Chapter 12

Chapter 12

12 May

Gong of the clock tower rang a new day was born.
Kalu Yadav came to Rishi and Hermit.
“It was you who saved my life from that devil Police Inspector Daya Ram. He takes personal interest in torturing. It is his joy to inflict pain. He tore every muscle of my friend who was innocence.”
Rishi asked, “So Kalu what are your plans?”
“I am leaving Mumbai for ever. I am going to the train station.”
“How would you go there, there is no taxi or bus at this time? I think we must walk,” Rishi said.
“I must walk because I have no money. I would ride on the train without a ticket and let the luck decide my fate.”
Rishi said, “So we must walk. Is there any hotel around?”
“The nearest hotel is three kilometers away and it is an expansive hotel.”
“And how far is your train station?” Rishi asked.
“It is five kilometers from here. Hotel is on the way to train station.”

“Kalu we will like to know your story.”
So Kalu Yadav started telling them his story.
He hailed from South India. His family owned a small textile loom and they were living comfortably. One day his father got sick and her treatment cost them a fortune but he died. Then his brother died with the same disease. Many people died in his village. A chemical factory was dumping the toxic refusal in a local stream and they all depended upon that water. Family lost the home and loom to the cruel moneylenders who were charging monthly three percent compound interest. Kalu’s two nephews too got sick with the same disease and he needed money and he arrived in Mumbai and became a small time criminal. Police picked him twice to police stations and tortured him each time for two days in a row. He wanted to join Poppy’s gang because those people were untouchables. Police never went near them. That’s why he was making an intense effort to get recognized by Poppy & Co.

Kalu Yadav pointed to a posh looking 5 story building. “That is the hotel.”
A neon sign on the top floor of the building said, “Hotel Golden Star.”
He touched Hermit’s feet and as he was about to touch Rishi’s feet Rishi said, “Kalu give me a hug.”
Kalu gave a tight hug to Rishi. He turned and walked away in silence.
“Wait.” Rishi said.
Kalu Yadav turned back, “Yes.”
“You said you have no money. You would ride on the train without a ticket and let the luck decide your fate.”
“Yes that was exactly what I said.”
“Say, if you have money, what you would do?”
“Are you giving me the money for the train ride?”
“No.”
“I have no choice but to go back to my village where my nephews are dying a slow death, most probably I will starve with them.”
“Gangagiri, give him the money, just keep the polythene bag.”
Kalu Yadav froze in surprise.
He was still frozen in astonishment.
Rishi and Hermit turned away in the direction of the hotel Golden Star.
Hermit turned his face and shouted, “Wait.”
“Yes.”
“Wash the money.”
“Why?”
“Wash your hands too?”
“Why?”
Hermit shouted back, “Jai-Ganga-Mai.”
Kalu was still gaping at them in astonishment.
Yes God is standing in front of me. Now I realize why Gods has many hands in the Hindu scriptures. This God killed three dreaded criminals and then rescued a dog. This God saved me from the Police torture. This God descended on the earth just to rescue me. I will never let him down. This is the God I will pray for his rest of my life. This God’s picture will stay in mind forever. I am nobody but a servant of this God. This God has washed my sins. Mother Ganges came to me. The Mother Kali, the destructor of evil came to me, touched me and transformed my life and me.

