Читать книгу: «The Whisper of Submerged Sanctuaries», страница 5
Chapter 6: The Guardian’s Vow
Morning mist shrouded the mountains, descending to the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul in milky swirls. The sun had just begun its journey, and its first rays, piercing through the veil, fell on the smooth surface of the lake, creating a fantastic play of light and shadow.
Monk Thomas stood on a rocky promontory, gazing into the distance. Behind him, on a small plateau, nestled an Armenian monastery – several stone buildings surrounded by a low wall. Here, in this secluded place, the surviving Nestorians had found temporary refuge.
He heard careful footsteps behind him. The monk did not turn – he knew who had come.
«Teacher,» David said quietly, stopping beside him.
In the early morning light, the young man’s face seemed especially youthful and vulnerable. Despite this, his eyes reflected a determination that Thomas admired.
«Good morning, David,» the monk replied, not taking his eyes off the lake. «It’s beautiful here, isn’t it? As if the Lord Himself created this place to remind us of the perfection of His creation.»
David nodded, but there was nervousness in his movements. He anxiously fiddled with the silver medallion that Thomas had given him the day before.
«You must leave today,» Thomas said, finally turning to his pupil. «Before dawn.»
«But the scouts report that the Mongols are still combing the area,» David objected. «They know we’re somewhere around here.»
«That’s precisely why you must leave now.» Thomas placed his hands on the young man’s shoulders and looked him intently in the eyes. «While their attention is focused on the monastery, you have a chance to slip away unnoticed.»
«I cannot leave you all, teacher,» David’s voice was filled with despair. «I cannot abandon the brothers, sisters, children…»
«You are not abandoning us,» Thomas gently interrupted. «You are fulfilling the most important mission. What we hid yesterday must be protected, and knowledge of it must be preserved for future generations.»
He looked around to ensure they were alone and lowered his voice to a whisper:
«Do you remember everything I told you about the crystal?»
David nodded, involuntarily touching the medallion on his chest.
«It’s the „Key of Solomon,“» he said quietly. «A relic found in the mountains of Judea during the time of the great king. A crystal capable of healing diseases and opening the eyes of the soul.»
«And?» Thomas pressed.
«And… amplifying both the light and dark sides of the human soul,» David finished. «Granting light to some and plunging others into darkness, depending on what they carry in their hearts.»
«Correct,» Thomas nodded. «The Templars entrusted us with guarding it when the danger in Europe became too great. They knew about our community here on the Silk Road and believed that in these lands, far from wars, the relic would be safe.»
He smiled bitterly.
«They did not foresee the Mongols. No one did.»
Thomas turned away, looking at the rising sun. Clouds, penetrated by golden light, were reflected in the waters of Issyk-Kul as if in a giant mirror.
«Do you remember the map I drew?»
«Yes, teacher,» David nodded. «It is safely hidden.»
«And the cipher I gave you? The symbols for identifying other guardians?»
«I have memorized them as you taught me,» the young man replied, touching the symbols engraved on the medallion. «I repeat them every day so as not to forget a single detail.»
Thomas nodded with satisfaction.
«Now listen carefully, David. What I am about to tell you is not written in any book. This information is passed only from teacher to chosen pupil.»
The young man straightened, his whole demeanor showing readiness to heed every word.
«The crystal is only part of the secret,» Thomas began. «To use its full power, you need an astronomical instrument created by ancient masters. A disc with concentric circles and special markings. We deliberately separated them so that no one person could accidentally unite them.»
«Where is this disc?» asked David.
«In a safe place,» Thomas replied. «If the Mongols capture you and torture you, you cannot reveal what you do not know.» He paused. «But I have left clues. The medallion contains instructions, understandable only to one who knows what to look for.»
David looked at his teacher in confusion.
«You speak in riddles, teacher.»
«Time will pass, and you will understand,» Thomas smiled. «Right now, the main thing is to preserve the medallion and knowledge of the crystal. Find worthy followers who will continue to guard the secret after you.»
He turned back to the lake.
«You know, I have pondered much about the power of the relic. About why the Lord allowed the creation of an object possessing such power, which can bring both blessing and curse. And I have concluded that it is a test for humanity. A test of our wisdom and our morality.»
Thomas fell silent, as if listening to something. Then he continued in a different, more tense voice:
«I have created traps for those who will seek treasures out of greed. False caches, deceptive signs. He who craves gold will find only death.» He looked directly into his pupil’s eyes. «But he who seeks truth will be guided to it, if his heart is pure.»
