Alan Foster - Sagramanda, a Novel of Near-Future India

"How much longer, Taneer?" Depahli's feet were starting to hurt. It had been a long time since she had traded in bare feet for sandals, and then sandals for fancy shoes, and her feet were protesting the regression. At least, she thought, nothing had leaped out of the looming, dark jungle to confront them. Perhaps Taneer was right and it was perfectly safe after all. But no matter how much time passed without anything untoward happening, or how many times her beloved reassured her, she still could not entirely shake fears that had clung to her since childhood.

Sanjay was faring better. Trailing his employer and the beautiful girlfriend, he had almost convinced himself that he could pull off the requested impersonation. Taneer had assured him that the likelihood of any real trouble was very small because both sides wished for a speedy consummation of their agreement and terms had already been agreed upon. The shopkeeper had gone so far as to purchase not only an entirely new and alien outfit consisting of black pants, vest, and dark embroidered shirt, but shoes with built-in air lifts that made him appear five centimeters taller. His new, albeit artificial perspective on the world had further increased his confidence.

Some of it evaporated when they reached an open tank intended to supply water to roving animals. The facility had been built to resemble a natural watering hole. Both the well housing and supply pipe stood artfully concealed nearby. Waiting with obvious impatience by one side of the shimmering artificial pond was a large, neatly dressed European clad in walking shoes and expensive synthetic tropical silks. The ambient light from the beamer he held revealed him to be of exception ally pale complexion, as if he was unused to being exposed to the sun.

His companion was Indian and much bigger. He was, in fact, the biggest Indian Sanjay had ever encountered in person, though many members of the national basketball team were taller. An impressive mustache, curving upward at the tips, shadowed bulging cheeks. Though fully clothed, it was clear that his arms were larger in diam eter than the shopkeeper's legs.

Mindful of his responsibility, Sanjay tried to make himself appear even taller, adopted a grim, no-nonsense expression, and moved closer to the couple he was supposed to be "protecting."

Stepping forward, Taneer left Depahli behind with Sanjay and extended a hand. The European's palm was damp with sweat, as was his face. "Mr. Karlovy?"

"Rotten climate, this." It was a good thing the visitor was a respected businessman, because he was certainly no diplomat. "Don't know how you people stand it. Don't know how my ancestors stood it."

"It's easier to acclimate to a place when you are born there," Taneer replied without rancor. "As for the other thing, your ancestors stood it because there was money to be made here. Often, though not always, by stealing it." He smiled in the darkness as an owl hooted softly somewhere in the trees. "Which brings us to why we are both here now, tonight, suffering in the heat and humidity."

Karlovy nodded appreciatively. "A man of directness. As are most in your profession." Turning slightly, he gestured behind and to one side. "As agreed, I have brought one escort with me. This is Punjab."

The bodyguard crossed thick arms over his equally massive chest, assumed the pose of a mighty one, and grinned. "It is a nickname. My father was a connoisseur of old comic strips. I am actually from Nagpur. Not that either my name or my place of birth matter." The smile went away, to be replaced by something very different. Bravely, Sanjay did his best to match it. "I am here to make sure Mr. Karlovy is not robbed."

"Nobody's here to rob anybody." Taneer spoke soothingly to the big man, then turned his attention back to the European. "Let's do what we came to do."

Crouched low in the bushes nearby, Jena observed the byplay uncer tainly. It mattered to her not in the least what the two new gentlemen were doing out in the middle of the forest, nor why they were meeting with the three she had been following. What was important was that there were now five where a few moments ago there had been three.

The opportunity was without equal in her experience. Five poten tial souls to set free. It would be a blessing above all others. But she hesitated. She had never before taken so many at one time. The won derful isolation of the spot was more than she could have wished for. But still, five-and one of them looking to be a very chancy under taking indeed. She could take the big man first, of course, but if she ran into difficulty there, even an unarmed foursome could give her trouble, if only with fists and feet and stones. They remained unaware of her presence, which gave her time to decide.

Should she risk it? She had trained herself to move fast, very fast, but she had already decided that success was incumbent on taking down the biggest of the five first, and swiftly. At least they seemed in no hurry to leave, with two of the men conversing softly while the others looked on.

If they all left together, that would tell her something. But if they split into two groups again, it would make her decision easier.

She decided to wait.

Keshu stared at the image the high-hovering, night-piercing drone was relaying to his readout. Who the devil were the two men who had just appeared on the screen, and what were they doing meeting the first three in the middle of the jungle, in the middle of the night? Sensitive though it was, because it was compelled to keep out of easy range of those it was tracking the drone could not pick up their conversation. So he had no idea what was being talked about. Poaching? Proposed illegal real estate incursions, that were always a problem on the borders of parks and preserves near and within the city? Trading in illegal drugs?

What mattered was that-it didn't matter. Legal, illegal, or purely recreational, any discussion taking place in the forest was not germane to his reason for being there. He and his officers were present for one reason and one only: to obtain convincing evidence on a possible serial killer and then reel her in. The suspect was still present, thank good ness, but her heat signature had stopped moving when the other pair had put in their unexpected appearance. Cursing silently to himself, he knew that it was entirely possible the arrival of the newcomers would intimidate her to a degree where she would simply withdraw, at which point he would have to make the difficult decision as to whether to order her arrest or not. The two recent arrivals, whoever they were and whatever their purpose, threatened to spoil everything.

He held his spinner up next to Johar's. The images were identical, which meant that the two apparent newcomers were just that and not electronic artifacts.

"Any idea who these new people might be, Lieutenant?"

"No, Chief Inspector. What can the five of them be doing here?" Johar stared off into the night, as though the answer might magically arise from the trees in the form of glowing, hovering words. "What do you want to do?"

It was, for once, a simple decision.

He decided to wait.

Their brief conversation concluded, Karlovy turned and walked back to the water tank, which was fashioned of cast resin to resemble natural stone. Moments passed. Taneer waited nonchalantly, though he was anything but indifferent. Depahli tried not to fidget. As for Sanjay and the one nicknamed Punjab, they exchanged steady, unwavering stares. It was the most difficult thing the shopkeeper had ever done in his life, including the time he had taken delivery of a packet of drugs from an unthinking courier while a traffic policeman was searching through his shop hoping to find a present for his wife.

When he rejoined them, the European was carrying what at first glance appeared to be an ordinary briefcase. Closer inspection under the light of Taneer's beam revealed it to be made of a material Sanjay did not recognize. Two strips of metal ran around it lengthwise, and it was thicker than most such he had seen. Karlovy proceeded to whisper to it, softly and at length. Then he manipulated something on the top of the case that Sanjay could not make out clearly in the wavering light. The case responded with an audible hum, as if releasing a cloud of electronic bees into the night, and the top softly clicked open. A single tiny LED illuminated the interior. The European held the open case out toward Taneer, as if presenting an offering. His voice was a monotone, neither enticing nor reproving.