2

Rishi and Hermit entered in the hotel.
“Rishi Sahib, do you think they would give us room in this appearance?”
“Gangagiri I wish we had a choice. We cannot walk for whole night on the streets of Mumbai with something valuable stolen from Mafia. We don’t even know what we stole, it could be drugs, bomb, Plutonium, Uranium, Gold or whatever.”
“Yes Rishi Sahib, God already gave us one chance and nobody has unlimited chances, we never know when we have used up our last chance.”
They walked to hotel reception.
A middle-aged, well-dressed chubby man was sitting behind a mahogany desk. He rose and looked at Rishi and Hermit from head to toe. Both were wearing torn up clothes, Rishi was wearing two different colored chapels. Hermit carried an orange canvas bag.
Rishi said, “Our helicopter broke down, can we borrow your monkey wrench.”
Night manager started laughing.
“We have no monkey wrench.”
“By chance do you have number three eye glasses?”
He laughed again.
“I don’t wear glasses.”
“That could be a problem.”
Manager was happy to have a good laugh.
Rishi said, “We are hungry, give us breads.”
“Sorry,” said Manager, “kitchen is closed at this time.”
“Tell you what,” said Rishi, “We will buy you a drink here.”
“Expensive. Even I can’t afford the drinks here.”
Rishi took orange bag from Hermit and pulled a bunch of thousand rupee from the polythene bag.
Night manager laughed.
“Robbed a bank?”
Rishi said, “No. We are Amway people.”
Night manager again had a good laugh; he went in side and came with an imported Scotch whisky bottle.
“Give us a room, we will leave before dawn.”
“Yes but no receipt and you must leave before my shift ends at six.”
Manager spread out his hand to have the bills.
“Room first.”
Gentlemen you must follow me to the elevator.
He led them to room 307.
Rishi held his stomach and ran to the bathroom. Both Hermit and Manager laughed.
Rishi came out with wet bills.
“What happened to the bills?”
“I was playing with them and they fell in the toilet.”
“Gentlemen may I ask you a question.” Manager asked Rishi.
“You may not.” Rishi replied.
“You have lots of money with you and why are you dressed like beggars?”
“Do you have lots of money?”
“No.”
“Why are you dressed like a Maharaja?”
Manager laughed. “Good Night.”
“Didn’t I tell you that we would buy you a drink.”
“I thought you were joking.”
“Yes I was joking except that.” Rishi took a large glass from the table and emptied one-third bottle in to it.
Manager said, “That is very generous of you.”
“I must use bathroom again, wait don’t go.”
When he came out Rishi handed him another two wet bills.
Rishi said, “I need smaller change.”
“You were playing with them too and they fell in the toilet, right.”
“Not right.”
“Why not right?”
“My wet ass fell over them in the toilet.”
Manager laughed in hysteria.
“Slide the change under the door. I will count each and every penny. Don’t try to cheat me. I am a very mean person.”
Mr. Chubby was trying to drink neat scotch but had another fit of laugher, he splashed some scotch over himself and Rishi pushed him out and locked the door and put a chain latch over it.
Room had a small refrigerator, Rishi pulled out ice tray from it.
“Cheers! Gangagiri, it was a long day.”
“Cheers!” Hermit said.
To avoid being overheard Rishi turned on the TV.
They were very tired; they had a drink and then filled up the glasses for another.

Hermit arranged all three brick sized boxes on the glass-topped table. Boxes were sealed with thick polythene sheet. Hermit tore it and exposed a black plastic box and opened the lid.
Whole room was filled up with dazzling lights. Little transparent nuggets were sparkling in all colors.
Hermit whispered, “Jai-Ganga-Mai. These are diamonds.”
Rishi opened other box and there was more sparkling.”
“Gangagiri we need not to open the third box.”
“Rishi Sahib we must check if these are real diamonds.”
“How do we do it Gangagiri?”
“A diamond is a hardest thing on the earth?”
“Yes I know that.”
“Let’s see if they are really hard.”
“Gangagiri, you never told me that you are a diamond expert too?”
“I spent four months with diamond hunters. There are mainly four precious stones Quartz, Topaz, Corundum and Diamond that is the hardest. Diamond can scratch on everything in the world. Quartz can’s scratch diamond but diamond can scratch on quartz and so on.”
“So a hard thing can leave a scratch on the soft thing.” Rishi asked.
“Yes. I wish our new friend Inspector Daya could lend his hand to us now he had the whole laboratory on his hand.”
They laughed.
“Well there is a rudimentary way to test a diamond or rather a precious stone.” Hermit said.
“How is that?” Rishi asked in amazement.
Hermit took a large diamond and pressed it at one edge of the glass top of the table and made a straight-line across it.
“Gangagiri why did you do this?” He was already drunk.
“Ganga Mai told me to do it.”
Rishi laughed.
“Now tap on the table,” Gangagiri ordered to Rishi.
“Rishi tapped it lightly.”
“Your hands are wounded, tap with your foot.”
Before Hermit could caution Rishi to tap it lightly, Rishi knocked the glass with his foot and it split in two clean pieces. One piece got unbalanced and fell on the marble floor and crashed with a loud crashing noise. One box of diamonds fell down and diamonds rolled over the floor and a dazzling dance of colored light lit up the room. Little sparkles were lying spread all over the white marble floor.
Rishi cleaned the glass pieces and Hermit picking up the diamonds from the floor.

