The Pass (Wattys 2019)

Chapter Ten

In all honesty, Nika didn't quite know how to feel about seeing Arisha there. Surprised? Certainly. Angry? Not quite. Annoyed? A little. Most of all, she didn't quite know what she was going to do to keep Arisha from ripping out Rufina's throat if she said a word against the Mansi. Specifically, any words that equaled the Mansi being involved in what was going on at Kholat Syakhl. Or, if she wanted to stop her from doing that, at all.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Sounded like Rufina was starting, already.

Arisha's eyes narrowed. "Fix your attitude, Dyatlova: I'm here to help, believe it or not."

"Not," Rufina said. "I'm still not convinced that your people don't have something to do with all of this."

"Please, why don't you come in," Nika grumbled, stepping aside to let Lev and Arisha in. The two came inside, Arisha never letting her cold, angry eyes deviate from Rufina.

"Well, it seems I've brought in a source of contention, doesn't it?" Lev said. The tone of his voice made it clear that he didn't actually give a damn. "You two will be able to play nice, right? After all, we're all adults."

"I don't know that we can really say that a baby-faced Mansi is an adult," Rufina said.

Arisha clenched her fists at her sides. "One more word about my people, Dyatlova, and I'll split you open before you can utter an apology!"

"If the two of you can't figure out how to get along, I'm sending both of you home," Nika finally said before it could get any worse. "Rufina, you won't get to figure out what happened to your brother, and Arisha, you won't get to prove your people's innocence. Is that what the two of you want?"

Neither of them said anything.

"That's what I thought," Nika said. "Arisha, Lev, sit down, have some tea. Rufina, not another word about the Mansi."

Arisha and Lev obeyed. And if she wasn't mistaken, she saw just a hint of respect in Rufina's and Yuri's faces.

About damned time!

"Alright, Lev," Nika said, taking her seat, again. "Did the investigation find out any new information that we can use?"

"The scientists all died of hypothermia, just like most of the Dyatlov hikers," Lev said. "I know: very exciting. I think they're a little more interested in what you guys are planning, actually."

Immediately, Nika's mind went to the military car parked outside her building. Had been parked out there since last night. "That would explain the car across the street."

"You think it's a military car, too?" Peter asked. "I'd... kind of hoped that I was imagining things."

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Rufina demanded.

"You notice that black car across the street?" Peter asked. "It's been there since last night, and every time I've walked past it, there's been somebody in it. Just sitting there, reading from the same newspaper. I'm pretty certain it's a surveillance car, and it sounds like Nika's thinking along the same lines."

"I don't get it," Nika said. "Why watch us, of all people? We can't be the only people who want to figure out what's going on on that mountain. Don't they want to know, too?"

Everyone stayed quiet. Rufina, Yuri, Lev, and Arisha were giving each other knowing looks. Whatever it was, there was something going on, and she and Peter were the only ones who didn't know about it.

"What is it?" Nika demanded. All of you know something, and none of you seem intent on sharing."

Lev sighed. "Alright. Alright."