The wind strengthened, bringing freshness and the scent of water from the lake. Thomas shivered and adjusted his tattered cloak.
«You should know something else, David. The Mongol shamans… They sense the crystal’s power. Some of them possess the gift of seeing the invisible. They are already trying to find it. Genghis Khan sent his best baghatur Subutai with divers to search for it at the bottom of the lake.»
«But we hid the crystal in a cave, not in the lake,» David frowned.
«Exactly. I have made sure to spread rumors about treasures being submerged. This will throw them off the track.» Thomas smiled subtly. «Besides, the entrance to the cave will be visible only under special lighting, one day a year. At other times, no one will find it, no matter how thoroughly they search.»
David shook his head with involuntary admiration.
«You have foreseen everything, teacher.»
«Not everything,» Thomas objected. «But enough to buy time. A lot of time. And now,» he squeezed his pupil’s shoulder, «it’s time to say goodbye.»
Tears glistened in David’s eyes.
«What will happen to you? To the others?»
Thomas looked away.
«God will decide our fate.» He was silent for a moment and added more quietly: «I will try to negotiate life for everyone, and if that fails – to buy time so that as many brothers and sisters as possible can escape.»
«They torture prisoners,» David whispered. «The Mongols. They tell terrible things…»
«I know,» Thomas replied calmly. «But remember that physical suffering is temporary. They can break the body, but not the spirit.»
He rummaged in the folds of his garment and took out a small leather pouch.
«Here, take this. Inside is what will help you on your journey. Some gold, the seal of our community, and a letter to the brothers in Kashgar. If you manage to reach there, they will help you.»
David took the pouch but did not hide it, continuing to hold it in his hand as if he could not bring himself to accept this last gift from his teacher.
«And if… if they catch me?» he asked in a strained voice. «And I cannot withstand torture?»
Thomas looked at his pupil attentively. During his long years of wandering and service, he had seen much, but always found the strength to remain true to his principles. He had witnessed the fall of Jerusalem, fought in the Crusades before turning to faith and becoming a monk. He knew what fear and pain were. And he knew how to cope with them.
«David,» he began gently, «do you remember the story of Saint Peter?»
The young man nodded.
«He denied Christ three times before the rooster crowed.»
«Yes. Even the most devoted disciple can show weakness. We are all human.» Thomas placed his hand on David’s shoulder. «But what matters is not that we fall, but that we find the strength to rise. If you are captured and you break… Just survive, David. Survive and continue the mission when you can.»
Tears stood in the young man’s eyes.
«I don’t want to leave you, teacher.»
«But you must,» Thomas said firmly. «Not for me, not for yourself. For those who will come after us. For those who may one day need the crystal’s power.»
He embraced his pupil, holding him tightly to his chest.
«Go by mountain paths,» he whispered. «Local shepherds will show you secret trails. Stay away from main roads. And remember: light in water, water in light. Solomon’s key will open the way.»
«Light in water, water in light,» David repeated. «Solomon’s key will open the way.»
They drew apart. Thomas pronounced a blessing in Aramaic, the ancient language of their faith, and made the sign of the cross over his pupil.
«Go in peace, my son. And may the Lord keep you.»
David bowed his head, accepting the blessing, then quickly, without looking back, walked away. At the edge of the path leading down from the plateau, he turned one last time. Thomas still stood there, against the backdrop of the rising sun, tall and straight. His figure seemed to glow in the rays of dawn, as if woven from light itself.
David raised his hand in a farewell gesture and began to descend. Within moments, he disappeared among the rocks and shrubs.
Thomas remained standing motionless for a long time, gazing after his departing pupil. Then he turned and looked at the lake, shimmering in the rays of the morning sun.
«Lord,» he whispered, «give him strength to fulfill his mission. And give me courage to face what is to come.»
He knew that returning to the monastery meant, most likely, condemning himself to death. The Mongols did not leave alive those who resisted. But Thomas had a plan – a mad, desperate plan that might give the remaining refugees a chance for salvation.
He took a deep breath, gathering his courage, and headed back to the stone buildings. A conversation with the abbot of the Armenian monastery, old Father Grigor, awaited him. They needed to prepare a feigned surrender of the monastery, while the majority of the refugees would secretly leave through an underground passage known only to a few.
