‘Today, at this august gathering, let us begin the process of coming up with a plan to handle the toxic waste being produced by your dozen-odd civilian reactors and by the scores of reactors globally. Let us constitute a panel of scientists to produce a white paper on the challenges before us in the field of nuclear energy and a plan to address the challenges,’ Price exhorted his keen listeners.

Babar was seated in the last row in the convention centre.

At 9 a.m., he had checked on the arrangements for the high tea for the final time, the third check since he had arrived with the team of the Kalbadevi-based caterer to whom he had outsourced the contract from IIS&T. It crossed Babar’s mind that the only things he could make were tea, omelette and Maggi. And yet here he was, at the helm of the catering arrangements for one of the most high-profile events in India.

What an ace I am, Babar thought to himself and laughed.

After Price’s lecture was over, Babar made sure that the scientists and the guest of honour enjoyed the spread that had been organized.

Babar was worried about how the two fidayeen, Usman and Rehmat, were faring. He would have loved to receive an update on their status, but Al-Wali had instructed Babar to ensure that the fidayeen did not carry any phones on their person during the mission as the Indian agencies could track them via the phones in the event that their numbers were compromised.

Shekhar was on his phone, speaking to A.P. Saxena, the commissioner of Mumbai Police.

‘Saxena sir, over the past five days we have tracked almost 1.4 lakh calls in Powai. There were a few suspicious ones, and each of them was traced back to the callers by special teams. In fact, a few absconders in pending probes of the Mumbai Police were tracked in the bargain, and were picked up and handed over to the police authorities concerned.’

‘At least some good has come of the surveillance. But what about the main target?’

‘Nothing so far, sir. We have found no trace of Shrikant Joshi. But we will not stop looking,’ Shekhar assured the commissioner.

Usman crawled through the breach in the IIS&T compound wall without a problem. Rehmat, who was bulkier than him, got stuck in the gap, however. Minutes passed, but he could not move an inch even as he felt he would suffocate to death.