The Quantum Cypher

by Aaron Maximus

  They had escaped, but for how long?

  CHAPTER 67

  The drive through the city was exciting. The landscape was captivating with towering mountains overlooking the busy central market. Most of the snow caps had melted except at the top. The summertime is ideal for trekkers and climbers. There were a lot of tourists on the streets.

  Andy missed Cara and the kids. They would have loved this place, he thought.

  His heart was heavy after he spoke to Cara from London just before he left to Kathmandu. He told her about the expedition. She was livid and screamed at him for keeping her in the dark. At the same time, she was missing him so badly and wanted this nightmare to end soon. She was desperate to go back to her home and reclaim their happy life. She choked with emotion before she hung up.

  Andy requested the driver to stop for breakfast. The group went to a hotel and had a heavy breakfast of momos. Michael instructed the team to get the gear from the car and head out to the meeting point. The driver was having a cigarette and was surprised when the team collected their belongings, “What happened, anything wrong?” quizzed the driver.

  “Sorry, there is a change of plans,” said Andy handing him 100-dollar bill. The driver was elated, “Thank you, sir. You are very generous.”

  The team made their way through the winding streets and crowded places of Kathmandu to the designated guide’s office.

  “Welcome to Kathmandu!” shouted a short and lean chap in his 30’s. He proceeded to give Michael a bear hug. After an exchange of pleasantries, Michael announced. “This is Bishal Karki, an Expedition Expert. I have had the opportunity to use his expertise couple of times for my research. He is a climber’s dream come true and a specialist in local culture and region.”

  They all shook hands with him and introduced themselves.

  “We have everything ready, Michael. When would you like to leave?”

  “Excellent, we leave today.”

  Perplexed by the sudden request Bishal asked, “But, you have just landed. Don't you want to rest for a day or two to climatize?”

  “We are in a hurry Bishal, we leave today,” said Michael.

  CHAPTER 68

  At 4 P.M., the entire team crammed themselves in the minivan along with 2 guides and 4 sherpas. Since Michael had already sent the resources and tools ahead of time, they could travel light. The location was to the south of Kathmandu. The team would travel by road to a place called Himshi and from here, there would go on foot to the silent valley.

  Silent Valley got its name due to the lack of noise. It was a natural rock formation that made this valley an echo-proof zone. The place was a favourite for hermits, who stayed in the natural caves here to pray and meditate. The tributary of river Trishuli ran through the valley.

  As dusk fell, the party reached Himshi, a small village on the banks of river Trishuli. There were numerous camps set up by Bishal that were ready for occupancy. Each member was given a separate tent and there was a common toilet and bath. Dinner was being prepared by the Sherpas. It was a mix of rice, soup, fried chicken and baked potatoes. The team retired early as they were tired and had an early start next day. The trek to the silent valley would take three days by foot a total of 56km through treacherous terrain.

  CHAPTER 69

  Andy woke up to the sound of the alarm. It was 5:30 A.M. The cold frigid air tempted him back to the comfort of the sleeping bag, but he forced himself out of bed and peeped out. It was dark but he could already see a lot of activity at the camp. The sherpas were strapping the gear and were preparing to leave. The guides were having their breakfast and Michael was checking his GPS and other equipment. Andy slipped into his gear and walked up to Michael, who was helping himself with a hot cup of coffee and a piece of bread. Michael handed him some whisky to mix with the coffee. “It will keep you warm, rub some on your feet.”

  “Where are the boys?” enquired Andy.

  “Fast asleep, but that is least of our problems. Did you realise something about the map? Firstly, it does not have any location names and secondly, what are we supposed to find in the valley?” pondered Michael.

  "True. We found this place because of the Geo-mapping computer at the University and the X mark indicated here, is a big mountain. It could take us ages to find the exact spot. I am only hoping that once we are there the signs would lead us to it.”replied Andy.

  “We will need some luck out there,” said Michael with a hint of pessimism.

