“No chance. Our snub-noses aren’t worth a damn beyond twenty feet or so.”
In the clearing, Zhilan had traded her cell phone for a portable radio. She brought it up to her lips.
Over Sam’s radio they heard, “Do you have him?”
“I have him.” Ajay’s voice.
“Bring him out.”
Sam and Remi looked right. Jack Karna stepped from the tunnel entrance, followed by Ajay. The barrel of his gun was pressed against the base of Karna’s skull. The other hand clutched the collar of his jacket.
Prodded by Ajay, the pair walked halfway to the clearing, then stopped. They were forty feet to Sam and Remi’s right.
“Why, Ajay?” Karna asked.
“I am sorry, Mr. Karna. Truly I am.”
“But why?” Karna repeated. “We’re friends. We’ve known each other for—”
“They came to me in Kathmandu. It’s more money than I would make in ten lifetimes. I can send my children to university, my wife and I can buy a new home. I am sorry. But she gave me her word. None of you will be harmed.”
Karna replied, “She lied to you.” Then louder to Zhilan: “Your spawn I’ve already met a few months ago in Lo Monthang. But I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.”
Zhilan said, “My name is—”
“The Dragon Lady, I know. You’re too late, you realize. This is not the place. The Theurang is not here.”
“You’re lying. Ajay, what do you say?”
“We only started searching, ma’am. Mr. Karna and the Fargos seem sure this is the location of Shangri-La.”
Zhilan said, “Speaking of the Fargos . . . Come out, both of you! Your helicopter is gone! Come out now, help me find the Golden Man and I’ll signal for our transportation. I will land you safely back in Yingkiong. You have my promise.”
“You forget, Dragon Lady, Sam and Remi know you,” Karna said. “Your promise is worthless.”
“You are likely correct,” Zhilan replied. “Mr. and Mrs. Fargo! Come out now or I will kill your friend!”
Remi whispered, “Sam, we’ve got to help him.”
“That’s what she wants,” he replied.
“We can’t just let her—”
“I know, Remi.”
Karna called, “Dragon Lady, they can’t hear you. All this behind me is a temple—a complex so big, it will take months to search. Right now, they probably don’t even know you’re here.”
“They would have heard me on the radio.”
“Not from inside. The reception is nonexistent.”
Zhilan considered this. “Ajay, is
that true?”
“About the radios, mostly true. As to the temple, it is vast. They may be unaware of your arrival.”
“Then we’ll have to go find them.” Zhilan said.