Cort's Journey Part 2: Arrival

[Cort Marshall]

A plane cruises past snowy peaks and down into the lush, green Yarlung Xangbo river valley. We see it land and taxi down the runway before switching to a view of the inside of Nyingchi Mainling airport. The passengers, a mix of locals and tourists, disperse, with most of them seeming to know where they’re going. Except for one, a taller caucasian with an American flag t-shirt and a bald head…

 

He looks around a bit before taking a small, blocky device out of his pocket and squinting at it. After a few moments he nods, then walks over to the help desk and speaks to the attendant.

 

Att: Good morning sir! Do you require assistance?

 

She speaks perfect english, clearly used to the tourists who come through the area looking for historical sites and so on.

 

Cort: Yeah, I was looking for a specific… person.

 

Att: Were they supposed to meet you here?

 

Cort scratches his head.

 

Cort: No, but I was told they were somewhat of a local legend, and people should know them. Here.

 

He proffers the palmpilot, the grayscale screen showing the name B-17 gave him while in the movie. It’s in Chinese text, but the English translation below it reads “Big Head Gay Man.”

 

Att: No, I’m afraid not. Though I warn you to be careful with that sort of talk. This is not America, after all…

 

Cort looks at her quizzically but shrugs and walks off, sliding the palmpilot back into his jeans.

 

Unbeknownst to him, she reaches under the desk with a delicate hand and presses a red button.

 

Outside, Cort asks a few people if they know of the man. Some laugh, some say they don’t, but a few get shifty-eyed and excuse themselves. With nothing else to go on, Cort looks for a cab to take him down to the nearest town, Duokacun.

 

One opens its door and the driver beckons.

 

Driver: In here, sir!

 

Cort obliges, hopping in the backseat and dragging his duffel bag with him.

 

The driver turns to face him.

 

Driver: So, I heard you’ve been asking some questions...

 

Cort opens his mouth to respond but a hand with a rag covers it. He struggles, but the chloroform is quick to take effect, and the video fades to black.