Line of Control - Tom Clancy [47]
Ron Friday obviously looked like his photographs as well.
Captain Nazir did not bother to introduce himself. They would not say one another's names at all. There were still SFP personnel working in the bazaar. They might have set up electronic surveillance of the area to try to catch the bombers. If so, someone might overhear them.
The officer simply offered Friday his hand and said in a low, rough voice, "Walk with me."
The two men continued in the direction Captain Nazir had been headed, away from the main street, Shervani Road. The narrow side street where the inn was located was little more than an alley. There were dark shops on either side of the road. They sold items that did not usually turn up in the bazaar, like bicycles, men's suits, and small appliances. The street ended in a high brick wall about three hundred yards away.
Nazir drew on the nub of his cigarette.
"The minister thinks very highly of you." "Thanks," Friday said. He looked down and spoke very softly.
"Tell me something. What happened today in the marketplace?"
"I'm not sure," Nazir replied.
"Would you tell me if you did?" Friday asked.
"I'm not sure," Nazir admitted.
"Why was the SFF handling the investigation instead of your people?"
Friday asked.
Nazir stopped walking. He retrieved a pack of cigarettes from under his sweatshirt and used one to light another. He looked at Friday in the glow of the newly lit cigarette.
"I do not know the answer to that," the officer replied as he continued walking.
"Let me point you in a direction," Friday said.
"Does the SFF have special jurisdiction over Srinagar or religious targets?"
"No," Nazir replied.
"But their personnel were on the scene and your people were not," Friday repeated.
"Yes," Nazir said.
This was becoming frustrating. Friday stopped walking.
He grabbed Nazir by the arm. The officer did not react.
"Before I head north and risk my life, I need to know if there's a leak in your organization," Friday said.
"Why would you think there is?" Nazir asked.
"Because there was not a single Black Cat Commando at the scene," Friday told him.
"Why else would you be shut out of the investigation except for security issues?"
"Humiliation," Nazir suggested.
"You have conflicts between your intelligence services. They go to great lengths to undermine one another even though you work toward the same goal."
There was no disputing that, Friday thought. He had killed a CIA agent not long ago.
"The truth is, the SFF has been extremely quiet about their activities of late and we have been quiet about our operations, including this one," Nazir went on.
"Both groups have their allies in New Delhi and, eventually, all the intelligence we gather gets shuffled into the system and used."
"Like a slaughterhouse," Friday observed.
"A slaughterhouse," Nazir said. He nodded appreciatively.
"I like that. I like it very much."
"I'm glad," Friday replied.
"Now tell me something I'm going to like. For example, why we should put ourselves into the hands of an intelligence agency that may be risking our lives to boost their own standing in New Delhi?"
"Is that what you think?" Nazir asked.
"I don't know," Friday replied.
"Convince me otherwise."
"Do you know anything about Hinduism?" Nazir asked Friday.
"I'm familiar with the basics," Friday replied. He had no idea what that had to do with anything.
"Do you know that Hinduism is not the name we use for our faith. It's something the West invented."
"I didn't know that," Friday admitted.
"We are countless sects and castes, all of which have their own names and very different views of the Veda, the holy text," Nazir said.
"The greatest problem we have as a nation is that we carry our factionalism into government. Everyone defends his own unit or department or consulate as if it were his personal faith. We do this without considering how our actions affect the whole. I am guilty of that too. My 'god," if you will, is the one who can help me get things done. Not necessarily the one