3

Danny called his brother in Dubai, “Big brother what do we do now?”
“I know how to reach Roger; I have his executive secretary’s number in New York. I will call her.”

Danny called him after half hour.
“Big brother did you call Roger?”
“Yes I called him up, he is in Thailand.”
“Big brother Omar and Mulchand too are in Thailand.”
“Yes I know.”
“Then?”
“I asked for forgiveness.”
“Did you ask for the diamonds?”
“He said go to hell. Second time his secretary did not let us access him.”
“Big brother we are already in hell.”
“Yes I told him but he disconnected his phone, he is ruthless man he has no regard for other’s concerns.”
Danny said, “Rich people are all the same, it was you who cooked the whole scheme. Now nobody will attend our funerals.”

4

Roger muttered, “What the hell is going on. Don is asking for forgiveness and wanted his diamonds back. He asked me to leash Rishi. What’s going on?”
He dialed Vinita’s cell phone number but it was off the line.
Roger was very worried.
Rishi! Man, I don’t know what games you are playing with the Mafia.

5

It was 3am. Night manager of the hotel ‘Golden Star’ was about to slide an envelope containing two thousand rupee in small denominations, under the door of the room that he rented to two strange men wearing beggar’s clothes. He heard a noise like a heavy piece of glass fell on the floor. He was about to knock on the door he saw a dance of sparkles on his shoes. He lay on the floor and looked from the gap under the door.
“Diamonds.” He mumbled.
He slid the envelope under the door and silently left the place and came to his office and dialed the phone number.
Let’s call Inspector Daya Ram the crook. We will split the profit and my days of poverty are over.
“Can I speak to Inspector Daya?”
“He went to investigate a crime scene.”
“Whenever he checks in please give him my phone number.”
“OK.”
“Do you have a pen ready.”
“We have your number on our machines.”
“Thanks. It is an extremely urgent matter.”
Other side disconnected the line.

6

Don of the Mumbai Underworld was pacing nervously in his sea-facing veranda in Dubai. He had two more seizures of epilepsy. Abdul’s friend Cardiologist visited him again and gave him some medicines and also instructed Abdul to inject ten milligrams of diazepam in his vein, each three hours that was soothing his nerves and he was thinking sanely again.
His comrades had killed eight goons belonging to the other gang and six of his own died. His whole gang was now mobilized in the streets of Mumbai.
Cell phone on his table rang and Abdul picked it up. “Yes.”
Don sat down on the cane chair and looked at Abdul’s face.
“Sir Inspector Daya wants to talk to you.”
Don said, “Yes Inspector, what is the news?”
“I would like to know what was supposed to be in the suitcase?”
“Well it was an extremely valuable merchandize.”
“Well, I don’t know what I am looking for, this makes the job impossible.”
Wish Don had other choice. “Diamonds.”
“Market value?”
Wish Don had other choice. He said, “Several million dollars. They were delivered in three brick sized boxes.”
“So I am looking for three brick sized boxes, right.”
“Yes.”
“How much would be my share?” Daya Ram asked.
“How much do you want?”
“Half.”
Don barked, “It you find?”
“Whom do you suspect?”
“We suspect everybody.” Don replied.
“Bye.” Inspector disconnected.
Now I get it. Inspector stole the diamonds. Now he will bring us half back. Of-course Roger hired an avenger but Inspector arrived at the scene and stole our diamonds.

Don handed the cell phone to Abdul, “Connect me with Danny.”
Danny was on the line instantly. His all operatives in Mumbai were either awake or on active duty.”
“Yes big brother.”
“Change the SIM Card and call me back.”
Danny called after three minutes.
“Seems like Inspector Daya Ram has stolen our merchandize. He will bring us half.”
“What you want me to do?”
“Keep an eye on him and I want a cell phone triggered device placed in his jeep and email me the phone number in codes. Pleasure would be mine.” Don said, “When time comes.”
Danny said, “Inspector Daya Ram is clinging to our shoes like a piece of shit.”
Don said, “We will get our diamonds back.”
They laughed because now they had hope.
“I will see if Bunsky could help us he is with Daya Ram, investigating the cold blooded murders of our people.”
“I want a plastic explosive job, not the gelatin gunk.”

