Page 68 of Into the Gray Zone

From the back, Randeep said, “I have. I know the way. We’ll want to stay off the main highways, and it’s about a twenty-four-hour trip, so we’ll have to switch out drivers.”

“We’ll take both the van and the car. If we have at least five people out of the seven, we can do it.”

“Five? What’s that mean?”

Kamal said, “It’ll take two per vehicle, one driving and one sleeping, with one left over to guard Thakkar in the van.”

“I meant why not seven? Us three and the four bodyguards?”

Kamal’s face went grim. He said, “I’m not sure how many are coming out of the Oberoi.”

They rode the rest of the way in silence, Manjit taking turns on the roads by memory. Twelve minutes later he said, “There’s the entrance.”

Kamal looked, seeing a side road leading to a circular drive and the front of the hotel. Manjit continued on, now driving down a dirt lane next to a tall wooden fence painted green. He said, “That’s the compound to the right.”

“The gate?”

“It’s on the back side.”

He reached an intersection, the fence taking a right. He turned, following it, then midway down slowed. He said, “There’s the gate just ahead.”

They drove by it slowly, Kamal seeing two armed men wearing dastaars and uniforms on the inside. Manjit said, “They weren’t there yesterday.”

Kamal said, “Let’s hope those are the two Jaiden found.”

They reached the end of the fence, which wrapped around to the right, and Manjit continued straight, finally pulling over next to an abandoned building surrounded by fields.

He said, “So? Back to the hostel?”

Before Kamal could answer, they heard the thumping of rotor blades, a helicopter flying low overhead. It crossed the threshold of the fence and began to sink to the ground, lost from sight behind the fence.

Kamal said, “That’s Riva Thakkar. He’s here.”

Kamal watched the cloud of dust raised by the helicopter, then heard the whine of the rotors begin to die, thinking what it meant. Finally understanding the mission was going to happen.

He was brought out of his thoughts by his phone ringing. He realized it was the contact phone and pulled it up, his face draining of color.

Manjit said, “What?”

“It’s Mr.Chin.”

He let it ring out, then said, “He knows his mission is now fucked. He’s calling to find out why Thakkar just flew here.”

Randeep said, “But he thinks we’re in Agra, right?”

“Yes, but not for long. It’s time to use the kill switch.”

Chapter40

We drove by the same policeman who’d seen us entering, everyone in the vehicle holding our collective breath, but he continued blowing his whistle and waving his arms ineffectually at the insane traffic, ignoring us completely. I couldn’t believe he didn’t recognize us and wonder what the hell had happened to our SUV.

We rolled past him, then turned into the drive leading to the fort. Brett pulled over and we did a fire drill, Brett and me spilling out the front and Jennifer jumping in the driver’s seat.

Veep was in the back, sitting upright, conscious but in pain, his wound covered by a rain jacket. I said, “Can you use a phone?”

He nodded and I said, “You’re going to have to coordinate your medical treatment while Jennifer drives.”

He let a weak grin slip out and said, “I would expect no less.”

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