“And what did he say?”
Nash decided to tell the woman the truth. “He said no.”
A sob escaped the woman’s lips. “I knew it, in my heart I knew that he would refuse to help me. He is American. They only care for themselves. It is why you all are so rich.” She spat on the cold ground.
“What were you planning to do once we got to Myitkyina?”
“Why do you care?” she shot back angrily.
“My boss said no, but I haven’t. Tell me. And it might help me make a case to my boss to help you after all.”
In the light of the campfire Nash could see that her expression grew calm, and when she spoke her tone was more measured. “We were told to get you to Myitkyina so that you can hold your ‘business’ meetings.”
“And after that I understand we are taking a short flight to Bhamo where there will be others to meet us?”
Surprisingly, Amrita shook her head. “I spoke with Thura. He said that after what happened the plane will not work. The KIA will surely be checking.”
“So you think they’ve found the bodies then?”
“Thura believes so. He has been on the phone, and even though reception is not so good here, he was able to get through to someone. He did not say in so many words, but his face told me that things are not good.”
“He should have told us that then,” said Nash irritably.
“Thura cares only for Thura. I havetoldyou this!”
“Okay. When we get to Myitkyina do you know where we are to meet the local businessmen?”
“Yes, at the hotel where you will also be staying. We are to leave you there but remain in the area. Then we are to escort you to the airport in three days’ time, and then we will have finished our job.”
“What were you planning to do after that?”
“I have no choice but to continue to work for Thura. I am not even supposed to be in this country.”
“So if we can’t take a plane to Bhamo, how do we get there?”
“I know that one may travel by either a minibus or a car. The car will take around three hours at least. The minibus will be twice that long with a stopover in a village called Sinbo. But the thing is, the roads are not always safe or allowable for foreigners, and the bus service is very spotty. From day to day it might not run. And after the death of the soldier, the KIA will have set up checkpoints all along the roads. So, I do not think it is a good plan to take a car or bus.”
“How about a fast ferry on the Irrawaddy?”
She thought about this and nodded. “Yes, it is possible. But they will look for foreigners on the fast ferries, but not so much on the slow ones. Americans in particular do not like the slow ferries. They are. . .primitive and full of locals and animals, and the toilets are. . .not nice. And you sleep on the deck.”
“How long will the slow ferry take?”
“It is around two hundred kilometers on the Irrawaddy between Myitkyina and Bhamo with many stops in between. It could take a whole day.”
“We don’t have that much time. We were supposed to fly, which would only take a half hour, and the people meeting us aren’t going to wait a full day.”
“Is your business that important?”
He studied her, reading suspicion in every facet of her features. “Yes.”
“Then contact your people and tell them of your delay.”
A very sensible idea, thought Nash. Only they had not been allowed phones.
“We can’t count on that,” he said. “If you can aid us in getting out of Myitkyina ahead of schedule then I could help you get out of the country.”
“But nothing I can do is as fast as a plane.”