  By 7 A.M., everyone was ready and the party started the three-day trek to the silent valley.

  The driver who picked Andy and the team from the airport was tied to a chair and there was blood dripping from a deep gash in his forehead.

  “For the last time, where did you drop the foreigners?” asked a man in English. “I am telling you the truth. They gave me USD 100 and left by foot from the restaurant. I don’t know where they went. Please believe me.”

  “Contact all the agents in the city. I want to know where they went.”

  CHAPTER 70

  The party trekked into the wilderness. The climate got cooler as they left the city and slowly the nature around them changed. The tree line started to decrease and as they moved on, the vegetation thinned.

  By nightfall, the party were relieved to see the tents set up. The sherpas were sent ahead to set up the entire infrastructure for the group. “The expedition is very well organised,” said Andy pleased with the arrangements.

  “These guys are professionals,” said Michael.

  “They organise treks to Everest every year and Bishal has been in the business for a decade. I first met him in China, when we were exploring the early Mongolian civilisations that existed and needed an expert to guide us. He was very resourceful. We had to fly him down from Kathmandu, but it was worth it. He is also an expert tracker and his people have been trained in this skill. The Sherpas in his team are honest and hardworking bunch, who will sacrifice themselves but will not let any harm come your way. They are very loyal and treat their guests as God.”

  “Glad to know, we are in safe hands,” said Jerry.

  “Look,” pointed Ryan towards a distance. “I think I saw a light in the mountains."

  “Looks like another party,” said Andy peering through his binoculars.

  The guides joined them by now. One of them, Gagan said “Strange! I am sure there is no other party authorised to trek in these parts. I saw the schedule and we were the only party allowed in the valley. The Government regulates the number of expeditions to conserve the ecology.”

  Michael immediately asked Gagan to check with Bishal using the satellite phone. The group gathered around Gagan as he placed the call but there was no answer on the office number or on his mobile.

  “Call his house,” said Michael to the surprise of the Gagan. There was a woman's voice on the other side. She sounded hysterical and scared. After a brief exchange of words, Gagan disconnected the call.”

  That was Bishal’s sister-in-law. "He was found dead this morning outside his office. He was brutally tortured before he met his end.”

  CHAPTER 71

  They all stood speechless. Each of them was trying to internalise the real danger they are in and think of an action plan to save themselves. The Guides and Sherpas meanwhile joined hands and prayed for their employer’s soul to rest in peace. They wept as he was more like their big brother.

  “We have to leave now,” said Michael to Gagan with a sense of urgency.

  He was confused.

  “What’s the hurry, let’s stick to the plan.”

  Michael explained to him that the party behind them were dangerous people and is looking out for them. They may have also even killed Bishal.

  Not quite synthesising the information, he continued to protest “It is very dangerous in the dark and apart from that we need to pack and let the Sherpas get a head start.”

  “How far do you think the party behind is?”

  “Less than a day, I guess. They are rea
lly fast.”

  “I don't care about the danger. If we stay here, we are dead anyways,” said Andy

  “Let the sherpas wrap up and catch up to us. Let’s get a head start. Now move it,” instructed Jerry.

  The team strapped on headlights and carried a torch each. A rope line was tied between all to keep them in line. The cold mist swept in and the visibility was almost nil. The sherpas handed out oxygen cylinder to prevent dizziness due to the altitude.

  As the team moved along the ridges, there was cracking sound followed by a tug on the rope. The team was rapidly retreating into the crevasse below. Andy was the first to fall over. Jerry followed but Gagan was quick to insert the clamp into the ground and asked everyone to do the same. Michael managed to clamp himself in time. Ryan managed to grab the rock surface and quickly inserted his clamp. Jerry and Andy followed, and they gradually began to climb upwards.

