Chapter 16
Dave and Peng were in Hotan at the train station sitting on a bench both eating a sandwich, they had bought at a kiosk nearby.
"You know, I've been thinking about calling Miss Burnish because of the trip" Dave begun. "We don't have any trains heading to Nepal and we got two options only. We take a plane or we see if there's a coach going to Kathmandu"
"How many hours are in front of us?" The child asked watching Dave shrug his shoulders.
"Well I know the flight is definitely the faster way, but I can check in on the maps" Dave answered typing down on his smartphone the location and the destination, then waited for it to load. "Okay there are no non-stop flights, at least from what I see here"
"Wouldn't a direct flight be faster?" Peng questioned bewildered about, what the adult told him.
"Yes it would, but it doesn't show it here. Maybe we would need to look inside the airport for answers. If we really have to make a stop somewhere and take another plane it sort of would matter for me, since in the airline and in the coach we would be more or less the same time in it"
"Okay, ask Miss Burnish, what she thinks we should do"
"Sure, that's what I have planned" Dave answered searching through his smartphone for the number of Miss Burnish, then pressed the phone button to call the woman. "Good day Miss Burnish, it's Dave"
"Hello, Dave. How is your trip going with Peng? I haven't heard from you a while?"
"It went well. Look we're currently at the Hotan airport and we got two options. We pick an airplane, but we have no choice but taking a flight with a stop somewhere, then we can fly down to Nepal. The second option would be traveling by bus, which is most likely to take the double of time as the flights"
"I would suggest you ask at the reception at the airport of the next flights you've got to be able to get to Nepal. I've seen many flights, that had even two or three stops. Like one option you needed to go back to Shanghai, then, for example, you go to Hong Kong, afterward, you could go to Kathmandu in the end"
"Yeah, that sounds a little complicated" Dave confessed. "I felt like going with a coach would be better, but also with the traffic jam and all…..we would take even longer"
"Okay I'd suggest you to take a flight then, it's more expensive, but I believe it's safer"
"Great, we'll be looking at the airport for the possibilities we've got"
"Good and by the way, have Jin and Yi somehow made contact with you?"
"Uh no, I thought they were not supposed to come"
"Yes I know, but Peng's older cousin had complained that I had let Peng go with you and they went together to look for you two"
"Oh okay and where are they?"
"Urumqui was their last location I had been in contact with Yi. They must have passed Korla by now,"
"Should we wait for them?"
"I think it's not necessary for now. I will inform you when I'm able to speak to them again"
"Okay, we keep informing you about the next steps, until we're in Nepal,"
"Great, have a good time"
"Thank you Miss Burnish. Goodbye," Dave finished the call, then looked at Peng, which was looking at him with eyes wide open, making Dave raise both of his eyebrows up in confusion. "You're okay Peng?"
"Are Jin and Yi coming?"
"She told me your cousin Jin complained to her, that it was a bad idea for us to go alone to the Himalayas and he's now together with Yi looking for us"
"They really traveling across China just because of me?" The child questioned curiously.
"Yes. That's at least what I understood"
"Wow, I caused such a babel and they still went to look for me, even, if I'm on the other side of our country" Peng lamented dropping his head down, followed by Dave placing his hand on the kid's shoulder.
"They're your family Peng. They care about you. They won't give up until they find you safe and sound" The man mentioned. "The soon they find you, they will be hugging you to death….well not to death, but they will hug you real hard"
"I will be happy to see them too,"
"And what used my grandma to say….I don't really remember how exactly she said it, but every time we went all together on vacation or a trip with the time we would all tie together like we just did during the trip if you think about the first day to now"
"I just found it a little strange, cause it was only the two of us and Jin or anyone else from my family wasn't present. But with the time we really became good friends"
"Yes and as soon as your friends arrive, you will also notice, that they have bound tighter and the same will happen with the four of us in the end…."
"Jin sure had enough time to do something about his crush on Yi. I bet"
"I think he might wait a little more. Take more time to think and to set a plan on how he should confess"
"Yeah might be true though" Peng agreed with the man, who nodded at the boy.
"Look after we're done with our sandwiches, let's ask the reception about the flights, then we inform Miss Burnish about our next step, alright?" Dave suggested the boy, that nodded at Dave's suggestion.
Jin and Yi were driving in the pickup on a road, that leads the duo over hills near a long river that follows to the next city, which is still far away from the two friends.
"How long does it take again for us to reach the next city?" Jin asked Yi, which shrugged her shoulders, then took out her smartphone to open the navigation app on it. "40 Minutes"
"I think we might make it"
"What do you mean?" The raven-haired girl questioned the boy. "Is it the fuel?"
"Yeah, it's very close to the reserve. I think it's enough,"
"We will see about that" Yi mentioned. "In some aspects, I don't think it's a good idea to cross the with none of us having a driving license"
"Marko's ID faking skills would have been appropriate now"
"Who's Marko?" Yi questioned the raven-haired boy.
