16. Edgar

That was an excellent question, and the answer was they were not, not unless they could access a large-capacity specially designed military helicopter, which might attract too much unwanted attention.

The region"s high altitude meant thinner air, which reduced lift and impaired engine performance, making it difficult to operate typical heavier, larger helicopters safely. Landing would also be challenging because of the rugged and uneven terrain. Larger crafts needed a corresponding sizeable flat area to land safely, and in these mountainous regions, that might be challenging to find. While larger helicopters could carry more crew and equipment longer distances, their size limited maneuverability and made them more susceptible to adverse winds and turbulence, which were common condition when flying in the Himalayas among large peaks. It could compromise their response time in critical situations.

Edgar"s experience showed that smaller craft that could perform tighter maneuvers and land in confined spaces were more effective in navigating demanding conditions like those they were going to face.

"We are not," Kian echoed Edgar"s thoughts. "We are getting a small craft specifically fitted for higher altitudes that will carry your team and Jasmine. Everyone else will have to stay behind." He smiled. "It explains Syssi"s vision. After all, she saw only the four of you standing over the crater, not everyone on the team."

"Makes sense," the god agreed. "Can we use a large truck to transport the helicopter if there are still paved roads?"

Kian shrugged. "We are still working out the details. I hope that everything will be set up by the time you land in Lhasa, along with a licensed local tour guide."

"What do we need a tour guide for?" Edgar asked.

"It"s a requirement of the Chinese government," Dagor said. "When it was just the three of us, we could go undetected and thrall our way through the bureaucracy. But with a group this large, we will need a cover."

"Thank you, Dagor," Kian said. "What else can you tell the others about the conditions in Tibet?"

Dagor leaned forward. "The altitude is the most significant challenge. Much of Tibet lies above three thousand meters, which can cause altitude sickness and affect overall performance. It"s less of a problem for us, but immortals and humans will need to acclimatize gradually."

Negal nodded in agreement. "The terrain is rugged, mountainous, and very sparsely populated. We"ll be trekking through areas far from settled regions, so we must be prepared for self-sufficiency."

"The weather is unpredictable," Aru said. "It can change rapidly and without warning. Sudden snowstorms, high winds, and extreme temperature fluctuations are common. Having the right equipment is crucial." He looked at Jasmine. "Especially for a human."

Edgar was starting to feel uncomfortable about the whole thing. It seemed like the mission was much too dangerous for Jasmine. "Can"t we wait for Jaz to transition first? I think it"s worth postponing our departure for another week if it means that she can travel as an immortal and not a human."

"We can"t wait," Aru said. "Besides, it"s not guaranteed that Jasmine is a Dormant. You could spend the next two weeks trying to induce her transition, and if nothing happens, we will be back at square one."

"We need to leave now," Jasmine said. "I feel it in my bones that we are running out of time, or rather they are. I mean the twins and whoever else is in their pod."

There was a long moment of silence as everyone absorbed her statement.

"I"m not going to argue with a witch." Kian smiled. "Do you often get premonitions like that?"

She shook her head and put her hand over her chest. "No, but I have this sense of urgency that I didn"t have before."

Kian nodded before returning his gaze to the others. "You will need specialist gear. High-altitude tents, cold-weather clothing, portable oxygen, if necessary, etc. Julian, can you work with Shai to procure these items?"

Julian nodded, making a note on his tablet. "Consider it done. I can have everything delivered to our location in Lhasa. There is no need to haul it from here."

"Except for the clothing," Margo said. "We need to buy it here to make sure that everything fits. It"s especially important with hiking boots. They must be comfortable and broken in, or they will be a source of grief."

"Agreed," Julian said. "We should all go shopping for those items later today."

"Indeed." Kian pulled a card out of his pocket and handed it to Jasmine. "Charge everything you need on this card."

She looked at the card and frowned. "That"s not my last name."

"I know. We are getting you fake documents with a different last name. In case the cartel is still searching for you, it"s better not to leave a trail of crumbs they could follow." He pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket. "Here is the travel itinerary. You will take a commercial flight to Chengdu, China, and from there, you will fly to Lhasa. From there, you will fly to Shiquanhe and travel overground following Jasmine"s directions. We are still working out the last details, but I wanted you to have a general timeline."

Aru looked at the page. "This says that we are leaving in a week. Why so long?"

"Because we are not sure we will have everything ready for you before that. We are still negotiating the helicopter purchase and need to secure special permission from the Chinese government to fly it. If we manage to arrange things beforehand, we can push the flights forward."

"Tibet is heavily restricted." Aru sighed. "Permits are needed for everything, and it takes time to get them unless you are right there to thrall the bureaucrats."

"Don"t worry about that," Kian said. "We are handling everything—Tibetan travel permits, alien travel permits, and possibly military permits. Kalugal is working with his contacts to secure all of these. Your cover story is that you are a group of environmental researchers studying the Himalayan ecosystem."

"Environmental researchers?" Jasmine asked. "Won"t they check our credentials?"

Kian smiled. "We are creating backstories for each of you, and we will provide you with the necessary documentation and cover identities."

"Wow." She slumped back in her chair. "I feel like I have friends in high places."

"You do." Edgar leaned over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Welcome to your new reality, where almost anything is possible."