‘Woah!’ said one of them. ‘Was that thing for real?’

A young girl ran past Seema and up to the dazed group. ‘What was she sayin’a you?’ she asked.

‘Nowt,’ said the ringleader.

‘Good. Yasser Khan’s wife that is. You shoun’t say owt to her unless you want the Verdict to cut off yer balls.’

‘Who the ’ell’s the Verdict?’ asked another kid.

‘Han’t you ’eard? Ma brother an’ his mates all been talkin’ ’bout it. They say it’s time for new blood. A revolution’s comin’! The Jirga’s time is over. Ma brothers, they say they gonna be respectin’ whatever comes.’

CHAPTER 44

‘We can’t have organised crime in a disorganised city. We need law and order restored,’ Jia told the men.

Sher Khan’s eldest son, Razi, listened carefully to her words. He had been tasked with arranging this meeting, inviting handpicked and trusted sons of the Jirga. The men had come eagerly and sat side by side, eating roti and rice with large cuts of mixed grill, as Jia told them of her plan.

She had met with each man personally in advance of this gathering. Idris had done the background checks and collated the information. They had found their cousins ready to speak and amenable to a meeting. The atmosphere was relaxed and informal. The clatter of plates, the sound of freshly cooked karahis being spooned and drinks being downed filled the air. The fragrance of coriander and ginger, tempered with simple spices, made them feel at home. A decade had changed the family dynamic; ideals had been shed, dreams smashed and reality had set in. The men were tired of living under the iron rule of their fathers at work, and then going home to negotiate the arguments of their wives and mothers in the extended family system.

But they had been raised to be respectful, and needed guidance on how to extricate themselves. The emotional blackmail used to keep them in place had started to wear thin. The threats of dishonour and shame upon family were becoming old. This last year, under Jia’s watchful eye, had brought new hope.

She knew that getting the old men of her father’s Jury to retire would be easier if it was their children who asked them to step down. The old men had run the city for too long. Their decisions had started to weaken along with their limbs. Rebellion under the guise of retirement was what she offered her cousins. It meant their fathers would retain their dignity. Further, as each Jirga member was replaced by his own son, he could act as mentor and counsel. But the cousins still needed a little convincing.