Three days later, Thomas sat in a dungeon – a cramped cellar with an earthen floor and rough stone walls. His hands were tied behind his back, his legs bound with rope. His face was covered with bruises, one arm, twisted during interrogation, throbbed painfully.
The Mongol noyon Jebe was known for his cruelty, but also for his perspicacity. He quickly realized that Thomas was not just one of the refugees, but a leader, a keeper of knowledge.
The interrogations continued day after day. Jebe wanted to know where the treasures were hidden. He was not interested in gold and silver – he was looking for some special item. «The Stone of Power,» as he called it.
Thomas remained silent, no matter what they did to him. Even when the pain became unbearable, he found solace in prayer and thoughts that David was already far away, beyond the Mongols’ reach.
In the dim light of a torch burning in the corridor, he gazed into the semi-darkness of his dungeon and thought of those who had already left this world. The abbot of the Armenian monastery, Father Grigor, was killed on the first day of the siege when he refused to hand over the refugees. Many brothers and sisters died protecting the children. But a large group managed to escape through the underground passage while Thomas negotiated with the Mongols, deliberately buying time.
The creaking of the door roused him from his reverie. Jebe entered the dungeon, accompanied by his shaman – a thin old man with a bird-like face and eyes that seemed to reflect other worlds.
«You can still save your life, monk,» the noyon said without preamble. «Tell me where the stone of power is hidden, and I will release you.»
Thomas looked at him silently. He knew Jebe was lying. The Mongols released no one.
«Our shaman,» the noyon pointed to the old man, «says the stone is somewhere nearby. He can feel its power.»
The shaman nodded, not taking his penetrating gaze from Thomas.
«It glows in the water,» the old man said in a creaky voice. «But there is much water around. The lake is large.»
Thomas felt a chill run down his spine. Had the shaman truly sensed something? Or was it a coincidence?
«You know that sooner or later we will find it,» Jebe continued. «The great khan has ordered every stone to be turned, every stream to be dried up if necessary. He wants to obtain the stone of power.»
«Why?» Thomas asked, breaking his silence. «Why does Genghis Khan need this stone? He already has power over half the world.»
Jebe smirked.
«The great khan is mortal, like all men. He seeks that which will extend his life, make him stronger.» The noyon leaned closer. «They say this stone heals any wound, grants longevity and strength of spirit. Is that not so?»
Thomas turned away, not wanting to show how much these words troubled him. The Mongols knew too much about the crystal.
«If I had such a stone,» he said slowly, «I would hide it so that no one could find it. Because the power you speak of is not meant for people. Especially for those who crave power.»
The shaman suddenly made a strange sound – something between a laugh and a croak.
«I told you, noyon. This man knows more than he says. He hides the stone not out of fear, but out of conviction.»
Jebe looked thoughtfully at Thomas.
«You know, monk, I respect your resilience. Not many can endure what you have endured.» He straightened up. «But my patience is not endless. Tomorrow at dawn, we will continue our conversation. And if you do not tell everything you know, I will be forced to resort to extreme measures.»
With these words, the noyon left, the shaman following him. The dungeon door slammed shut with a crash.
Thomas leaned back against the wall, trying to find a position in which his wounded body would hurt least. He understood that he would not survive the next day.
But this did not frighten him. The main thing was that David had escaped with the medallion, that the crystal’s secret was preserved, that the knowledge would be passed down the chain of guardians, from generation to generation, until the time came.
In the dim torchlight filtering through the grate in the door, Thomas mentally repeated the ancient words of prayer, preparing for what lay ahead. He knew he would die, but he also knew that his cause would live on.
And in this knowledge, there was a strange, calm certainty that gave him strength to meet the final dawn with peace in his soul.
The guard had dozed off at the dungeon door when he noticed a strange glow seeping from under the loosely closed door. He rose, rubbing his eyes, and peered through the small window.
The cell was empty. The ropes that had bound the prisoner lay on the earthen floor, but the monk himself was nowhere to be seen.
With a cry of alarm, the guard flung open the door. He searched every corner of the cramped dungeon but found no trace of the prisoner. No tunnel, no broken lock, no other signs of escape. Thomas had disappeared as if dissolved into thin air.
The news quickly reached Jebe. The noyon personally searched the dungeon, then the entire monastery. He ordered a search for the fugitive on the lakeshore, in the mountains, and questioned all the local inhabitants.
But Thomas was never found.