He had another epilepsy attack. Abdul had a curved plastic shoe aid in his pocket which Bata (Made in Canada) shoe store provided him for free because he mentioned that all shoes seem tight in the beginning.
After ten minutes, Don recovered; he took out shoe aid from his mouth. He wiped saliva off his face with a towel.
“Bastard! Swine! Why did you put this shoe thing in my mouth?”
“Sir, this is the best I could do. It fits in your mouth well. Last time I put a spoon in your mouth and your tooth broke, and you swallowed half of your tooth.”
“Well next time put something else.” Don cooled down a bit.
“Sir this is the best thing.”
“In that case after every use, you wash it in the dishwasher and keep it in new clear plastic Zippo bags.”
“Which Zippo bag sir.”
“Fool! Those clear plastic bags came from Canada in a parcel.”
“Yes! Yes! Yes! They have a zip on them.” Abdul said in amazement.
“That’s why they are called Zippo, you good for nothing idiot!”
“Sorry Sir!”
“And don’t forget to zip them close. Always. Do you understand? You retarded fool!”
“Yes sir. I will always wash and zip lock this shoe thing, before and after each use.”
“And check where it is made of. I don’t want some Asian made junk in my mouth. It may break and I may swallow it.”
Abdul looked at the shoe aid. “Sir it is made in Canada.”
Don’s face and ears were red with anger and he felt he might have another seizure he yelled, “Fool! What are you waiting for? Go and wash it, and put it in the Zippo. Always keep it handy in your front pocket.”
Abdul ran to kitchen.
Don yelled, “See if we have another one for emergency purpose.”
Abdul changed direction to the shoe closet but he slipped on the ceramic tiled floor and sprained his foot.
“You fool!” Don yelled.

7

Rishi saw an envelope was lying near entrance door, he put it in the pocket of his pants but all pockets were torn and envelope fell down. He laughed and put the envelope in Hermit’s orange bag.
Rishi fixed two drinks again. Now they were lying on the bed with their back resting against pillows. Rishi was looking at TV news channel and Hermit was struggling to stay sober.

Headline news was that a cyclone devastated east coast of India. Prime Minister of India was requesting people to donate generously.
“Gangagiri, look at the TV.”
Our country is in grave crisis. Millions of men, women and children need your help. You can mail in your donations at ---
Rishi rushed to the dressing table and picked a ball pen and hotel stationary pad and noted the address.
“Gangagiri would you let down our honorable Prime Minister.”
“Jai-Ganga-Mai.”
They laughed.
“Gangagiri, we don’t need this address. I know where our Prime Minister works.”
Rishi crushed that paper and tossed in the trashcan. He took off his cotton white pillow cover and stuffed three boxes in it and wrote on the top, ‘Prime Minister Relief Fund, Prime Minister’s Office. New Delhi.
It was 4am.

8

Don of the Mumbai Underworld was sweating in his verandah in Dubai.
Cell phone rang.
“Hello Danny, what’s the news?”
“We have placed a cell-phone triggered device in the chassis of Inspector Daya’s Jeep and not to miss the signal we have installed an auxiliary antenna too. I will SMS you the number. Be careful because one call and that’s it.”
“Thanks Danny.”
“We have three units ready around the Inspector Daya because he is our biggest suspect. I am ready in the car; your nephew is ready on the motorcycle. All other units are ready.”
“Thanks Danny. Keep your watch on things and be alert. Tonight me may win this war that we have already lost.”
“Wait I have another news, we got four more of their people and lost one of us.”
“Good! Very Good! Danny.”
“Big brother, bye now. I am busy.”
Abdul brought blood pressure checking machine.
“Sir I must check your compressor, sorry pressure.”

9

Night manager of hotel ‘Golden Star’ waited for two hours. He was very nervous because strangers in beggar clothes were to leave before dawn.
He called at Police Station again, “Hello can I speak with Inspector Daya.”
“Hold on, he has just walked in.”
After about three minutes an angry voice said, “Inspector Daya speaking.”
It was 5am. in the morning.

