Looking for Something?

Lhasa, Tibet. A small cafe next to a small hotel.

"Aggh, my God, it's freezing out like crazy! Why isn't this damn cave located somewhere in Laos or Mexico?" Daniel rubbed his hands in displeasure and began to warm them with a cup of hot tea.

"You still have to be happy that we are not in Siberia or Antarctica. Fifteen degrees is not too cold," David added melancholically. "If you are already close to becoming a snow queen, you can go back home." He brought the cup of tea to his lips and threw a provocative look at his older brother.

He knew his delicate nature in relation to the low temperatures and was genuinely surprised that Daniel began to complain only on the fourth day of their stay in Tibet. But he did not say this out loud to him, of course, although he understood that praise from his mouth would add so much endurance to older Anderson as if he had found the legendary elixir, which increases mana numerously. Hah, perhaps, it is worth saving these hit points for the future.

David grinned, watching his brother's vain attempts to keep warm. Even with a three-year age difference, he sometimes doubted, was Daniel really his elder brother? Except for the moments when he turned on the 'bad guy' or 'super-seducer' mode, this person was as simple as a nickel. But Daniel showed this side of his character only to the people closest to him, and the fact that he behaved now in this way only confirmed that he was in a relaxed condition. From this thought, David became calmer, because if something happens, there will be somebody who will look after Elena.

After the second cup of tea, the elder Anderson finally felt the warmth spreading all over his body, and imposingly leaned back in his chair. "If we don't find a guide in the next two days, Jun and I will go to another hotel," his words sounded like an ultimatum.

"Why? What happened? It seems that everything is all right. Moreover, in the area it is the best of the hotels," Elena was surprised. Of course, the place where they stayed was, to put it mildly, far from the level of the four, not even three-stars, but it was clean and comfortable here. She slept well at night and did not feel any discomfort.

"You want to know why, dear sister? I'll answer you. In this doss house the soundproofing is just awful. No, I would even say that it doesn't exist here at all!" Daniel made a weary grimace on his face and rolled his eyes.

Elena blinked a couple of times, not quite knowing what the problem was. She didn't notice anything like that. "Is it?"

Daniel grinned, leaned over the table and beckoned her with his finger. The girl leaned in his direction, and the man added in a whisper, "If I listen to the creak of the bed from your room for a couple of nights more, then-" he did not finish the phrase, as he was afraid that this would aggravate Elena's reaction.

The girl looked at Jun, who was sitting opposite, in confusion, but the young man immediately turned away, avoiding her gaze. But even in profile, she could perfectly see his confused face. Elena panicked, she glanced at Daniel, and he, like a teacher who had found the student cheating, nodded his head, "Yeah, yeah, that's exactly what I mean."

Elena tried to open her mouth, but the sounds were stuck in her throat, the girl turned to the man next to her. With the air of a winner celebrating his triumph, David was sitting with a satisfied expression on his face and eating his breakfast, as if nothing had happened. "Envy is a great sin," he calmly commented on the mute scene at the table before putting another portion of food in his mouth.

Elena felt that she was about to shudder the steam from her ears as if she were a cartoon hero and blushed from head to toe. 'Lord, dear, what does it have to do with envy? How will I look these two men in the eyes now?'

The girl covered her face with her hands, as the last four nights swept through her head in details, and she was even afraid to imagine what the entire hotel might have heard. If Daniel does not check out on his own, she will personally go to the reception and leave the hotel. Now she understood why the maids were giggling and winking at her every morning as they were passing by.

"Khem, let's better discuss how we can find a guide," Elena decided to change the topic as quickly as possible, especially since the search for a guide really became a problem for them.

Mr. Lee's contact met them in Lhasa, gave them all the necessary equipment and even a few pistols, just in case, but that was all. The man was genuinely surprised when he learned about the purpose of their trip because he had never heard of the Cave of Spirits, although he lived here for more than thirty years.

He advised them to turn to leading guides or old-timers, but they all said in one voice that they had heard about this place for the first time, or they completely closed the door right in front of their nose, refusing to talk. The idea that they could face such a problem did not even occur to anyone.

"Hmm, it looks like even money will not help in this situation," Daniel sighed, "Well, I would understand it if the guide did not feel happy about the payment we are offering, but no, we can't even find the guide! Any ideas, boss?" he turned to David.

"So far, nothing special. I think he will find us himself," the young man replied with full confidence in his words.

"And how is that even possible? After all, we asked everyone who at least somehow understands the nearest locations and knows all the known and unknown paths. But they had not even heard of such a cave!" Jun personally ran over twenty companies offering guide services, but all was in vain.

"That is why he will find us himself. Over the past four days, we have asked many different people about this so many times that this information will come to the right person by itself. You'll see," David smiled and put the cup on the table.

He was going to call the waiter, but when he raised his hand, he accidentally hooked a passing man. The cafe was small, and the tables were placed tightly together, so guests had to squeeze in between them, so such a situation was a normal thing there.

"Sorry," David said reflexively, but an unknown man in a black coat said nothing and went on.

The company paid for their breakfast and went outside. A cool breeze from the mountains immediately caused a wave of goosebumps.

"Well, which way now?" Jun asked enthusiastically. He did not lie when he said he would be a great helper. With his insatiable enthusiasm and appearance, not so much different from the local population, unlike his completely white European friends, he easily gained the trust of the locals, and the company was able to interview people much faster, in search of the person they needed.

"I suggest just going straight ahead," Elena showed her hand forward, "It's not even 10 yet so you can gaze around, maybe we'll notice something interesting, what do you think?"

"Why not," David smiled and took the girl by the hand. The company headed forward, wandering aimlessly through the narrow streets of Lhasa. Half an hour later, they turned to the next corner, where the street was already ordinary, and the piles of various things on the sides could make it possible to squeeze in only one by one.

David let go of Elena's hand and let her go ahead. Then he slowed his pace, deliberately moving away from all others. The girl turned around and saw him three meters away from her, "Why are you so far? It's enough space here-"

Elena's heart froze. At that moment, an unknown man in a black raincoat appeared as if from nowhere, and before she could blink, his sharp knife was pressed against David's throat.

"I heard here, you are looking for something? Would you like to tell me about it in detail?"

The stranger's knife blade flashed in the sun.