surveillance team picked
it up and tracked them.”
“And
then?”
“We
lost them on the outskirts of New Delhi. They’re still searching now.”
“Fucking
Pakistanis!” The director slammed his fist down so hard tea splashed from his
cup.
“Sir,
we have the IDs these guys used at the border and photos of them. My SPEC-B
detachment can hunt them down.”
“Why
the hell weren’t they stopped at the border?”
“The
decision was made to track them and locate their support network.”
“So
we’ve just let a bunch of bloody terrorists into the country? And to make
matters worse, the problem’s now out of my jurisdiction.” Scowling, he raked
his fingers through his hair. “I’m going to have to hand this over to the NSG .”
“Sir,
my men will arrive here this evening. They can marry up with the surveillance
team. If we give them a little time, they’ll find the terrorists.”
“No.”
The director shook his head. “The surveillance team will have to stand down.
NSG has the mandate for domestic ops. Tell your boys their role is purely
liaison. Have them report to the Delhi NSG compound and liaise directly with
the commander.”
“Sir,
you know the Black Cats are corrupt and inept. My sister is a prosecutor with
CBI. She can–”
“An
attack is imminent. The NSG has jurisdiction, not to mention direct access to
the Delhi police and domestic intelligence networks. Corrupt and inept be
damned, by law we have to work with them.”
“Very
well, sir. I’ll inform my men.”
***
CHANDNI
CHOWK
Atal found a policeman at a
street stall a few blocks from where the bug-eyed Pakistani had hit him. He was
hungry and sporting a swollen face but also had something of value. Something
he could trade for cash. Information.
“Officer,
how are you this morning?”
The
turban-wearing policeman looked up from his newspaper and put down his coffee.
A scowl marred his bearded features. “I would be better if you weren’t
interrupting my breakfast.”
Atal
lowered his head. “I’m sorry, sir. But I have information. Very good
information. Make you a big man.”
“What
is it?”
Atal
held out his hand. “Ten rupee.”
He
dropped his paper on the table. “I should flog you for begging.” He paused and
stared at Atal’s face. “It looks like someone already beat me to it. Now run
along.”
“OK,
eight, officer, eight rupees. A bargain, I tell you. Low, low price.”
The
policeman turned his attention back to his paper.
“OK,
OK, five. But at this price I’m giving it away.”
He
kept reading.
“Two?
Two rupees for information? Less than your coffee. Good deal. It’s like you’re
stealing it from me.”
The
policeman reached into his pocket. “You can have my loose copper.” He held out
a few coins.
Atal’s
hand darted out and grabbed them. “Five Pakistanis came this morning. They stay
with Neeraj’s gang.”
“That’s
interesting but hardly anything new.” He gave Atal a sad look and went back to
his paper.
Atal
shrugged his shoulders and left the officer to his breakfast. He knew a place
where he could turn the coins into a feast. He was so focused on the prospect
of eating that his normally sharp eyes did not spot one of Neeraj’s men. The
filthy criminal with the knotted beard sat with a beggar’s cup not more the
five yards away.
CHAPTER
10
NSG
COMPOUND, NEW DELHI
Sonia Jayaram was on
the phone, sitting in the back of her Mercedes staff car. “I knew it. No one
wanted to listen, but I knew it.”
“We think the terrorists are in the Chandni
Chowk slums,” said her brother Major Jayaram. “This is all off the record,
Sonia. The only reason I’m telling you is so you’ll share any intelligence my
men may need.”
“Your men? What about the NSG ? I’m on
my way to meet Colonel Prasad now.”
“Do not mention this conversation. The intel
will already have come through operational channels that doesn’t include your
bureau. My
it up and tracked them.”
“And
then?”
“We
lost them on the outskirts of New Delhi. They’re still searching now.”
“Fucking
Pakistanis!” The director slammed his fist down so hard tea splashed from his
cup.
“Sir,
we have the IDs these guys used at the border and photos of them. My SPEC-B
detachment can hunt them down.”
“Why
the hell weren’t they stopped at the border?”
“The
decision was made to track them and locate their support network.”
“So
we’ve just let a bunch of bloody terrorists into the country? And to make
matters worse, the problem’s now out of my jurisdiction.” Scowling, he raked
his fingers through his hair. “I’m going to have to hand this over to the NSG .”
“Sir,
my men will arrive here this evening. They can marry up with the surveillance
team. If we give them a little time, they’ll find the terrorists.”
“No.”
The director shook his head. “The surveillance team will have to stand down.
NSG has the mandate for domestic ops. Tell your boys their role is purely
liaison. Have them report to the Delhi NSG compound and liaise directly with
the commander.”
“Sir,
you know the Black Cats are corrupt and inept. My sister is a prosecutor with
CBI. She can–”
“An
attack is imminent. The NSG has jurisdiction, not to mention direct access to
the Delhi police and domestic intelligence networks. Corrupt and inept be
damned, by law we have to work with them.”
“Very
well, sir. I’ll inform my men.”
***
CHANDNI
CHOWK
Atal found a policeman at a
street stall a few blocks from where the bug-eyed Pakistani had hit him. He was
hungry and sporting a swollen face but also had something of value. Something
he could trade for cash. Information.
“Officer,
how are you this morning?”
The
turban-wearing policeman looked up from his newspaper and put down his coffee.
A scowl marred his bearded features. “I would be better if you weren’t
interrupting my breakfast.”
Atal
lowered his head. “I’m sorry, sir. But I have information. Very good
information. Make you a big man.”
“What
is it?”
Atal
held out his hand. “Ten rupee.”
He
dropped his paper on the table. “I should flog you for begging.” He paused and
stared at Atal’s face. “It looks like someone already beat me to it. Now run
along.”
“OK,
eight, officer, eight rupees. A bargain, I tell you. Low, low price.”
The
policeman turned his attention back to his paper.
“OK,
OK, five. But at this price I’m giving it away.”
He
kept reading.
“Two?
Two rupees for information? Less than your coffee. Good deal. It’s like you’re
stealing it from me.”
The
policeman reached into his pocket. “You can have my loose copper.” He held out
a few coins.
Atal’s
hand darted out and grabbed them. “Five Pakistanis came this morning. They stay
with Neeraj’s gang.”
“That’s
interesting but hardly anything new.” He gave Atal a sad look and went back to
his paper.
Atal
shrugged his shoulders and left the officer to his breakfast. He knew a place
where he could turn the coins into a feast. He was so focused on the prospect
of eating that his normally sharp eyes did not spot one of Neeraj’s men. The
filthy criminal with the knotted beard sat with a beggar’s cup not more the
five yards away.
CHAPTER
10
NSG
COMPOUND, NEW DELHI
Sonia Jayaram was on
the phone, sitting in the back of her Mercedes staff car. “I knew it. No one
wanted to listen, but I knew it.”
“We think the terrorists are in the Chandni
Chowk slums,” said her brother Major Jayaram. “This is all off the record,
Sonia. The only reason I’m telling you is so you’ll share any intelligence my
men may need.”
“Your men? What about the NSG ? I’m on
my way to meet Colonel Prasad now.”
“Do not mention this conversation. The intel
will already have come through operational channels that doesn’t include your
bureau. My
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