“Yeah, a teddy bear with a limpet mine inside. Listen, Tavor. I don’t recommend you go. You look like a mess, and you’re bleeding all over my boat. But I also recognize that you don’t give a rip about my recommendation. So as the new leader of this operation, I’m faced with a dilemma.”

“Think fast,” Nir said, sitting down. “Anyone have an energy bar or something?” One of the batwings pulled one out of a pocket and tossed it to him. Nir missed, but Doron caught it on the deflection.

S5 shook his head. “Listen, with what you just went through, and now you’re sitting here looking like someone ran you through a fish-hook factory, you’re saying you want to go back to the guys who did this to you? That’s stupid beyond measure. But I also have mad respect for it, and I’d like to think I’d do the same if I were in your position. So it’s not my place to tell you no. Instead, I’m just going to tell you it’s a really stupid idea.”

“Duly noted.” Relief flooded through Nir. He really didn’t want a battle with this man. He needed to conserve his energy for the real struggle ahead.

Holding out his hand, he said, “Thanks…”

“Azoulai. Omer Azoulai. And you’re not taking the clothes off one of my men. You earn that uniform. I’ll put a navy uni on our shopping list from the sub. So you’re saying we need to evac twenty-four souls?”

“It’s an estimate. How many more inflatables like this are on the sub?”

“They’ve got a total of five.”

“Okay, let’s bring two extra. It will be crowded, but they’ll manage them ashore. I’m sure the captain and his crew can figure out how to pilot them.”

“We’re just leaving the boats with them? We don’t have time to make them anonymous.”

Nir shook his head. “No, keeping them identified will only help. Part of our mission was to make the operation distinctly Israeli. Those boats can serve as our calling cards. Now, you just tell me how we’re going to get back on that yacht.”

“Yeah, I’ve got an idea.”

Chapter 63

CHAPTER 63

30 MINUTES LATER

CAFALA BAHR, ARABIAN SEA, OFF MUMBAI, INDIA—23:35 / 11:35 P.M. IDT

Saad sat at the bar on the upper deck and sipped his iced bourbon. Even though the power was out, the freezer had not yet defrosted. The air was thick with humidity, and the temperature had to still be in the upper 20s. Why does anyone choose to live here? Better question, why did I decide to come here? My curiosity over Mumbai is now officially sated.