Jebe, enraged by the failure, ordered the monastery burned to the ground. Flames consumed the ancient walls, turning the centuries-old abode into smoking ruins.
The shaman, observing the fire, approached the noyon and quietly said:
«This man was no ordinary monk. There was a power in him that we do not understand.»
Jebe stared grimly at the fire.
«We will search for the stone without him,» he said resolutely. «Send divers into the lake. Check every cave in the surrounding mountains. The stone must be somewhere around here.»
The shaman shook his head:
«Now that the monk has disappeared, I feel that the stone’s power has become more hidden, more distant. As if he has strengthened the protection of his secret.»
«The prophecy states that the stone of power will one day return to the world,» Jebe said thoughtfully. «Perhaps not in our time. But someday.»
Wind from the lake scattered the ashes of the burned monastery high into the mountains. Gray flakes swirled in the air, like the last farewell of the ancient sanctuary.
And somewhere far from these places, young David continued his journey, carrying within him knowledge that would one day, centuries later, lead other seekers to the hidden sanctuary.
It was deep night. Lake Issyk-Kul was calm and dark, only a silver path of moonlight shimmered on its surface. On the shore, among the stones, sat a solitary figure. His face was hidden by a hood, but in the moonlight, one could discern ascetic features and attentive eyes.
Thomas gazed at the waters of the lake, knowing that he would never again see either David or the other brothers and sisters of his community. Now his path lay in another direction.
Thomas raised his eyes to the starry sky. He knew he had to go far, to where even the most skilled of Genghis Khan’s spies could not find him.
With a heavy sigh, the monk rose and headed toward the dark silhouettes of mountains reflected in the waters of Issyk-Kul. Ahead lay his final mission and a long, solitary journey.
He did not look back. The past remained behind, and the future was in God’s hands and those to whom he had entrusted his knowledge.
Thomas’s figure dissolved into the night darkness, as if it had never been there at all.
Chapter 7: Betrayal
Dawn over Issyk-Kul was like the slow awakening of an ancient deity. The sun, rising from behind the mountain peaks, painted the waters of the lake in crimson and gold, casting long shadows from the coastal cliffs. In such moments, it was easy to believe the old legends of sunken cities and hidden treasures.
Alexei sat on a rock at the entrance to a small cave where he and Dinara had spent the night. Rustam’s death still weighed heavily on his conscience. If he hadn’t brought this cursed medallion, the old man would still be alive. Sitting in the cool morning breeze, Alexei turned the silver disc in his hands, studying the ancient symbols and trying to understand if it was truly worth the price they had already paid.
Dinara emerged from the cave, stepping quietly on the stony ground. Her eyes were red from crying, but her back remained straight, and her movements conveyed the determination of someone who would not allow grief to break them.
«How are you?» Alexei asked, rising to meet her.
«I’ll survive,» she answered briefly, looking at the lake. «Grandfather knew what he was getting into. He always said the secrets of Issyk-Kul demand sacrifices.»
She turned away, brushing aside an unbidden tear.
«We need to go,» she added in a firmer voice. «Karabaev’s men won’t stop searching.»
Alexei nodded, tucking the medallion under his shirt. They descended from the hill and headed toward the nearest village, moving along goat paths to avoid encountering pursuers. By noon, they reached a small settlement where Dinara, using the local language, managed to buy some food and water, and arrange for a shepherd to drive them to Cholpon-Ata in his old truck.
«Do you think this is safe?» Alexei asked as they bounced along the rough road in the open truck bed filled with hay. «Karabaev is surely searching for us all along the shore.»
«That’s the point,» Dinara replied, covering her face with a scarf against the dust. «He won’t expect us to return to a major tourist center. Besides, Uncle Ermek has a house on the outskirts. We can rest and decide what to do next.»
Alexei nodded, though a strange feeling of unease wouldn’t leave him. The loss of Rustam’s book was a serious blow – it contained important information about the treasure’s location and the «Key of Solomon.» Now they were left with only the medallion and fragments of knowledge that Dinara had received from her grandfather.
By evening, they reached the outskirts of Cholpon-Ata. The shepherd dropped them at a crossroads and, after receiving payment, drove off, raising a cloud of dust. Dinara led Alexei along a narrow path that disappeared into a thicket of poplars and willows.
«Uncle’s house is half a kilometer from here,» she explained. «Away from the main development, right by the lake.»
