Pawar’s PCO did decent business, according to him. He had a theory on who used his PCO through the day. ‘The times are bad in our society, Atharv ji. People, especially boys and girls and young men and women, have low morals nowadays. The boys and girls whispering into the phone in my PCO are mostly those whose relationships are secret and undesirable, or else they would be using their own mobile sets,’ Pawar had once told Atharv. Lighting a Dunhill cigarette, standing just outside the shop, Atharv had burst out laughing at Pawar’s reasoning.

Atharv, Anant and Nirav had arrived in the city five days ago. Atharv was talking to Rehan, who had been tasked by Abu-Lakhvi to handle him and the four other CTC men. He had called a Dubai mobile phone number at 11 a.m. as he had been instructed to do every Tuesday. The man in Dubai who received Atharv’s call had in turn arranged for him to speak to Al-Wali, via teleconferencing.

‘Yes, we are settled here, on Reay Road. We will most likely enrol in a computer programming diploma course at MapTech Computer Training Institute tomorrow,’ Atharv said.

‘How much will it cost, this MapTech?’

‘We will have to pay around Rs 1.6 lakh for the three admissions,’ Atharv said.

‘Do you have a currency note on you?

‘I have a ten-rupee note.’

‘Look at the bottom,’ Al-Wali instructed him. ‘What are the last two numbers of the note’s unique number?’

Atharv quickly scanned the note. ‘Six and seven.’

‘Okay. Go to Zaveri Bazaar two days from today. A number will be sent to you today. Call it. It belongs to Vinod; he is a cousin and will help. When you meet him, tell him the two numbers you just told me. ’

‘Thank you, sir,’ Atharv said.

‘Atharv, there is one more thing. If there are other young men like you in Mumbai, then send them here, to the university.’

Al-Wali was referring to Bayt al-Mujahideen.

‘I am trying; I am sure there are eager learners here. I will update you,’ Atharv reassured Al-Wali before hanging up.

Two days later, Atharv collected Rs 1.6 lakh from ‘Vinod’ at Zaveri Bazaar. Al-Wali had emailed Vinod’s phone number to Atharv, who had then called him to set up a rendezvous to collect the money. Vinod, clad in a red T-shirt, black trousers and sneakers, sporting a thick gold chain and clutching a white cell phone, was businesslike and handed over the money the moment Atharv said, ‘Six, seven.’

The following Tuesday, at 11 a.m., Atharv dialled the Dubai number again and was put in touch with Al-Wali.

‘Prepare to go to Nanihal. There, you will receive the project file, which you have to hand over to a trainee. It is an easy task, so do it quickly.’

As per the code used by his Lashkar commanders, ‘Nanihal’ referred to Jammu and Kashmir. ‘Project file’ referred to weapons, while ‘trainee’ was a fidayeen.