‘Ji, janaab. I will convey your instructions to Atharv. As you know, those in custody here are singing like parrots. There is still a state of high alert. There is enhanced surveillance on the country’s key entry and exit routes. We need to be careful when coming to you,’ Anant explained, trying to be reasonable and not defiant.

‘Hundred per cent. I am glad you are using the training we gave you to think on your feet. But don’t delay too much; come here after a week,’ Al-Wali said and hung up abruptly.

Anant quickly dialled Somaiya.

‘Al-Wali wants to meet us in Karachi to find out why their operations have ended in disaster one after another of late,’ Anant informed him. ‘He is going to give an important assignment too.’

‘What is the assignment?’

‘Al-Wali did not say anything about it.’

‘Okay, but sit tight for now. I must first consult with Shekhar sir,’ Somaiya said.

Shekhar was not happy about the news Somaiya gave him.

‘No, the boys must not go to Pakistan. The LeT is probably suspicious of their five Indian recruits. Multiple LeT operations have of late met with spectacular failure. We knew what they were up to and the CTC could destroy their missions. Our agents shot them in their heart and Abu-Lakhvi’s fury is understandable. They will be watching every move of all the new recruits to try and spot a leak,’ Shekhar was adamant.

‘What’s the harm in going there, sir? The LeT is insisting that the boys appear in Karachi, and not going there will further raise their suspicions,’ Somaiya said.

‘Tell the team to keep delaying their departure on one pretext or another, but not to say directly that they won’t go there,’ said Shekhar. ‘Abu-Lakhvi wants to kill these five recruits, our agents. That is why they must not go. I hope I have answered your question, Somaiya ji.’

‘Yes, sir,’ said Somaiya, his voice heavy with worry.

‘Somaiya ji, let me also tell you that I already knew our five agents were in mortal danger before you called me,’ Shekhar said.

‘How?’

‘Two days ago, thanks to technical surveillance, CTC nabbed a Pakistani Lashkar terrorist in Ghaziabad,’ Shekhar said.

‘Then?’

‘The rascal, Ali Reza, from Sialkot, was a hard nut to crack, but eventually he broke. He had been assigned to conduct surveillance on Rohit and Sahil by none other than Abu-Lakhvi himself. Abu-Lakhvi kept Abu-Muzammil, Al-Wali and Babar out of the loop on this operation to conduct surveillance on their Indian recruits, our boys. The fact that Abu-Lakhvi sidestepped Abu-Muzammil and his entire setup shows that he is very serious about verifying if Rohit and Sahil are genuine jihadis, and he doesn’t trust Al-Wali and Abu-Muzammil to do the job.

‘Reza was seen loitering around the cyber café that Rohit and Sahil run as their front business in Ghaziabad. He was spotted by one of our surveillance teams and subsequently nabbed.’