Virus Hunters 3: A Medical Thriller by Bobby Akart

Author:Bobby Akart [Akart, Bobby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crown Publishers Inc.
Published: 2020-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Four

Annapurna Conservation Area

Nepal-Tibet, China Border

Harper and Kwon’s return trip into China was far more surreptitious than their relatively routine flight into Beijing of over a week ago. Outfitted with a Mahindra Roxor, a cross between a vintage Willys Jeep and an old Ford Bronco II, the Roxor was an off-road enthusiast’s dream. The boxy vehicle was designed with short overhangs to make rock climbing easy. It had a reinforced undercarriage with components that were near impossible to break. The ten-thousand-pound, front-mounted winch supplemented the Roxor’s ample torque to pull it out of the most difficult of situations.

The extended back end allowed the CIA agents to load the vehicle with camping and climbing gear, as well as weapons with ample ammunition. Kwon agreed and understood that if they were to get apprehended, they’d most likely disappear forever or become the poster children for a major international incident. They both accepted the risks and agreed to take every tool available to prevent capture.

It was just after dawn when they slowed to the designated point on the Garmin Aera 760 portable GPS navigator. Almost the size of an iPad Mini, the device was designed as an all-in-one aviation tool, giving pilots a portable alternative to their cockpit-installed devices. Because of its advanced technology relative to topography, the CIA provided it to their operatives who undertook to cross the Nepal-China border through the mountains rather than the closely monitored highway checkpoints.

An hour northwest of Kathmandu was the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal’s largest protected area and home to some of the world’s highest peaks and its undisputed deepest valley created by the Kali Gandaki River.

They’d left the embassy just after midnight and traveled the road from Pokhara, the nearest town, until they reached a series of mountain trails leading to the river. The Garmin became essential at this point. CIA operatives had planted beacons in the rocks and soil that were visible on the device. Even in the dark of night, trekkers or vehicles, following the preferred route suggested by the agency personnel, could make their way to the shallowest, most narrow part of the river. Just beyond the river lay a series of valleys zigzagging through the Western Himalayas into China.

It was imperative that Kwon stay on schedule and not attempt to enter China during the daylight hours. At another designated point during the journey, an alarm sounded on the Garmin, indicating they must douse the vehicle’s lights and switch to infrared navigation using the AGM night-vision goggles they were provided. Again, they were a favorite of the CIA operatives entering China because they did an excellent job of illuminating the terrain and preventing the flattening effect of lower-quality models.

Once into China, Kwon and Harper exited the vehicle to change license plates. The Nepalese plates were ditched and replaced with Chinese plates issued to a construction company in Xinjiang. Once in the country, they’d avoid the scrutiny of patrolling police vehicles. However, if they were pulled over and searched, it would be game over.

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