Smoking Power

Chapter 13

"So that's what Mount Everest looks like." Declan says.

We all peer out of the window, looking at the snowy peak. Even from up here I can tell why it is the biggest mountain on earth. Mist swirls around it, making it look even more cold if that is possible.

"So where are we actually going?" I ask. The plane is currently doing laps around the mountain so we can have a chance to decide where we're going to go for the second piece.

"Right, so we'll look for the shadow of the mountain. Anybody see it?" Amber asks. We all stare out of own window that we are at, trying to see where the shadow is at.

I strain my eyes to try to see the shadow. Unfortunately nobody has any chance of seeing it due to the clouds that have completely covered the sky.

"Well I hate to be the party pooper, but if you haven't noticed, there isn't really a sun out." Declan says slowly.

"Then how-" Amber gets cut off by my phone beeping.

"Weird." I mutter under my breath.

The beep was the noise of a text being delivered to it. The weird thing about it is that it's an unknown number. "What's it say?" Declan asks, leaning over the top of me to get a better look.

Try Lhotse. It's where the shadow would be.

"Lhotse?" Amber roughly shoves Declan out of the way to get a look, herself.

"Who cares about that." Declan says, pushing Amber out of the way, "which creepy stalker sent it?"

I nervously gulp. Oh thanks Declan, now I'm going to be worried that a creepy stalker has my number. Actually I don't even want to think about how the 'stalker' could of gotten my number. Not that I'm actually believing that it is a creepy stalker that sent it or anything.

Who are you?

I text back. Declan shuffles on his feet behind me. "Man, this is nerve racking. It's like waiting to hear whether or not you've been the one selected to die." He says in a perfectly sincere voice.

"My goodness Declan, it's not even your phone. Stop freaking out. Oh, and for the record, this is nothin' like waitin' to see if ya selected to die. Complete rubbish." Amber says, hitting his arm so he ends up moving back.

A friend. Who's trying to help you.

A text comes back after a minute or so. "A friend? That's what most people say before they kill you. Nah uh. Let's most definitely not go go Lhotse. This 'friend' of yours, Micky, probably planted a bomb or something." Declan says near my head. He must of pushed Amber back out of the way. I can hear him chewing on his nails.

"And how'd ya know that? Of course her friend ain't trying to kill us! Anyway, accordin' to google 'ere Mount Lhotse is right there." Amber pushes Declan back out of the way again and points to a mountain next to Mount Everest. I guess that explains the first part of the clue.

"Uh, movies." Declan says to Amber like she's dumb.

I decide to ignore the two of them who are still pushing each other out of the way and send another text back.

A friend. I need more info before I trust you.

I tap my fingers against my phone, waiting for the reply. Almost instantly, I get a text back.

Ignore Declan would you? I'm not a creepy stalker or a murderer. Besides, I helped you out before didn't I?

"AAAHHHHH!!!!!! HELP!! MAYDAY! MAYDAY! CREEPY MURDERER KNOWS MY NAME!!!! HELP!!!" Declan must of read the text and is now screaming like there is no tomorrow. I cringe from the noise and cover my ears with my hands. Geesh, who says guys can't scream?

"Shut up and pull yourself together. For once in ya life could ya act like a man and actually care 'bout ya ego?" Amber says giving him an extra hard shove so he moves out of the way and stops screaming from the force of it.

I put my phone down on the table near me and stand up so I'm facing Amber and Declan who has managed to pick himself up from where he landed on the ground. "Ok, let's all keep up and talk about this without freaking out. How would our friend know this?" I put extra emphasis on the word without, directing it at Declan.

"He's a stalker Micky. That part was just proven by your creepy friend." Declan says as calmly as he can, which at this stage isn't actually that calm.

"Security cameras?" Amber suggests, looking around for any hidden cameras.

"Ok, who do we think this person is?" I ask, rubbing the back of my neck.

Your friend, Clarence.

I pick up my phone and look at it since it has just beeped again. I look at Amber and Declan who just read the text themselves. Amber looks ready for anything, Declan on the other hand looks a bit pail, like he's about to faint. I look back down at the screen and type in a message.

How do I know you? You said that you've helped me before?

Almost instantly I get a reply from this, Clarence guy.

You don't remember? I'm offended? I'm the guy with the English accent that was ridiculously trying to sell you rubbish. I do believe that, that was the term you used? I'm helping you here. It's at the top of Mount Lhotse.

"What English accent guy that ya thought was tryin' to sell ya rubbish?" Amber asks, peering over my shoulder.

English accent guy? When did I meet a English acc- "Oh, I know." I say when I finish figuring it out. "The guy who showed us the piece on the Big Banana. Ok I believe him, it's on Lhotse." I nod, making my mind up.

"Now hang on a second. Let me get this straight," Declan steps forward and dramatically pauses for a huge breath, "A guy randomly showed you where the first piece was. But we still don't know how he knew that we were looking for it or why he'd show it to us. Then the guy who is already being mildly creepy gets nightmarish creepy by magically getting your phone number and being even more nightmarish creepy by not telling you who he is straight up and saying spooky things like he's your 'friend'. So now, we are going to listen to this guy and recklessly do exactly what he says. Did I miss anything?" He looks around at Amber and I expectantly.

Except the fact that I'm a telepath who is merely telling you exactly what you wanted to know

My phone lights up with another text message. "That would explain a bit." Amber comments next to me. It would actually, with him being a telepath and all. Everything makes sense except for two things.

Why is Lhotse, Mount Everest's greatest fan? Why didn't you tell us where the second piece is instead of a clue?

I text to Clarence. A minute later, he responds back.

Lhotse is the fourth smallest mountain on Earth. If you were Lhotse you'd want to be bigger wouldn't you? It's Mount Everest's greatest fan because it's right next to it and looks up to it.

Ok.... That doesn't really make any sense. Did Clarence use his telepathic abilities on the mountain or something? Or did he just fall and hit his head?

I didn't tell you where the second piece was straight away because this is your quest. I've told you now though because you figured out that it was near here and just needed help for the final few steps.

"Ok guys, I guess we're going to the top of Mount Lhotse." I tell them.

"Right so should we just land there, hop out and pick it up now?" Declan points to the top of Mount Lhotse.

"Are ya crazy? We can't just land a plane on the fourth highest mountain in the world. We're gonna have to land down there," Amber says pointing to the ground at the bottom of the alps, "And hike up the rest of the way."

"Sounds sooooo fun." Declan says sarcastically, looking at the mountain and back to us. "Wait are you being serious?"

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A/N:

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