Inspector Daya was stunned to hear the news. His brain went numb with the feeling of joy. He wanted to think fast. He had a whisky bottle in his desk drawer; he sucked up one third of it, without a pause. Diamonds worth of several million dollars were waiting for him in the room number 307 in his own jurisdiction.
So it was the staged play. Fake Hermit and Mr. Rishi were involved in the grand heist. They skillfully crafted the whole operation. To neutralize a witness they threw a dog in the shit and then pulled it by mouth. They used thousand-rupee bills to pay for the room and liquor, all wet and washed. Poisoned money!
Inspector put the bottle to his mouth drank another mouthful.
They fooled Inspector Daya Ram. Nobody can fool Inspector Daya Ram. I will torture them myself, I will sheer their each and every muscle slowly. They will regret of their existence on this earth.
His thoughts took him to other direction.
Now what do I do with the diamonds worth of million dollars. I can steal them all but then Mafia will liquidate me and my whole family. If I go ahead there before informing them and find all or some of diamonds missing they would suspect me. I must settle with the half.
He thought about his sons.
My eldest son is retarded; I will take him to America for treatment. Younger is a drug addict, I will buy him a factory or some business will divert his mind away from the drugs. Money will fix all my problems.

He drank another mouthful and now his thought drifted to his only daughter.
My only daughter’s husband has left her because of my small mistake, it was a small husband-wife dispute and I dragged him to police station. Just to scare him, I tortured three people in front of him, he fainted, then he stopped talking with my daughter, refused the food she cooked with love, he refused her tender care and she had no alternative but to leave his home. She still loves him but any time he sees her he remembers my face because she got my features.
He muttered, “Yes that what he said to me on the face.”
He is scared of her face because I tortured some creeps who deserved punishment. Someone had to do this job. I get no pleasure doing this. It is just a job.
He locked the door of his office from inside, called Don in Dubai, from his cell phone.
I must give him all details because he will know it anyway. Otherwise he will suspect me that I am staging this whole show.

10

Don was sweating in the cool of the Dubai night.
Abdul said, “Sir Inspector Daya wants to talk to you.”
Don said, “Hello Daya, what is the news.”
Don was stunned to listen to the news.
So Rishi was the person, he lured my three best people to lick poisoned bills and stole my diamonds. Now I can teach Roger a lesson. Now is the time to let him know who I am.
“Hotel ‘Golden Star’ room number 307. So now on: 307 is our lucky number.” Don smiled.
Inspector Daya Ram was desperate. “Look we must rush up, it is about dawn, and they said to the night manager that they would be leaving before dawn, I told him to hold them up with some excuse.”
“Good, good, well done Inspector. Leave immediately to the hotel, I think it is just five minutes drive from your police station. Call me as you reach hotel. Who else knows about this?”
“Only I, you and the night manager of the hotel. He rented them the room without any paperwork. In any case I will take all records in my custody, I think he wants his cut, you can take care of him later on.”
“What are you going to do with Mr. Rishi and Hermit?”
“They are mine. They fooled Inspector Daya Ram and I will cook them and eat.”
“Actually that’s what I want but Inspector you are a professional.”
“I must run.”
“Yes go with God.” Don disconnected the phone.

Don called his brother Danny, “Diamonds are in hotel ‘Golden Star’ room number 307. Repeat it.”
Danny repeated, “Hotel ‘Golden Star’ room number 307”
“All units leave for hotel ‘Golden Star’ immediately and maintain an sight contact with each other and with Inspector Daya.”
“Big brother I am already driving behind Inspector Daya Ram.”
“You bloody fool idiot, don’t get yourself blown. Keep a very safe distance. I want to kill him near the hotel so Police gets busy with him and our people have time to raid the hotel.”
“I am not that close.” Danny said.
“You yourself shoot both Robbers in a way you shot Juggu. It took him ten days to die. I want to see them howl for days.”
Suddenly signal was broken. Danny was hearing him but he was not hearing him.

