Chapter 28 Luke and Zia Talk (2/2)

”You may feel that I am crazy, but I honestly think we need to inspect that tunnel just to see where it goes. It is a mystery as to who is our helper and why is he helping us? Does he think we are dumb that we cannot figure out about the grass and the twigs placed in and outside a cave that is supposed to have never been used?”

While Zia was saying this she unconsciously grabbed Luke's arm and was shaking vigorously to make him see her point of view.

Luke looked at her and then at his held arm trying to figure out what was the matter with Zia. She had been aloof throughout Monday while they on the way to the camp. It was only Tuesday morning that she acknowledged his protective attitude when he had fired at the bear who was trying to rip the tent which accommodated Danny and Ben. Anyway, it was a start towards the right direction. At least acknowledgement was something. Something is better than nothing.

Zia soon realized that she had got carried away and had grabbed him arm. Feeling embarrassed she quickly removed her hand and apologized at the same time.

”It is ok, I needed to be shaken up so that I do not doze off,” he laughed. ”Besides it is not every day thata pretty girl find the courage to shake me.” He grinned.

”You are too much, everything in life is a joke for you. Have you not understood what I am trying to say?”

”Zia, Zia don't get annoyed. I had the same feeling as you about this place. Before we leave this place, Sherpa and I will go and investigate.”

”No way, what if something happened to you both? We all will be left here and how will we get back?”

”I will leave the satellite phone with you. You will need to connect with that person to locate the coordinates of our position. A rescue team will come.”

”No nothing doing, we will all go together into the tunnel and see where it leads to at the other end or into another cave. Who is there at the end of the tunnel? What is his purpose here? Is he on a special project alone or with his team?”

”Ok, Zia, it can be dangerous. These persons or person can be scientists working for the government or against the government. They can be spies too from another country doing some experiments here. It could be anything.”

”I understand what you are implying Luke but we all need to know. Even the students are not dumb. Most of them must have figured that there is something fishy about that tunnel and its connection to the dried grass, twigs and the unused cave. They are highly intelligent kids. They might be thinking of investigating the tunnel.”

”Ok Zia, we will talk it at breakfast time and let's see what the students say. After all, if only a few people go there can be the risk of them not coming back to the cave. In that case the others can be safe.”

”But, if they know we are all together, then if they mean harm, none of us is safe. I also feel that these persons are benevolent as they have not harmed us but have shown us to the cave indirectly.” Luke assured her.

It was almost 5 a.m. and there was slight light all around. Soon it would be time for all to get up and light the fire for bed tea and breakfast.

Luke was not such a bad person thought Zia. He joked about everything. She had underestimated him as a person as well as a colleague. He was highly learned and working in a college, she was still trying to get an appointment as a lecturer in a college but was still at a struggling stage. Luke was a Ph. D. inThermodynamics and as per the information he had provided about himself while they had stopped for lunch yesterday, he was very knowledgeable.