunned. "Boss, you can't go! It's not just the altitude—the whole region's a war zone! Taliban controls most areas, mining's all done by hand on steep cliffs, cave-ins and falls happen constantly..."
"I don't care." I kept scrolling through the files. "She wants it, I'm getting it for her."
"But boss, we could send our people—"
"No." I cut him off. "Has to be me."
"What?" Nick looked shocked. "Boss, have you lost your mind? That place is a war zone!"
"I know." I closed the laptop. "But this has to be personal to mean anything."
"Boss—"
"Nick, set it up." I stood. "Fastest route, local guides, security detail."
"Boss, you're really doing this?" He was still trying to talk me out of it. "The danger level... Dmitri will never approve..."
"Nick, that's an order."
Nick fell silent, then finally nodded. "I'll put together the best team."
Two days later, I boarded a private jet bound for Kabul.
"Boss, this is Abdullah, our local contact." Nick made introductions. "He knows the Badakhshan mining region inside out."
A bearded Afghan man stepped forward and bowed. "Mr. Morozov, honored to serve you."
"Can you find the best veins?"
"Yes, sir. But the mines are dangerous now, frequent firefights..."
"I only care about results."
"We'll need armed escorts, bribes for all factions, professional climbing gear..."
"Money's not an issue."
As the plane took off, I closed my eyes and recalled Noelle's words—the masters used ultramarine that had to be ground from lazurite. That deep blue couldn't be replicated with synthetic pigments.
No matter how dangerous, I'd get it for her.
Kabul airport was chaos.
Armed soldiers everywhere, tension thick in the air.
"Sir, stay close to me."
We got into a battered SUV, part of a three-vehicle convoy, each loaded with armed men.
"Kabul to the Sar-e-Sang Mining Area in Badakhshan takes about two days," Abdullah said. "We'll hit several checkpoints, but I've greased the right palms. Just..."
"Speak."
"Mountain conditions change fast." He said. "Sir, are you absolutely sure? I could send my most trusted men instead—"
"No." I said. "Has to be me."
"Alright." He sighed. "Then we go. God willing."
The convoy left Kabul and entered the mountains.
Roads were rough as hell, the vehicle lurching violently.
At checkpoints, Abdullah smoothly handed over cash.
"In Afghanistan, money solves a lot of problems," he said. "But not all of them."
The next day at noon, the convoy reached the mountain base. Looking up at snow peaks piercing the clouds, Abdullah handed me climbing gear. "From here we walk. The mines are at seventeen thousand four hundred feet."
"How long?"
"If we're lucky, eight to ten hours. You have high-altitude experience?"
"No."
"It's going to be hell."
The climb was brutal. Past thirteen thousand feet, splitting headaches and breathing problems forced me to use an oxygen mask.
"Sir, your lips are turning blue."
"Keep moving."
When we finally saw the mine entrance, I was running on fumes. The opening in the cliff face looked ready to collapse.
"The mine runs deep, could cave in anytime." Abdullah handed me a hard hat. "Any trouble, we evacuate immediately."
I nodded and put on the gear. The mine entrance was narrow, barely wide enough to crawl through. We got on our bellies and started in. The rock was ice-cold and sharp, tearing my clothes.
"Sir, watch those jagged stones!" Abdullah called from behind.
Breathing got harder, my head felt like it would explode.
"Damn it..."
I stopped, gasping.
No, I couldn't stop.
I kept crawling forward.
Finally, the tunnel opened up some.
I managed to stand, and by headlamp light, saw the surrounding rock walls.
Deep blue lazurite veins threaded through the stone.
"Abdullah," I called back, "where's the best stuff?"
"Further in!" his voice echoed from outside the tunnel. "But sir, it's more dangerous! The walls aren't stable!"
"Got it!"
I continued deeper.
Loose stones under my feet kept sliding, making scraping sounds.
About fifty meters in, I saw it.
A perfect piece of lazurite, embedded in the wall.
Fist-sized, deep blue throughout, with evenly distributed golden pyrite flecks that glittered under my headlamp.
"That's it..."
I pulled out chisel and hammer, carefully starting to chip away.
One strike, two, three...
Each hit had to be controlled—too light wouldn't work, too hard might crack the stone.
Sweat ran down my face. In this freezing mine, I was burning up like I was in a furnace.
"Crack—"
The stone finally loosened.
Just then—
A massive explosion, the whole tunnel shaking violently.
"What the hell?"
"No!" Abdullah's face went white. "That's blasting! Must be the next tunnel over! Get out!"
Before he finished speaking, rocks started falling from the ceiling.
"Run!"
I spun around, but it was too late.
A huge boulder slammed down right in front of me, blocking the exit.
"Shit!"
Dust filled the air, choking me.
