The Dust Will Never Settle (30 page)

Ravinder was at the head of the stairs when the brass lamp hit the floor. The gun steady in his right hand, he smacked the light switch with his left. Fingers of light flashed into the living room. Immediately he saw the intruder. The rifle in the man’s hand began to rise. Ravinder’s weapon was already levelled. He fired. And missed.

Thirty feet away, the assault rifle roared to life. It was set on automatic. Like pinpricks of light, a volley of bullets flew at him.

Ravinder threw himself down, forgetting that he was standing at the head of the stairs. His head hit the wood, hard. Though the stairs were carpeted, it was enough to knock him unconscious.

Javed saw Ravinder fall. He heard the body hit the stairs and start to slide down. Javed assumed he had hit him. Now he needed to confirm if it was really the ATTF chief or just one of his minions. Javed raced up the stairs.

Racing forward, Ruby was chambering a round when a pistol shot rang out, followed closely by the roar of an assault rifle. Then she heard the thud of a body hitting the floor. She erupted out of the corridor that led to the staircase landing.

The sight before her eyes made her freeze.

Halfway down the stairs Ravinder lay in a heap. On his way up was a man with an assault rifle and a crazed look.

Something inside Ruby broke. She fired. Again. And then again.

The first two bullets, delivered to his chest at close range, brought Javed to a dead halt. The third blew him backwards. He was almost dead when he hit the foot of the staircase.

But Ruby did not stop. The killing heat was upon her, compounding her rage at the unknown man who had orphaned her. A few feet from him, the intruder still had some life in him. Kneeling next to him she prodded his face with the pistol. Javed’s eyes fluttered open.

Ruby leaned closer, right into his ear and whispered, ‘You-will-
not
-kill-my-dad. No-one-will-
ever
-kill-my-dad.’ Each word hissed out, separately, unforgivingly. Placing the pistol against his forehead, she pulled the trigger. And kept firing till the weapon was empty.

In the distance she heard the wailing of police sirens. She felt empty. Completely hollow. Drained.

Then she heard a moan behind her as Ravinder regained consciousness.

Shocked, she turned and saw Ravinder sitting up, holding his head where it had struck the stairs. He looked dazed but unhurt. Something inside her began to sing again. Something cried. Something snapped.

Dropping the pistol, she ran to Ravinder.

‘Are you all right, dad?’

He nodded, still dazed.

Just then Simran appeared at the head of the stairs, with Jasmine in tow. They saw Ravinder’s head cradled in Ruby’s lap.

‘Ruby saved all of us today,’ Ravinder said hoarsely with tears in his eyes.

Both women started to sob as the aftershock struck.

Ruby sat silent and still, stroking Ravinder’s hair softly, lovingly. Her eyes were blank and silent. Something inside her head had fragmented. She no longer knew who she was. Where she was. Why she was.

Vehicles came to a screeching halt outside. Cops burst into the house.

Ruby did not see them. She heard nothing. She motioned to Jasmine to come closer and sit beside her. She gently moved Ravinder’s head to Jasmine’s lap. ‘Look after daddy. No one must hurt him.’ Then Ruby returned to her bedroom, seemingly oblivious.

Simran, Ravinder and Jasmine watched her go. None of them knew what to say or do.

Ruby collapsed on the bed. For once her mind did not trouble her. It couldn’t. Something inside had broken loose. A Rubicon had been crossed.

Unaware of the turmoil awaiting them, thirteen men from seven countries made their way to India.

From Washington, London, Tel Aviv, Cairo, Damascus and Amman, one by one their aircrafts slid through the skies and swept closer to Delhi.

In their hands lay the fate of millions of people – hope for Palestine and peace for Israel. Their success would mean the return of peace to a land troubled by bloodshed for many years. Each one was keenly aware of it.

Though none of them had any illusions about the gargantuan task that awaited them, they had hope.

Day Nine

A
new sun was rising when Senator George Polk’s flight touched down at Palam.

Thakur met the silver-coloured US Air Force jet in the VIP area of the Air Force Station. Slightly balding, ruddy-faced, with an aura of power, the senator had a wide smile as he descended from the plane. He seemed a tad disappointed to see the small welcome committee. He had expected some press there to hail America’s critical role in this event.

Mohite was hovering around Thakur. Jennifer Poetzcsh was there too, the senator being her responsibility. Suspicious of everything and mistrustful of the security cover provided by the Indians, her hand never strayed from her gun.

Thakur, also eager to make his presence felt, accompanied the senator to the hotel to make sure he was comfortably settled in.