They walked in silence, watchfully looking around. Twilight descended on the land, painting everything in silvery-blue tones. The air was filled with the scents of water, sun-warmed stones, and flowering herbs.
Ermek’s house turned out to be a small single-story structure with a spacious veranda facing the lake. Old apple and cherry trees grew around it, and a small pier with a boat tied to it stood at the water’s edge.
«Strange,» Dinara frowned, approaching the house. «No lights, though Uncle’s car is in the yard.»
Alexei tensed. Something wasn’t right. It was too quiet; even the birds weren’t singing in the garden.
«Wait,» he held Dinara back by the arm when she was about to step onto the veranda. «Let’s look around first.»
They circled the house, peering through windows. Inside, it was dark and seemingly empty. But when they approached the back door leading to the kitchen, they heard muffled voices.
«That’s Uncle,» Dinara whispered, listening. «But who is he talking to?»
They carefully crept up to the window and peered inside. In the kitchen’s half-darkness, illuminated only by the dim light of a table lamp, Ermek sat at the table. Opposite him was a man in a dark jacket, whose face they couldn’t make out.
«I did everything I could,» Ermek’s voice reached them. «I brought them to Rustam, as you asked.»
«But they escaped,» his companion replied coldly. «And the old man died without revealing all the details to us.»
«That’s not my fault!» Desperation sounded in Ermek’s voice. «I didn’t know they would run away! I thought you just wanted to talk to them, study the medallion…»
«Don’t lie to me, Ermek,» his companion cut him off. «You knew perfectly well what was happening. You knew that Karabaev would stop at nothing to get the „Key of Solomon.“»
Dinara froze beside Alexei, her eyes widening with shock and the pain of betrayal.
«I thought I could protect them,» Ermek continued. «Wanted to negotiate with Karabaev… so no one would get hurt.»
The man in the dark jacket laughed sharply:
«Negotiate with Karabaev? Are you that naive or just stupid? This man will destroy anyone who stands in his way.» He leaned forward, and the lamplight momentarily illuminated his face. Alexei recognized one of those who had been with Karabaev in the cave. «Now you must correct your mistake. Find your niece and that Russian. Bring them here.»
«And then?» Ermek asked quietly.
«Then Karabaev will decide what to do with them.»
Dinara backed away from the window, her face contorted with pain. Alexei embraced her shoulders and carefully led her away from the house.
«My own uncle,» she whispered when they had gone far enough. «How could he? After everything grandfather did for him…»
«Judging from what we heard, he didn’t want anyone to get hurt,» Alexei carefully noted, though he too was shaken by what they’d overheard. «It seems he’s confused and afraid of Karabaev.»
«That’s no excuse,» Dinara said sharply. «He brought us to grandfather, knowing that Karabaev’s men could appear at any moment. He…» her voice broke. «He’s guilty of grandfather’s death.»
They moved even further away, deeper into the coastal thickets, and sat on a fallen tree to decide what to do next.
«Where to now?» asked Alexei. «We have no money, no transportation, no safe place.»
Dinara gazed thoughtfully at the lake, shimmering in the last rays of sunset.
«I have a friend in Karakol,» she finally said. «From university days. He works as a curator at a museum. We could try to reach him.»
«How far is it?»
«About a hundred and fifty kilometers along the eastern shore of the lake.»
Alexei whistled:
«On foot, we’d be walking for days.»
«There are buses,» Dinara objected. «But using public transportation is risky. Karabaev’s men are surely checking all routes.»
«What about a boat?» Alexei nodded toward the lake. «Your uncle has a boat. We could…»
«Steal it?» Dinara smiled bitterly. «Why not. After what he did, it would be fair.»
They decided to wait until deep night, then sneak to the pier and take the boat. Until then, they remained in the coastal thickets, watching Ermek’s house.
Close to midnight, a black SUV pulled up to the house. Several people got out, among whom they recognized Karabaev. The oligarch quickly ascended the veranda and entered the house.
«This doesn’t look good,» Alexei muttered. «Looks like Karabaev decided to personally control the situation.»
Half an hour later, the SUV left, taking Ermek with it.
«Now,» Dinara said decisively. «While no one’s there, we need to take the boat.»
They quickly descended to the pier. The boat turned out to be a small motorboat, powerful enough to cross the lake quickly. Alexei, who had some experience operating such vessels, quickly figured out the engine.
