Page 10 of What is Found

“Taking a risk, though.” When Davila only frowned, John continued, “That we didn’t have watches that could track the phones.”

“A mystery that will remain a mystery.” Davila dismissed the rest with a wave of his hand. “Time is one thing we don’t have. So, we need a plan here. Parviz, on your maps…you know of any back ways, shortcuts, anything that can get us to Ishkashim by tonight?”

The driver shook his head. “Too many village in way. Many, many village south side Tavildara. Have slow down.”

This tallied. On the drive down into Khorog after the Tavildara Pass, John had spied footpaths and the Lilliputian figures of herdsmen leading small caravans of yaks or donkeys laden with bundles strung out along the mountains like worry beads.

“But…wait.” Parviz pursed his lips. “Let think.” They waited while Parviz scowled down at his map. “Yes, we maybe go east and around…yes, yes…” Muttering, Parviz squinted, almost said something, shook his head then let out a short, victorious bark.

“Ah!” He jabbed with an index finger. “Yes,yes!Thisroad we go.”

The road, John saw, was a blue squiggle meandering into the higher elevations before turning south and then west. Midway along the route, a wavy blue symbol floated to one side. “What’s that?”

“Hot springs. Go bath? Yes?” Parviz said. “Many tourists go.”

“A hot springs?” John said at the same time that Davila said, “Get out. In Tajikistan?”

“Sure. Why for not?” Parviz gave one of his all-purpose shrugs. “Tourists go. Pay dollar, pay euro, worth more than Tajik somoni. But most peoples living here.” He stirred air with a hand. “They go winter when no snow. Nice place get warm, take bath. Pay somoni, but better than no money.”

John and Davila looked at one another and then Davila said to Parviz, “If there are tourists and locals, if there some kind of bath house? Do they have buildings? Do people just walk, or are there roads or paths that aren’t on the map?”

“And power,” John put in. “What about that?”

“Paths. No other road. Also have buildings.” Parviz made a face. “No power winter. Only generator. Hot springs close. No tourists in winter. Too hard get fuel that is no…” Parviz blew a raspberry. “Tourists no like smell what come from yak.”

“What?” Davila asked.

“He’s mean they use yak poop for fuel,” John said. “We’re in a mountainous desert, remember? There’s virtually no snow at the highest elevations, not like the Alps, and the only vegetation we’ve seen so far has always been along the rivers. So, I bet having the air around your Turkish bath stink is kind of bad for business.”

“I’ll bet. Way back, before I made Ranger, this sergeant tagged me for burn shitter duty.” Davila made a face. “Thought the smell was going to kill me. As it was, I couldn’t get the taste out of my mouth for days.”

“No Turkish bath,” Parviz said, offended. “ThisTajikbath. No Turks. And smell go away.”

“After a year.” Davila paused. “Maybe.”

Parviz opened his mouth to offer a rebuttal, but John cut in. “Guys, focus. Parviz, you’re absolutely sure that only locals go to the hot spring in winter?”

“Yes, and only sometime, when no snow, no ice.” Parviz rocked his hand:maybe yes, maybe no.“Why for us worth take chance.”

John and Davila looked at one another, and then Davila shrugged. “Better than another night in the back of the van.”

As they clambered back inside, John said, “Parviz, you’re not going to fill up the other tank?”

The driver shook his head. “We only use one tank. We good.”

“Oh.” He frowned. “How come you didn’t just switch to the second tank? I mean, it’s your van, youknow what you’re doing, but…I thought that was why the thing has two tanks to begin with and you’ve got extra cans of gas in the back.”

“I always this way,” Parviz said. “Better safe than sorry, yes? And you see. Road no bad now and springs very nice.”

“If you don’t mind getting into hot water,” Davila said.

Later, John would think,Truer words.

CHAPTER 2

Almost three hours later,near sunset.

“Unbelievable.” Fists on his hips, Davila studied the jumble of rocks scattered over the road. “This is like déjà vu all over again.”

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