They drove through the night, crossing the Kigach River into Kazakhstan and holding up in a dank motel in the border town of Kotyayevka, a small, dusty town like every other town they passed by.

The next morning after a brief sleep, they filled up at a fuel station, the attendant giving the bullet ridden, banged up Jeep an appraising look. Nate bought a map of Kazakhstan and they put more distance between themselves and the Russian border. They stopped mid-afternoon in Atyrau, a small but modern town at the mouth of the Ural river, and ate in a cafe, deciding what to do next.

"Do you have the photos you took of the map in Sarai Batu?" Nate asked Mia.

She nodded and unlocked her phone, bringing up the photo app and showing him the photos. Nate opened up the map he bought from the fuel station and studied it, comparing it to the photos.

"What are you looking for?"

Producing a pen, Nate began marking a route that began at the Volga River near Sarai Batu and snaked through the Mugodzhar Hills, a series of mountains and hills connect to the Ural Mountains running north to south of Kazakhstan and then to Lake Tengiz just outside of Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan.

The route then led to Semey in the Eastern part of the country and followed Irtysh River south to Lake Zaysan and then east again to the Altai Mountains where the route curved through the mountains finally stopping at a spot near the Mongolian-Russian border.

"That's our destination" Nate said, making a spot on the map with a giant X.

Mia looked over at the map, "The Altai Mountains?"

"The Saylyugem Mountains to be specific, I think Batu Khan used this route to get to another Mongol stronghold and I would bet dollars to donuts that's where the Jewels are."

"You're sure?"

"It makes sense, throughout history people have been taking these Jewels and wanting to hide them, keep them for themselves, there is probably no likelier place in the world than here" he said pointing to the X on. the map. "It's been hidden for centuries and, judging by the topography, it's almost impossible to get to. This might be the only viable route to this place.

"And what about Sully?"

Nate looked up at her, eyes narrowed, "What about him?"

"I thought the whole idea of this was to get him back?"

"It is. That's where he's going."

Mia leaned back in her chair, "Ok then. How do we get there?"

"Well the good thing is, we can skip most of it, but from here-" he pointed to where the trail runs into the Saylyugem Mountains, "-to here-" he pointed to the X where the hideout was, "-we will have to trek it, following the trail."

Mia blinked at him, "That trail is 800 years old, whatever existed of it then certainly won't exist now and that's ignoring the amount of snow and erosion that's occurred over that time."

Nate shrugged, "You'd be surprised at what still exists after centuries. Regardless, this is the only way to the Jewels-"

"Sully" Mia interrupted.

"What?"

"It's the only way to get Sully back."

"Right."

"You said Jewels."

"Did I?"

"Yes, and it's the second time you've done it in this conversation."

Nate thought back, was that true? He shrugged it off, "It's been a trying 24 hours," he reasoned. "I'm allowed a slip up or two."

But Mia was having none of it, "You said throughout history the Jewels have a hold on people - King John, Roger of Wendover, Dominik Martinus, Batu Khan, Kelvin Spence, Miraç Khanoğlu, Sully and now you're beginning to focus on them instead of your friend."

Nate snorted, "That's ridiculous."

"Is it?"

Leave her. She wants the Jewels for herself.

"Yes."

But he knew he was trying to convince himself that it wasn't true. That he could handle this until they got Sully and got as far away from the Crown Jewels and Miraç Khanoğlu as possible.

Get rid of her. The Jewels are rightfully mine.

"Look, I'm going to get Sully. You don't have to come. I'll get the letter to you another way. But don't worry about me, I'm focused. I'll be fine. I have a head start on Khanoğlu, it will take him some time to work out the location of the hideout and then organise his men and supplies, by then I'll be in and out with Sully."

"No, Nate. I'm coming with you. I can't sit back not knowing what has happened to you. Besides" she said with a smile, "you have to return my property."

Nate gave her a smile back, "Alright, let's get down to nuts and bolts."