  Andy looked down to find Nick’s body dangling by the rope. He shouted out to Gagan and explained the situation. He instructed Andy to cut the rope that connected him to Ryan and get to safety. Once both Jerry and Ryan were safe, Gagan asked Andy to hook the clamps, so it can hold their weight.

  To Andy’s surprise, a second rope dropped next to him and found Gagan rappelling down. A few minutes later Gagan set up a temporary pad to hoist Nick. In the meantime, Michael had set up a pulley to hoist Nick to safety.

  “All set. Pull,” shouted Gagan. Gradually Nick was raised to safety. Andy and Gagan followed and were finally back on solid ground. Gagan checked Nick’s pulse and announced, “He is alive. I think he passed out without enough oxygen. The exhaustion due to lack of climatization could have also played a role. I think we should rest till day break.”

  “No, we cannot,” said Michael pointing to the lights in the distance.

  “It’s our sherpas,” protested Gagan.

  “Look behind them,” said Andy. There was a second cluster of lights catching up with the first group.

  “They are really fast. Half a day maximum,” yelled Gagan.

  He pulled out the oxygen mask and placed it over Nick’s face and injected him with a thermal injection to increase his body temperature. 30 minutes later, Nick opened his eyes and before he could move there was a hand on his shoulder.

  “Are you fine, mate?” inquired Jerry in a concerned voice.

  “What happened? My head hurts."

  “You passed out and took all of us with you into the crevasse,” teased Ryan.

  Gagan examined Nick and was convinced that he was good to go. He strapped him to the centre of the pack to prevent any further incidents and they restarted their ascend.

  At dawn, they were in sight of the silent valley.

  “There it is,” pointed Gagan looking exhausted. “We should be there by afternoon. Any specific place you want to visit?”

  “That one, the one that looks like a horse’s head,” pointed Michael.

  They took a short break. Michael opened the map, calculated the coordinates to ensure they were on the right track.

  “The sherpas are not here. Any idea about their location?” asked Jerry.

  “I tried contacting them on the radio but did not get through. We only have supplies to reach the Horsehead and if the sherpas don’t turn up we cannot make it back!” said Gagan with a worried look.

  CHAPTER 72

  The silent valley was spellbinding. The panoramic view of the place was so magical, that you feel like, you are in a different dimension. The vibrant colours of the flowers, the aroma, the sound of birds and butterflies made the whole experience surreal. The flora and fauna was abundant. The Valley was an oasis with an ecosystem of its own and boasted an amazing diversity of plants and trees.

  The entire team was soaking in its beauty, when Gagan said, “The hermits bought the plants here and over the centuries this place has become completely self-sufficient. You can stay here and the land will provide everything for you.”

  “Please leave meat and alcohol here, as it's not allowed in the valley.”

  There was a loud whine from the team. “Alcohol too, it’s a life saver,” pleaded Jerry.

  “Trust me you won’t need it,” added Gagan. The party entered the valley and there was absolute silence.

  “There is heavy deposits of Amethyst on the floor and black tourmaline in the surrounding mountains which are conducive for meditation and to enhance the creative powers. The black tourmaline acts as a protection by not allowing negativity to enter the valley. The mountains bordering the valley have large deposits of black tourmaline and the valley bed is made of amethyst.”

  Gagan took his axe and smacked the ground and small fragments of rock crystals sprung out. Cleaning them with fresh water he handed it over to Andy. It was Amethyst.

  By noon, the party finally arrived at the horse face. They assembled their climbing gear and set out to climb up the mountain.

  “Where exactly do you want to go?” asked Gagan with a puzzled look on his face.

  Andy pointed to a ledge just below the shape that looked like a horse nose. The climb was surprisingly gradual.

  “I expected a challenge,” quipped Nick. As the team turned the corner, the path ended abruptly with a steep 90-degree climb to the top.

  “I hope you are happy now,” sneered Ryan. All members had rock climbing pedigree. Andy and Jerry were free climbers, but Gagan offered to climb first to drill the clamps and lead the way for the others. Nick was stationed to guard the gear and warn them if Chang’s team shows up. The climb was very technical as the rock face allowed very little cracks for Gagan to get a grip.