«Full tank,» he reported. «We’ll have enough to reach Karakol.»
Dinara untied the ropes securing the boat, and they slowly moved away from shore. When they were at a sufficient distance, Alexei started the engine, and the boat slid across the dark water, leaving a foamy trail behind.
The night was moonless, stars hidden behind clouds, which worked in their favor – they were difficult to spot from shore. They kept at a distance from the shore, but close enough to see the lights of coastal villages.
«What will we do next?» Alexei asked, shouting over the engine noise. «We don’t have Rustam’s book, no detailed information about the treasure…»
«We have the medallion,» Dinara replied. «And something else.»
She took a small notebook from her jacket pocket.
«I wrote down some of grandfather’s stories when I visited him last summer. Not everything, of course, but the main details about the treasure’s location and the „Key of Solomon.“»
Alexei looked at her with respect:
«Are you always this foresighted?»
«Professional habit,» she smiled weakly. «Ethnographers always record everything they hear from informants.»
They continued along the shore when in the distance, a light appeared – a powerful searchlight beam gliding over the lake’s surface.
«They’re looking for us,» Alexei said tensely. «We need to move further from shore.»
He steered the boat into open water, hoping to hide in the darkness. But soon they heard the sound of another, more powerful engine. They were being pursued.
«Faster!» Dinara peered into the darkness behind them. «They’re getting closer!»
Alexei pushed the engine to its limits. The boat bounced on the waves, spraying them with water. But the sound of pursuit grew louder.
Suddenly, they were illuminated by a bright searchlight beam. Behind them was a larger, more powerful boat with several people on board.
«Stop!» a voice amplified by a megaphone reached them. «Cut your engine immediately!»
«What do we do?» Dinara shouted, holding onto the boat’s side as it shook on the waves.
Alexei looked frantically around. Ahead, about a kilometer away, a small bay was visible.
«There!» he pointed. «If we reach the shore, we can hide in the rocks!»
He sharply turned toward the bay, hoping that the small boat’s maneuverability would give them an advantage. But the pursuers didn’t fall behind, directing their boat after them.
The distance to shore rapidly decreased. They could already make out individual boulders and a narrow strip of beach.
Suddenly, a shot rang out. A bullet whistled over their heads and struck the water in front of the boat.
«Get down!» Alexei shouted, pushing Dinara down with one hand while continuing to steer the boat with the other.
Another shot sounded, and this time the bullet hit the engine. A sharp noise followed, and the motor died. The boat continued moving toward shore by inertia, but much slower.
«Jump!» Alexei decided. «The shore is about three hundred meters away, we can swim it!»
They tumbled over the side and plunged into the cold water of Issyk-Kul. The lake, despite its mountain location, was quite warm in summer months, but the immersion was still shocking. After catching their breath, they swam toward shore, trying to stay underwater as long as possible.
The pursuers’ boat slowed down, its searchlight gliding over the water, trying to spot the fugitives. Alexei and Dinara swam with all their might, fighting against the water’s resistance.
Finally, their feet touched bottom. They scrambled onto a small sandy beach and, without stopping, ran toward the rocks that rose several dozen meters from the shore.
Behind them, new shots rang out, bullets striking sparks from stones near them. But darkness and the rugged terrain were on their side. They climbed the first ledge and hid behind a large boulder, catching their breath.
«Are you all right?» Alexei asked, looking over Dinara.
«Yes,» she wrung water from her hair. «But we’re soaked through, and nights are cold here.»
They listened. From the direction of the lake came voices and engine noise – the pursuers had landed on shore and continued the search.
«We need to go higher, into the mountains,» said Alexei. «There’s a better chance to hide there.»
They began climbing the rocky slope, clinging to outcrops and the roots of sparse shrubs. Their hands slipped on wet stones, wet clothes hindered movement, but fear gave them strength.
Reaching a small plateau, they momentarily stopped to determine direction. In the distance, the lights of some settlement were visible.
«I know this village,» said Dinara. «A small settlement. There’s a bus stop; we could try to reach Karakol.»
«Too risky,» Alexei objected. «They’ll be searching for us on all public transportation routes.»
«What do you suggest?» Dinara asked wearily. «Walk through the mountains on foot?»
«Why not?» Alexei looked at the mountain range. «You’re local; you must know the paths.»
«I grew up in Bishkek,» she reminded him. «And although I visited grandfather during vacations, I’m not a mountain guide.»
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