‘This is disturbing. It means that we are dealing with another powerful terrorist outfit, which is probably sponsored by Pakistan’s ISI. The way the blasts were carried out at carefully selected, crowded spots indicates that these terrorists are well-trained, stocked with weapons and know how to kill with deathly efficiency.’

‘Yes, sir, it seems that way.’

‘Atharv, we are dealing with a new, unknown entity. But what is troubling me also is the fact that you know nothing about it. You are trained to be one of them, and you must be one up on them. You are supposed to be my eyes and ears in the Pakistan-sponsored terror factories, and yet we are drawing a blank on these blasts. What is the point of running an elaborate, time-consuming and expensive covert mission like Operation Trojan Horse then?’

Shekhar was venting his frustration at not having any solid leads on the blasts’ perpetrators even as the weight of expectations from the public and the government increased. The media was skinning the counter-terror and intelligence organizations for their ‘failure’ to prevent terror. Shekhar hung up abruptly.

Minutes later, Shekhar received a call from Rohit.

‘Rohit, do you have any idea who was behind the blasts in Delhi and UP? Are you and LeT behind them? Did you help them?’ Shekhar shot the questions at him.

‘No, sir, my unit did not provide any assistance whatsoever. I have no idea about these blasts actually.’

‘Well, get on with your work then. You are supposed to know about and tell me such things. Information-gathering to protect India is what we do for our bread and butter. We are not nine-to-five file pushers.’ Shekhar banged the phone down.

‘Rohit, were you there for the Sankat Mochan and Sarojini Nagar works?’ Abu-Lakhvi asked.

‘No, sir. Sahil and I had no role to play in those blasts,’ Rohit said.

‘Were you there at the Varanasi ghat or at the Shramjeevi Express events?’

‘No, janaab.’

‘So, the Lashkar-e-Taiba, which prides itself on being the premier anti-India terrorist organization based in Pakistan, a status that guarantees it enormous funds from the ISI for conducting operations, has no clue who is behind the spate of bombings that have killed dozens in India’s heartland.’ Abu-Lakhvi was baffled and embarrassed at not knowing who the perpetrators were.

‘Fine, Rohit. What about the work given to you in Dehradun?’ Abu-Lakhvi changed tack seamlessly. He was referring to the reconnaissance work Abu-Muzammil had tasked Rohit with. He was to scope out Dehradun’s Indian Institute of Petroleum Research.

‘I did that, sir. The place is full of security personnel,’ Rohit said.

Rohit had told Abu-Muzammil that the institute had enhanced, five-tier security, which would make it difficult to enter the premises for an attack. Abu-Muzammil had dropped the plan, which Abu-Lakhvi did not know.

‘Send your list of the next targets,’ Abu-Lakhvi said and hung up.