“But we can cut short our business meetings by a day and get on a slow ferry, and still beat the plane. Do you really think this provides us a better chance of evading the KIA?”
She brightened. “Undoubtedly it will.”
“If we change plans, what about Thura?”
“I think that once you get to Myitkyina you should lose Thura as soon as possible.”
“Why?”
“It is because he will see turning you in as the only way for him to escape responsibility for the soldier’s death.”
Nash took this in and nodded. “Okay, let me talk to my boss about all of this and ditching Thura, and we’ll go from there. But you need to get us on that ferry, okay? Whatever it takes. We have money.”
“As soon as we get to town I will work on this with all my passion, I swear,” she said. She then took his hand and kissed it. “Thank you.”
All this was done so earnestly that he almost smiled, until he realized that for her this was truly life and death.
As it is for all of us.
CHAPTER
15
THEY REACHED MYITKYINA THE NEXTmorning. 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. “Thatis 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?”