Ravinder joined them there a bit later, still groggy from the events of the previous night. His head hurt less now, dulled by painkillers, but he was still reeling from the emotional jolt. Ruby’s actions had left him utterly confused. However, still unable to ignore the evidence against her, he would continue the surveillance until the delegates left India. That seemed to be the safest option.

They had barely settled the senator in when the Saudi delegate, Prince Ghanim Abdul Rahman al-Saud, walked in. Despite his short, stout build and bushy eyebrows, his regal paraphernalia left no doubt that he commanded instant obedience. Two hard-looking, well-built, retired SEALs were flanking him. Ravinder noted that both bore a striking resemblance to Mark Leahy.

And, my God, yes, the two South African mercenaries are still at large. And Ruby
.
What is she doing?
He looked at his watch; it was a quarter to eleven. The surveillance team was to report every hour so the next call would come at eleven, or earlier if Ruby left the house.

That morning Ravinder, then Jasmine, and eventually Simran had gone to check on her. All three had met a locked door. The only response was her voice, telling them she was okay and that they shouldn’t worry. But she sounded far from okay. Ravinder was concerned. He hoped it was nothing more than the shock of the previous night’s events.

He was still thinking of Ruby when Chance strode in with Sir Geoffrey Tang, the British delegate. Tang was extremely tall and fit, and looked very smart in his tailored grey pinstriped suit. Despite his sixty-plus years, he had a full head of hair, with only touches of white at the temples. With deep-set, coal-black eyes, chiselled features, long sideburns and goatee, Tang looked the epitome of royalty.

‘We heard about last night… are you okay?’ Chance asked in an undertone. Ravinder nodded. ‘And Ruby?’

Ravinder nodded again. But both were keenly aware that the danger was far from over. In fact, it had just become more real with the arrival of the delegates. Whatever had to happen would happen
now
.

When Ruby came down for breakfast she found Simran and Jasmine at the table. Jasmine gave her a big smile and, running up to her, gave her a long hug. Jasmine appeared to have recovered completely. Or perhaps she was in complete denial. At Simran’s insistence she was even going to college. It would be better for her to go out than to stay home and mope.

Simran also smiled warmly at her, aware that none of them might be alive today if it had not been for Ruby.

‘You are just in time, Ruby.’ Jasmine pulled Ruby to the seat beside her. ‘Come. Mom is helping me prepare for today’s moot court. Would you also like to hear my contentions?’

‘Why do you want to bother her?’ Simran said before Ruby could respond.

‘If that is what you want me to do,’ Ruby replied listlessly, ignoring Simran.

‘Are you sure?’ Jasmine queried. Ruby nodded. ‘Great!’ Jasmine pulled out a sheaf of papers. ‘The case is a real one: Jayant Ganguly versus Mausami Ganguly. I am representing the father and my best friend is representing the mother.’ Jasmine began to read, giving details of how she would defend the case in the college moot court.

Ruby was staring at the plate of eggs on the table, and did not appear to be listening. Simran was watching her, a worried look on her face.

‘So when the wife, Mausami Ganguly, deserted her husband, she moved to another city.’ Jasmine flipped a page and continued, ‘From there she managed to obtain an ex-party divorce. She also managed to get legal custody of their four-year-old daughter. The husband, Jayant, contested this in the High Court – the divorce and the custody.’

‘Did he win?’ Ruby’s sudden question, delivered in that same flat monotone, shocked both Jasmine and Simran.

‘What?’ Jasmine asked. ‘So did he get it? The custody, I mean,’ Ruby repeated, still staring at her plate.

‘The father? Yes, he did get custody, but only later, from the Supreme Court.’

‘I see.’ Ruby still did not look up.

Jasmine exchanged a glance with Simran, who shrugged her shoulders.

‘You can if you want to,’ Ruby said as she suddenly got up and began to walk away, heading back to her room. ‘You can if you want to… you have to
want
to,’ Ruby called without stopping.

Simran and Jasmine heard her go up the stairs, with a heavy, dragging stride. They were stunned.

‘Daddy did not want to. If he had, he would have found me,’ Ruby’s tearful voice rang out. ‘Only mom loved me!’

They heard her bedroom door slam shut.

‘Mom?’ Then more insistently, ‘
Mom!
Where are you?’ Ruby was sitting on the edge of her bed, her face still blank. ‘Why is this happening to me? What have I done?’

Nothing.

‘Have you also abandoned me? Please. I need you, mom.’

‘I am right here, Ruby. I am always here, you know that.’ Within the recesses of Ruby’s fragmented mind, Rehana reached out and began to stroke Ruby’s head.

The shock of the night’s assault took over now. Ruby began to cry in deep, shuddering sobs.

‘He was going to kill my daddy. I couldn’t let him… even though daddy did not want me. If he had, he would have found me. He does not even want me to stay. If he did he would have asked me to.’

