Page 55 of Into the Gray Zone

Jennifer removed the MiFi from the Velcro on the back of the computer and accessed the SIM card, pulling it out and inserting it into another device that looked like a small flip phone. She hit a button, and in thirty seconds, it went green. She replaced the SIM card, reattached it to the back of the computer, and said, “What’s the octopus status?”

Brett said, “Maybe another minute, but I can’t say we’re getting it all. I’d prefer to crack it here, then we know it’s all open and we’re not missing some hidden drives or something else.”

I said, “Can’t be helped. Cracking it with the octopus might take two hours on a good day. We get what we get, because I don’t want to be here when the cleanup crew shows.”

The octopus lights went to five and then began flashing. Brett unplugged it and we went back down the ladder. I said, “Brett, you exit last. Jennifer and I are going to the right. You lock up and go left. We’ll meet you back at the vehicle.”

He nodded, looked around the space one last time, and said, “Man, I’d really like to know what these assholes are up to.”

Chapter32

Manjit pulled off the dusty asphalt to a dirt parking lot next to a collection of ramshackle buildings, one advertising Indian cuisine with pictures of the various dishes, another selling souvenirs. In the distance he could see a temple, the pillars crumbling as if it had been abandoned long ago. Across the road, in front of the temple, was a ticket counter leading to the entrance of one of the largest stepwells in India, the Chand Baori.

Built between the eighth and ninth centuries, it was thirteen stories deep, with over 3,500 steps leading to a massive tank of water at the bottom. Situated about an hour and a half east of Jaipur, it was originally a way point for weary travelers, but had long ago lost its usefulness and was now relegated to a lesser-known archeological site.

Kamal’s Sikh contacts on Riva Thakkar’s security detail had picked the location, not wanting to meet anywhere in the city of Jaipur itself. Manjit had agreed, as it was easy to find on a map and on the way to their new safe house. He and Randeep had awakened early, starting the five-hour drive south from Delhi before Kamal and Agam went to test the drones. They’d had little trouble on the trip, and he hoped Agam’s watch trick was working. If it wasn’t, their whole plan would be compromised by Mr.Chin.

Randeep surveyed the parking lot, seeing a smattering of cars, but only one van. A white two-seat cargo van, without windows. He said, “Is that ours?”

Manjit shut off the engine and said, “I don’t know. We’ll find out when we meet them inside.”

Randeep started to open the door, but Manjit put his hand on his arm. Randeep turned, and Manjit said, “Remember, this will be our only chance to talk to them, so if you have any questions, now is the time to ask.”

Randeep nodded and said, “I know. The next time we see them will be behind the barrel of a gun.”

They exited the vehicle, crossed the street, and went to the ticket counter, each buying a day pass for the well. Walking through a modern anteroom, they gave their tickets to a lackadaisical guard sitting behind a desk, and crossed the threshold into the stone architecture of the ancient world.

They found themselves on a covered walkway surrounding the well, the gaping hole looking like an inverted pyramid that had been bored into the earth, the sides of the walls covered in steps zigzagging to the bottom tank. A railing prevented anyone from using them, but Manjit could see laborers six stories down working on the masonry of the stone.

The upper deck had a smattering of tourists, but not many. Manjit surveyed the walkway around the pit and saw an open-air room on the far side, the stone roof held up with columns. He could make out some figures in the shadows, and recognized they were wearing dastaars.

He said, “Over there.”

They walked around the well, the depth and the zigzagging stairs giving Manjit vertigo even as he stayed away from the edge. Leaving the sunlight and entering the stone room, Manjit saw various statues and carvings situated about, with plaques describing their heritage.

Manjit ignored them, walking to two men sitting on a sandstone bench in the back, both hard-looking and wearing the dastaar of the Sikh. Middle-aged, they were older than Manjit, with one having a milky eye, the other with a white line of a scar tracing through his beard.

Looking up at him as he approached, he said, “Do you know a man named Kamal?”

The one with the scar said, “Maybe. Where would we know him from?”

Manjit didn’t reply. He pulled a keychain out of his pocket, a broken half of the Hindu god Shiva dangling from a chain. The man reached into his pocket and pulled something out. Manjit saw it was the other half of the keychain. The man took Manjit’s Shiva statue and matched it to his own, forming a whole.

The man looked up and said, “I’m Jaiden. And you, I presume, are who I’m putting my life on the line for.”

Manjit said, “You’re not putting your life on the line for me. We’re both putting our lives on the line for the Sikh. If you feel otherwise, then I’m talking to the wrong man.”

Jaiden scowled and stood up, towering over Manjit. Manjit did not back down, locking eyes with the bodyguard. Randeep stepped in, saying, “Hey, hey, we’re all on the same side here, and we don’t have a lot of time.”

Jaiden flicked his eyes to Randeep and said, “You two don’t look like you could fight your way out of a primary school.”

Manjit said, “Looks can be deceiving. We can fight, and we will. Now, what’s the plan for this?”

Jaiden pointed to his companion and said, “This is Rakesh. We’re the principal security for Mr. Thakkar. For tomorrow’s party he’s hired a bunch of secondary security. We’ve managed to get two hired who arewith the cause. All four of us have served in the military, and all four have heard shots fired in anger. Have you?”

“Yes. We both have, in fact recently. We can shoot, but more importantly, we can shoot when under fire. Don’t worry about us.”

Jaiden nodded, appraising them anew. He said, “Kamal told me he had good men, and I trust him. He was someone I could always trust back in the Punjab, before he was arrested.”

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