  The team followed the route suggested by Gagan and they reached the top of the mountain but were unable to descend into the ledge below. The only way was to climb down using a rope but since the ledge was a few feet inward they had to swing and land on the platform. Any mistake and a free fall of 300 feet awaited the climbers.

  “I will go first,” volunteered Andy.

  “I prefer Gagan to be there just in case disaster strikes. He can assist us to safety.” proposed Jerry

  “Let’s not be in a hurry. Give me 10 minutes to look for an alternative path,” requested Gagan.

  “I am sure there is another way,” interrupted Andy.

  “This whole place is surprisingly familiar to me. It’s like I have been to this region before.”

  20 minutes later, the team was unsuccessful in finding an alternative route and Michael was getting impatient. “I am sorry Andy, but we are running out of time. I am afraid you have to take the risk and jump onto the ledge.”

  Gagan briefed him on what needs to be done, and Andy slowly held the rope that was tied firmly to a rock and went over the edge. He gradually climbed down to find himself a good 6 feet from the ledge. He took a deep breath and took a couple of swings to build the momentum. He unhooked the clamp and jumped!

  CHAPTER 73

  Landing perfectly on the ledge, Andy scampered to his feet and looked at the view below. The valley was filled with life force. It was the earth, in a nutshell, all the five elements; earth, water, air, fire and wood all interacted to produce a beautiful valley. Andy sat there mesmerised as the place was familiar. He was home at last! He looked back and found the cave. There was a mat made of cloth in the centre and in the corner a bed made of leaves. To the far-right, there was a small box. He could see the glow under the dust. It was coming from the crack in the rock.

  Andy pushed but nothing happened. He then used the clamp, but it would not budge. He went over to the ledge and asked the others to come down. One by one, they successfully landed on the ledge and moved into the small cave.

  Andy showed them the crack from which a light was emitting. It was like the glow from the artefact.

  “Say the lines you used to open the artefact,” advised Michael.

  “I am Nirvanpali, open Nirvanpali,” said Andy. Suddenly the Rock opened with a loud crack. The stone slab cracked and fell to the ground revealing a manuscript. A bright
light flashed from the book and seared straight into Andy’s chest.

  CHAPTER 74

  It was dark when Andy woke up. The group was crouching over the manuscript. “Where is Gagan?” asked Andy, the minute he came to his senses.

  “We sent him to get Nick,” said Michael.

  “So now, no one cares what happens to me?”

  “Well you have been struck by lightning before and, we are getting used to it. It’s kind of fun to see you fall to the ground,” laughed Jerry.

  “Come on over great Turasara,” invited Michael

  “You are the incarnation of the great general-turned-monk," beamed Michael.

  “This book is written in the same script. I managed to crack the letter you had written for yourself,” declared Michael proudly.

  “What are you talking about? How can I be an incarnation of Turasara and why did I leave a message for myself?” asked Andy, baffled and still reeling from the shock.

  “That’s what this book appears to teach. How to live one lifetime after another. A continuous way for the soul to progress through life, birth, death and rebirth. Turasara had found a way to connect the dots. A way for the soul to remember what it did in its last life and to continue where you left off. Imagine the power one would possess, if you can start where you left and continue what you were seeking. The eternal road for the soul to grow and learn without the hindrance of birth and death. Its knowledge transfer over many lifetimes.”

  It was too much for Andy to digest. He was still dazed to understand the gravity of the discovery they have made.

  “That’s why Tsang did not want it to fall into the wrong hands. A tyrant can return to continue torturing the innocent. A thief can hide his ill-gotten wealth and recover it in his next life. A murderer or serial killer can continue creating havoc. The world would be a horrible place and there would be no value for good deeds, as people have nothing to fear, for there will always be a second chance,” mumbled Andy.