"That first one roommate I had. He could professionally fake ID's and other types of licenses. But he only could do that if the justice allowed it for certain cases, like this case at my school, where he had to go out as a medical student like the rest of us"
"That sounds actually cool"
"Yeah, it is" The boy agreed. Yi gazed out off the window to watch the landscapes they were passing by.
Jin took a short look at Yi, then observed her gazing out the window at the hills smiling amazed at how beautiful it looked in the daylight. The medical student smiled enamored about the girl, then gazed back at the road noticing he was in the middle of the road nearly on the wrong lane, then he gently moved the steering wheel to get back to the right side.
"I've noticed you were going to the wrong lane, Jin" Yi mentioned looking back at Jin, which grinned at her back a little bashed.
"I….was just testing you" Jin lied making Yi shake her head.
"Bad Liar,"
"Yes, I know that" Jin admitted. "You know I sort of never had the urge to lie unnecessarily. Probably one of the reasons, which makes me bad at lying"
"You made it well the last few times you tried to convince your mother and Nai Nai, that we're in Beijing,"
"I think it only works sometimes when I have to get us out in trouble"
"Funny this trip I had to get you out of the water as you jumped down with me into the lake"
"Oh yeah…...oh I almost forgot about the hospital"
"Don't worry Jin. The next city sure has at least one hospital"
"Yeah" Jin agreed watching Yi glance at the road in front of them, then he had an idea and whistled softly calling the girl's attention. "Yi"
"Yes, Jin?"
"What would you say if I'd let you ride the car for a while?" The raven-haired boy suggested looking at the girl, who smiled a little at Jin's idea.
"Are you sure, it's a good idea?"
"I'll be right next to you if you feel better" The friend suggested seeing Yi nod in agreement with the idea, then removed her seatbelt followed by the boy and she moved on the cabin passing in front to the boy, which moved his head aside to look at the road as Yi came closer to him afterward she sat down on his lap a little unsure about the idea.
"Place your hands on the steering wheel right under mines" Jin instructed the girl which complied with his orders placing them right under his hands. Jin slowly removed his hands making Yi wide her eyes at his deed.
"Please keep them there for a little while," Yi asked a little tensed earning a nod from Jin, which placed them back, where he had them before.
"I'm right here," Jin mentioned, then had another idea and slowly placed his hands over Yi's making her blush a little red. "I help you a little, alright?" Jin asked earning a nod from the girl. "On long roads, you have try to keep your hands tight on the wheel. That's easy to do" Jin explained the girl, then he slowly took his hands off Yi's observing her have the steering under her control.
"You're doing well" The boy complimented seeing Yi smile euphoric at her driving the vehicle, while Jin was responsible for the gas pedal. The two soon had in front of them an S-like curve, then Jin softly pressed the brake to slow the car a little down, then he observed Yi from behind her back and told her the next step.
"Now you turn the steering wheel a little to the left, then after the first part you move to the right side gently" Jin instructed the girl, which performed the instructions good enough, what Jin had observed through the side mirrors as the car was for about 2 cm away from the middle line and at the end of the second curve Jin pressed the accelerator down to gain a bit more velocity again.
"How was it?" Yi asked earning a proud nod from the boy.
"Very well" Jin complimented the girl observing her enjoying the joy of driving along with Jin's assistance. "For now the road seems to go straight, but I'm still here for you" Jin mentioned making Yi smile as she kept her hands on the steering wheel guiding the vehicle.
The former zoologist Zara and the Hong Konger group she met up in Goldmud parked on a parking lot near a camping resort for tourists. Zara spoke at the moment with another leader of the science laboratory beside the tall vehicle, while the former goon leader from Mr. Burnish stood in front at the road of the parking spot watching a camping van pass by. The man looked at his watch, then sighed annoyed.
"Where are they?" The man grumbled, then kept looking at the entrance where the second transporter is supposed to appear.
Zara watched the other leader of the group show her a black case to her while looking around if they would be caught anyone else besides some of the group members spotting around.
"This is the only thing I could organize without any problem" The leader explained opening the box to show there a regular handgun in there with two small boxes with bullets to be used with the gun. "Are you sure this will be needed?"
"This is just in case our victim to lure the yeti decides to disobey it serves to warn him" Zara explained looking at the onyx-colored gun.
"I thought we had set as plan B the use of an electronic tagging on their feet?"
"Of course and we're going to use it anyway. This option in here…." Zara said grabbing the gun to take a better look at it. "Is just in case it doesn't work the first two ways"
"You're not going to shoot at the yeti, right?"
"I'm not going to shoot anyone. The yeti will be shot down with the tranquilizers as we have planned before" Zara said stowing the gun in the case, then closed it.
"That makes me feel relieved then"
"I'm glad to know" Zara commented, then the former goon leader approached.
"The second group has arrived. They'll be walking up here"
"Great, they can right after enter into the transporter to listen to the plan," Zara told the man, which nodded and watched the woman walk away with the leader while the old partner of Zara waited for the arrival of the second group.
