‘I think you’re right. Do you know if the attackers came by sea, Bangladesh or Nepal?’ Somaiya asked.

‘If they made use of the ID cards, it must mean they used land and air routes, sir,’ Atharv said after a pause.

Somaiya agreed. ‘Atharv, we need to identify and pick up the local support module and the attacker who fled. We must know all possible details about the next attack. You have to pump Al-Wali for information.’

‘Yes, sir,’ Atharv said, thinking of ways to trap Al-Wali into revealing something about the IIS&T operation.

‘But please be careful. As one of the Pakistani fidayeen was shot dead by us, Al-Wali might be in a dangerous mood. He might suspect that we had an inkling of the attack and that we were prepared for them. He might even suspect you. To be safe, don’t go to Pakistan if they call you there,’ Somaiya advised Atharv.

‘How are you, brother?’ Al-Wali asked Atharv when the latter called him up via the Dubai intermediary.

‘I am well, sir. There were Diwali-like celebrations in Powai yesterday,’ Atharv said, hinting at the Powai attack.

‘I heard and read about it. Badhai ho, aapne bhi sajayi thi roshni,’ Al-Wali said.

Al-Wali has just owned up to the IIS&T attack, Atharv thought. But he did not say anything.

‘Come here, where I am,’ Al-Wali asked him to travel to Pakistan.

‘Janaab, it will be risky because of what has happened,’ Atharv said.

‘Okay, then come to the temple in two or three days. To pray, meditate,’ Al-Wali said. As per the code used by Al-Wali and his LeT compatriots, ‘temple’ referred to Nepal and ‘pray and meditate’ meant planning and analysis.

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Come alone via Calcutta. If there is a problem, just email me your location and wait for my man for help. Stay safe,’ Al-Wali said. ‘Check your emails thrice a day once you leave,’ Al-Wali instructed him and hung up.

‘Calcutta’ referred to Dhaka as per the Lashkar code. Al-Wali did not want to risk Nepal’s status as Lashkar’s key spur for anti-India operations, Atharv thought to himself. And Al-Wali was testing his skills and intelligence by making him travel to Nepal via Bangladesh. Atharv decided to leave that same evening and booked a train ticket to Calcutta.

Then he arranged to meet Somaiya so he could inform him about his trip to Nepal.

‘Al-Wali is offering no help in crossing into Bangladesh then Nepal, or for the trip back to Mumbai. He is acting strangely,’ Atharv said, chuckling.

He was seated on a pale pink concrete bench on Carter Road, Bandra West’s beach front where hundreds of young and not-so-young men and women gathered every evening for fresh air and relaxed conversations in cafés, bars and restaurants. Clad in blue jeans and a white T-shirt, Atharv spoke softly while seemingly reading the newspaper he was holding.