"Sir! Sir!" Abdullah's voice came from the other side. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine!" I shouted back.
"I'm outside!" he said. "Sir, don't move! I'll get help!"
Footsteps faded away, leaving me alone in the tunnel. Dark, cold, dead silent. I leaned against the wall, gasping. The thin air made my head spin again.
"Damn it!" My oxygen tank had been punctured by falling rocks. Was I going to die here? In some foreign mine shaft?
"No..."
I couldn't die. I hadn't earned Noelle's forgiveness yet. I hadn't made it up to her. I couldn't die.
I felt around and stood up, using the weak light from my torch to look for a way out.
Rocks piled like mountains, completely blocking the way back.
"Fuck..."
I started clawing at the stones with my hands. One, two... my fingers were soon raw and bleeding, blood mixing with dirt.
But I couldn't stop.
"Noelle..." I mumbled. "Wait for me..."
I don't know how long passed—could've been an hour, could've been three—when I finally heard voices outside.
"Sir! Sir!"
"Still alive!" I called back.
"Hang on! We're getting you out!"
The sound of drilling started, deafening. Rocks cleared bit by bit. Finally, light broke through.
"Sir! Quick!" Abdullah's face appeared in the crack. "Grab my hand!"
I reached out, and he yanked me through.
The moment I saw daylight again, I gulped down fresh air.
"Sir, you're hurt!" Abdullah stared at my mangled hands.
"I'm fine." I stood up, swaying as I headed back toward the mine. "The lazurite... I didn't get it..."
"Sir! You can't go back in!"
"I have to!" I broke free from him. "I promised her... I have to deliver..."
"Sir!"
Ignoring his protests, I went back into the mine. This time, I was more careful, moving slowly along the walls. Finally, I saw that piece of stone again.
I carefully chiseled out the lazurite. When I held the cold stone in my palm, I finally breathed easy.
"Noelle... I found it."
The descent was even harder. The shoulder wound kept bleeding, every step pulling at torn flesh. Blood loss made the altitude sickness worse, dizziness hitting in waves. I nearly fell several times.
The convoy was ambushed on the way down, bullets whining as they struck the vehicles.
"Get down!" Abdullah yelled.
I ducked, protecting the wooden box with the lazurite, gunfire thundering around us. Ten minutes later, the attackers finally withdrew.
"Sir, you okay?" Abdullah looked back at me.
"Fine," I said, though my ears were still ringing.
"Too dangerous." He said. "We need to get out of here fast."
The convoy sped up, finally leaving the mountain region before dark.
When we reached Kabul, I was barely conscious.
"Boss, you need rest," Nick said. "You look like hell."
"No need," I said. "Back to America."
"But your hands..."
My mangled hands had lost several fingernails completely.
"Deal with it on the plane."
"Boss—"
"Leave now."
Nick sighed helplessly. "Yes, boss."
During the flight, exhaustion, altitude sickness, and infection finally knocked me out. The last thing I heard in the darkness was Nick's panicked shouting.
When I came to, the smell of hospital disinfectant hit me.
"You were out for two days." Nick was keeping watch by the bed.
"Where's the lazurite?" I struggled to sit up.
"Right here." He quickly handed over the wooden box. "Boss, lie back down, the doctor wants you under observation..."
"No." I threw off the covers. "I'm going to see Noelle."
"Boss!"
"Pull out these tubes."
"But—"
"Now."
Knowing how stubborn I was, Nick complied.
"At least let me bandage your wounds..."
"You can do it on the plane."
We landed in Washington, then drove straight to Niaube.
"Boss, you sure you don't need more rest?" Nick looked at me worriedly. "You look terrible..."
"I'm fine."
The car finally entered the small town.
"Stop here," I said.
"Yes."
I pushed open the door and got out with the box.
"Let me help you." Nick came around to support my arm.
"No need. I'll go myself."
Sea wind carrying salt spray hit my face. I walked toward that familiar shop, clutching the wooden box, the sign swaying gently in the breeze.
I pushed open the door. The bell chimed.
"Welcome—"
Noelle's voice cut off. She stood frozen with her paintbrush, staring at me in disbelief.
"Kholod? You..."
"I found it." I walked over and set the box on the counter. "The lazurite you wanted."
She stared blankly at the box.
"Open it," I said.
She hesitantly lifted the lid, her breath catching.
"This... this is..."
"Top-grade lazurite," I said. "I dug it out myself."
"You went to Afghanistan?" Her voice trembled. "There's a war going on!"
"I know."
"Why risk it?"
"Because it's what you wanted." I looked into her eyes. "Noelle, whatever you want, I'll get it for you."
Her gaze fell on my bandaged hands.
"Your hands..."
"Nothing, just scratches," I said, though my fingers were still throbbing. "Noelle, I did it. That chance to make things right—does it still count?"