In the night Jin and Yi were in Aksu walking on the sidewalk together by the side of habitation buildings. Jin was carrying with a bit of difficulty a fuel canister and at the moment Yi had checked on the smartphone the map of the city, then placed it back in her pocket.
"We're going the right way, it's just straight on" Yi mentioned seeing Jin nod in growls. "Are you sure you don't want my help?" Yi asked, then wide her eyes in surprise as Jin had let the canister fall on the ground.
"It's fine Yi. I try to use both hands instead" Jin said earning an unamused facial expression from the girl.
"For sure?" Yi asked the friend. "We would be faster if we both would carry it"
"Well….you're right" Jin admitted placing his right hand on the handle of the canister followed by Yi, then both lifted it up and walked further. "Why did I reject your help again?"
"Because you thought I didn't believe you were strong enough to carry it"
"Right, it worked for like two minutes" Jin mentioned. "I need to start going to fitness"
"Didn't you say that two years ago?"
"Kinda" The boy responded. "Why you're asking?"
"Because I remember the last few times you said the same thing and it never happened"
"I think if you would ask everyone in school about it every second person would be the same"
"I believe you that way" Yi mentioned. "Uhm about the continuation of our trip...should we drive a few more miles or should we take a place to rest?"
"Maybe we should look first on, what are the surroundings for us at the moment. Cause I think after crossing the city there will just be the Taklamakan desert and we will have to pass the national road,"
"Okay," Yi said looking at the road to see a tow truck driving on the street towing a white pickup truck, which looked very familiar to them. "Funny, that truck looks just like our pickup….truck…."Yi said stopping to talk, then looked along with Jin to the tow truck passing by and they could recognize it by the age of the body color, that it was theirs.
"Oh great, we were out of gas and these idiots decided to tow us the car away" Jin complained dropping the canister down, which pulled Yi down. "Sorry!"
"Maybe I should have stood back next time" Yi mentioned watching Jin shake his head.
"No, It's better if we stick together" Jin pointed out. "Just in case something happens to you or me"
"Yeah you're right" Yi agreed sitting on the canister, while Jin stood beside her. "Should I look for a hotel nearby?" Yi asked. "Finding another ride at this time is hard"
"If you don't mind," Jin answered sitting down beside Yi, which had taken her smartphone out to look for a hotel. She noted Jin wasn't happy about, what happened and Yi patted him on the shoulder.
"Tomorrow is another day, don't worry" Yi mentioned trying to cheer the boy up. "We'll find another way out of here"
An hour later both achieved to check in a pension for the night and both entered into a room, together with a staff member, which carried a duvet and a pillow around.
"The only thing I can offer you two" The woman explained earning a nod from the two teens, while Jin yawned tiredly. "By any questions, I'm around," The woman said handing Yi out the bed utensils.
"We solve this together don't worry ma'am and thank you," Yi said watching the woman turn the light of the room on and close the door.
"I sleep on the floor," Jin said picking the pillow from Yi's hands walking towards the bed followed by Yi, which watched Jin adjust the pillow against the board in front of the bed.
"It's okay Jin, I take the floor don't worry," Yi said going down on her knees beside the boy. "You can take the bed"
"I don't feel well if you sleep on the floor. Please take the bed"
"Nope I take the ground and that's the end of the story," Yi said lying her head down on the pillow followed by covering herself with the duvet, making Jin roll his eyes and make his way to the bed to open the cover. Jin then had an idea and took the pillow off throwing it off the bed, which landed on Yi's legs.
"Don't you need the pillow?" Yi asked sitting up, then she watched Jin come along with the bed cover and sit down on the side.
"So we're even," Jin said grabbing the pillow from Yi's hands, which smiled astonished at the friend's idea. Jin placed the pillow under his head, then shrieked as his head sank real deep into the pillow, making Yi chuckle.
"Well, that pillow needs to be replaced" Yi mentioned watching Jin jolting the pillow. "I think you need something under the pillow to prop up your head,"
"I don't think we have something here. We had tons of clothing from me, but they're on the train somewhere around China,"
"I could offer you to lie your pillow over my belly?" Yi suggested earning a bewildered look from the boy.
"What?"
"I mean I've got the pillow right here" Yi explained taking the pillow away from Jin lying it over her belly. "Then you just lie your head here" Yi instructed the boy, which then slowly lied his head back on the pillow, then smiled as he felt comfortable.
"Wow it's actually better now" Jin mentioned looking up at Yi, which smiled amused at his comment, then she fondled with her finger through his hair. "Oh, I like this" Jin moaned making Yi chuckle.
"You know my mom used to do this a lot on my dad. The way he lied peacefully on her lap,….he sometimes ended up falling asleep"
"Well, this is kind of relaxing" Jin confessed making Yi smile a little lovely.
"Thank you," Yi said as Jin pulled the cover over his body, while Yi patted his head looking up at the top of the bedroom, soon both managed to fall asleep.