‘I know, child, I know,’ Rehana said. ‘Hush! Don’t worry. Everything will be fine soon.’

‘What should I do, mom?’

‘Do what you have to, Ruby. Do your duty.’

‘But…’

‘No buts, Ruby. Nothing has changed. Our lives mean nothing if we falter from our duty.’

‘But he is my father! I cannot do anything to him, even if he…’

‘You don’t have to, Ruby. Just finish what you started.’ Rehana began to talk, slowly, insistently – first cajoling, then pleading. All the while allowing Ruby to cry, allowing her pent-up feelings to flow.

Even though she was a trained agent fully versed in the art of subversion, she was yet to understand just how strong Rehana’s influence on her was. Even now – especially now, when everyone seemed to have closed ranks against her.

Hours later, when the tears stopped, Ruby felt whole again – the avenger was back in control. The embattled, shattered woman had gone underground.

Over the next few hours, one by one, the remaining delegates arrived. Ravinder’s team was busy settling them, and Thakur – unwilling to give up the limelight – ensured he spent time with each of them, assuring them that India was delighted to have them.

As soon as the last delegate arrived, Thakur proudly took them all for a grand tour of the secure zone.

Ravinder was half listening to Thakur when he saw Mohite waving at him from across the room. He quietly peeled away and went to him.

‘How are you, sir? That was terrible, what happened last night.’ Mohite paused. ‘I want you to know that we really tried to catch them…’

‘That’s okay, Govind. Even they get lucky sometimes.’

‘Well, we have taken out all three of them now, so maybe they are not so lucky after all. Your daughter did a very brave thing.’

‘I know. Thank you. Tell me, why did you…’

‘The officer in charge of PM security is here. He wants to speak to you.’

‘What about?’

‘The idiot says he will only talk to you.’

Ravinder groaned inwardly. Mohite must have done or said something to piss him off.

‘Where is he?’

‘In the control room.’

‘Okay.’

‘I will come with you,’ Mohite said.

‘No, that’s okay,’ Ravinder replied. Mohite might just add fuel to the fire… if he was the one responsible, that is.

As it turned out, Ravinder’s intuition was spot-on.

‘I cannot believe this, Mr Gill! Your deputy actually told me to…’ Ravinder allowed him to vent before smoothing things over. It cost him the better part of an hour. And a blinding headache.

He then went back to the eighth floor and buttonholed Mohite. ‘How can you tell anyone from the PM’s security to bugger off, Govind?’

‘You are always in a hurry to judge me and condemn me, sir. He was being such a nuisance and interfering with everything. I—’

‘Come on, Govind! He was only doing his job. The PM will be here tomorrow morning. And they need to do what they need to do. That’s their regular drill.’

‘How are you, Gill?’ Thakur interrupted. Having finished networking with the delegates, he was calling it a day. ‘I heard about the incident last night. Glad to see you are okay.’

‘Thank you, sir.’

‘I believe your daughter did a fabulous job. Brave girl. You must be proud of her.’

‘I am, sir.’

‘Excellent. Give her my best.’ Thakur threw a pointed look at his watch; he seemed to be in a hurry. ‘Do you mind if I have Govind for a bit?’ Without waiting for a reply, Thakur gestured and Mohite sauntered off behind him like an eager puppy.

Ravinder returned to his room on the seventh floor. He needed to lie down. The painkillers were making him groggy. The headache made it worse. A bank of monitors displayed the feed from all the cameras set up to maintain a 24x7 watch on all entry and exit points and, more specifically, the seventh and eighth floors. The master feed was beamed into the control room to the left of the elevator bank, which was manned by four ATTF men per shift.

Ravinder lay on the bed and began to watch the live feed. He saw Chance and Jennifer emerge from the elevator. They said something to the guard. It must have been a joke because all three laughed. Leaving the guard still grinning, the two headed for their rooms – Chance to the one directly opposite Ravinder’s and Jennifer to the one next to it.

I wonder if they will use the interconnecting door later
. Ravinder smiled at the thought.

He remembered when he had been that age. Rehana flashed into his memory. Hard on her heels came Ruby. Stress returned. He fretted about her and wondered how Ruby was doing now. Simran’s call about her behaviour at the breakfast table had alarmed him. He would have gone to her if he could. His eyes flicked at his watch. The last call from the surveillance team had come in twenty minutes ago; Ruby had not left the house all day.

There was a knock at the door. He looked up at the monitor scanning the corridor. It was Mohite. He let him in reluctantly, hoping he had not created some new problem.

‘I want your permission to have the city hotels checked again tonight, sir. Maybe we can get hold of the South African mercenaries now.’