Apu stuck his small, strong hand through the opening. He tapped Friday on the shoulder.

"Is everything all right?" he yelled.

Friday nodded. Just then, about one hundred feet below, he saw snow billowing from under an overhang.

"Hold!" Friday barked at Nazir.

The helicopter slowed and hovered. Ron Friday leaned toward the side.

The puffs of snow were concentrated in a small area and inching toward the north. They could be caused by an animal picking its way across the cliff or they could be the result of a wind funnel. It was impossible to tell because of the overhang. The sun was behind the top of the peak and unable to throw shadows behind or in front of the region.

"Do you see that?" Friday asked.

Nazir nodded.

"Take her down and away slowly," Friday said.

The chopper simultaneously began to descend and angle away from the cliff. As the target peak filled less and less of the window, the vastness of the range loomed behind it. The layers upon layers of brownish-purple mountains were a spectacular sight. Snow covered the peaks and Friday could actually see it falling on some of the nearer mountains, off white sheets like stage scrims. The sun cut a rainbow through one of the storm centers. It was a massive arc, more brilliant than any Friday had ever seen. Though Friday did not have time to enjoy the view, it made him feel for a moment like a god.

They dropped nearly one hundred feet. As they did, three people came into view. They were slightly more than two hundred feet away. The three were walking close together.

Each one was wearing dark, heavy clothing and carrying a backpack and weapon. They did not stop or look over at the helicopter until the rotor wash stirred the snow on the ledge beneath their feet. Given the parka tops they were wearing and the low rumble of the wind, Friday was not surprised they did not hear the chopper.

"Is Nanda there?" Apu asked.

Friday could not tell who the three people were. He was disappointed to see that only three of them had gotten this far. Unless-"Take us back up and head north!" he shouted.

Captain Nazir pulled the U-shaped wheel toward him and the chopper rose.

As it did, the tail rotor and starboard side of the cargo area were struck by short, hard blows. Friday could not hear them but he could feel the craft shudder. He could also see the thin shafts of white daylight appear suddenly in the bottom half of the cargo bay.

"What is it?" Nazir yelled.

"They think we are the enemy!" Apu shouted.

"It's a setup!" Friday snarled.

"They broke into two groups!"