10

"If we say we're part of the Nazi expedition, maybe they'll tell us something."

Who are you?" one of the two soldiers shouts in English as they struggle into your vicinity. "What is your business in this pass? Do you have papers?"

"I'm Dr. Murphy," you shout. "Archaeological consultant. Dr. García hired me in person to come and check on you. She wants to know that her teams up here in the pass are doing their jobs properly."

Your mention of María's name causes the second soldier's eyes to widen, but the first soldier still seems suspicious. "You had better come and see our officer," he says.

Your Tibetan guides stay outside with the yaks while the soldiers lead you, Zhu, and Stevo through the howling wind and into the warmth of the cave. It is a shallow hollow, lit and warmed by a crackling, blazing fire in a pit toward the back.

Two more fur-swathed Nazis are at the far end, one standing and looking down at something on the rock at the cave's back, the second crouching down by the same part of the wall. The crouching man is doing his best to write or draw something in a journal, his efforts hampered by the thick thermal gloves he wears.

As you get closer, you can make out what has drawn their attention: an inscription. Someone has carved something on the cave wall, close to ground level.

The standing officer turns as his men escort you into the cave.

"This person claims to be part of our expedition, sir," says one of your escorts. "An archaeologist. Sent by the Spanish woman to check the quality of our work."

The officer's features are obscured by his fur-lined hood and the balaclava he is wearing underneath, but though you can't read his face, his body language is wary. "We have heard nothing about this," he says skeptically. "Go on then. Speak."

You need to convince him that your story is true. How best to go about it?