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have come in contact with reacts when I mention what I am doing, I didn't
think it had to do with some vit star's infidelities or a stolen story script
for the next big soap opera. I know that billions are at stake." He spoke the
word calmly, as if discussing last week's rent.
"Billions." Nayari nodded in agreement. "Careers. Entire companies. Not just
subsidiaries. Whole companies. A significant portion of humanity's future."
"Then why put just me in charge?" There was no sarcasm underlying Chal's
question. It was an honest inquiry.
The display of personal concern that had started to overcome the executive
vanished. He was once more the cool, implacable, completely collected
administrator. "Because within your idiosyncratic job description you were
clearly the most trustworthy person in the company. Given what is at risk,
that was deemed more important than any other considering factor. Also, it was
decided that because you live outside India, you could bring an outsider's
perspective to a sensitive situation."
Translation: he could act with impunity and if caught, the company could more
easily disown one of his singular ilk than, say, half a dozen. He was not
offended by the explanation. It was no less than what he expected.
"And," Nayari continued, not yet finished, "you have a reputation for
discretion. The last thing the company wants is to attract attention to what
everyone hopes will remain an internal matter."
Translation number two: if whatever the missing researcher Taneer Buthlahee
had made off with got out onto the open market, heads would roll: perhaps
literally. And one of them surely sat on the shoulders of the erstwhile
powerbroker seated before him.
"I promise you, Mr. Nayari," he replied calmly, "that I understand the need to
resolve this matter as quickly as possible. Rest assured I will do so."
Preoccupied now, the executive nodded absently. Chal had to prompt him. "Was
there anything else, Mr. Nayari?"
"What? No, no. I don't want to hold you up any longer. I just wanted to" he
sighed "reemphasize the importance of haste. If you come across anything to
report, anything at all..." His voice was level, but his posture was pleading.
Chal almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
"The instant I know anything, I promise that you'll know it too, Mr. Nayari."
"Good. Excellent. If you need more resources..."
Translation the last: find the son of a bitch and I'll personally see to it
that you receive an ample bonus on top of the already promised remuneration.
"I have access to as much as I can appropriately supervise," Chal replied.
"Wouldn't do to spread the word too far afield. As you say, that's exactly
what the company doesn't want to happen."
"True, true," Nayari murmured. "Well then, I hope to hear from you soon."
"And I hope to speak to you soon. With news."
Exiting the impressive but aloof office, recovering his assortment of armament
from the efficient and otherwise unresponsive receptionist, striding down the
corridor toward the private, guarded lift, Chal was silently fuming. What did
they expect him to do? Put a hundred million people in a giant chickpea sorter
and sift out the one named Taneer Buthlahee? The man he was hunting might not
be experienced at hiding, but an accomplished research technician and
scientist was no fool. He was not going to walk around in plain sight, nor do
anything to advertise his location. What part of that did Nayari and his breed
not understand?
He entered the lift shaking his head. The guard/operator took one look at him
and had sense enough to hold his tongue, since his solitary passenger wore the
expression of someone capable of cutting it out at a moment's notice just
because a comment or question had irritated him.
Together, the two men rode down in silence; both armed, both working for the
same employer, but in matters of competency and experience as far apart as
Delhi was from Dublin.
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It was really quite interesting to observe the animals, Anil Buthlahee mused
as he strolled through the zoo. There were no bars, no cages in the ancient
sense. Movement of the exhibits was restricted by less medieval means such as
moats, precisely sloped ground, and in the case of particularly agile
specimens, varying levels of restrictive electronics such as beamed
microwaves. The result was that visitors could get quite close to dangerous
creatures like cobras and lions without fear of being killed.
People were much more dangerous, Anil knew. Take the device resting inside his
shirt pocket. Anil was no marksman. When he had gone looking for a tool with
which to commit the necessary deed, he had deliberately sought out one that
need not be especially accurate to carry out its task.
The Dalit bitch, now he would prefer that she die slowly, for having forever
corrupted his son and permanently sullied the family honor. But in lieu of
carrying around multiple weapons, he would have to be satisfied with her
ordinary death.
Animals had castes of their own, as was only proper. Was that not the true way
of things? Did not the gorillas lord it over the chimpanzees, and the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]