Don shouted to Abdul, “Have the other phone ready. Each moment is precious. Punch that number in the phone, do not make the call but put it in the memory.”
Abdul stored the trigger cell phone number in the cell phone memory.
Don dialed his brother, “Danny where are you now.”
He was hearing broken voices of Danny but he couldn’t make any sense of it. Don tried to call him three times signal was not stable.
Oh my God. Signal has to lose at this critical time. I must press the button before Inspector reaches hotel. If I press it too late and Inspector is in the hotel and I will just blow up just the jeep. He will know that we betrayed him so he will betray us and steal all of our diamonds and also he would unleash whole Police force on us. What if I press the button and lose the signal. Oh God please help me.
Don picked up the other cell phone. Number was already on the top of screen he pressed the call button and held it to his ears. Nothing was happening. Then he heard a ring tone and it died in a moment. Don autodialed the number many times and then his own cell phone rang, it was Danny.
“Big brother you blew up Inspector Daya Ram right in the hotel porch. Whole face of the hotel is gone including porch. It is spectacular, I doubt if anybody could have survived in the lobby. I can see the fires from here. Half of the hotel is hanging in the front. De-inauguration of that hotel was already on our list but you did it with your hands.”
Don was worried he asked, “What will happened to our diamonds, you say hotel is on fire.”
“Don’t worry; two of our units are ready to enter in the hotel, they are waiting for the smoke to settle. Don’t worry police is busy because today we killed many people in this area and not even a single police unit is available. All we need is five minutes. I will call you later. Bye.”

Don smiled, “Bye-bye Inspector Daya, have a nice trip.”
Abdul clapped.
“Let’s party, I am hungry, cook baby-lamb-Biriyani.” Don said.
“Sir Rice is not good for you.”
“In that case cook baby-lamb curry.”
Colors returned on the face of Don and he was hungry.

11

Rishi and Hermit bathed, packed up the bag and checked out of the room and took elevator to the lobby.
They saw the Manager sitting at his position.
“You can’t leave.”
“Why!” Rishi said.
“Some one wants to meet you here.”
They heard the screeching of the breaks and a police jeep abruptly stopped in the porch. Manager rushed out to greet his friend’s friend Inspector Daya Ram.
Manager pointed his finger to them. “They are here, they were about to leave.”
Inspector Daya alighted from the jeep he looked at Rishi and Hermit.
“Remember me.” Inspector Daya had sinister smile on his thin lips.
Rishi laughed. “Lucky stones are indeed bringing you luck today.”
Hermit went cold and almost fainted with fear.
Inspector now had revolver in his hand. “Remember this hand.”
There was an intense flash of light and their ears and eyes stopped functioning. A ball of fire and heat brushed Rishi’s face for a moment. It took about one minute they started feeling crackling sounds and smells of burning objects. They were standing in between the debris.
As smoke scattered Rishi inspected Hermit from head to toe. Hermit did the same but then he saw a human hand was lying there by the Rishi’s feet, with rings on each finger including one on the thumb.
He shivered in fear and bowed and touched Rishi’s both feet.
“Jai Kali Mai the goddess of death and destruction.”
“Why you did this Gangagiri”
“I thought I left mother Ganges but she never left me, she is with me,” Hermit said, “Jai-Ganga-Mai, Ganges the goddess of love and prosperity. Jai Kali Mai, Kali the goddess of Death and destruction.”
Rishi laughed. “Gangagiri do you need lucky stones?”
“Rishi Sahib, we already have too many.”
They laughed.
“Rishi Sahib, we must get out of here.”
Night Manager was also safe, he was staring at them in confusion.
“Hey Maharaja, are you OK, you can move away from smoke.” But he didn’t budge from his spot.
Porch was gone but a portion of large column was still standing and that column protected them from the explosion.
“Are you fine?” Rishi asked Manager.
“Who?”
“Are you OK?”
“Who are you?” Mr. Chubby asked.
“Seem like you are in a shock.” Rishi said, “Let’s go.”
Smoke was now unbearable, Rishi dragged him out, and he was staring at everything in a state of confusion.
They left the scene and nobody saw them leaving.

Next minute, two boys in twenties arrived on the scene on a motorcycle. Monkey caps and black goggles covered most of their faces, and they wore gloves. One was carrying AK-47 submachine gun. Other was carrying a black bag containing basic tools, just in case they may need to break a lock or whatever. They rushed through the debris and burning objects in the lobby and ran up the stairs two at a time to third floor.

Room number 307 was open and unoccupied. Broken glass debris was heaped up in a corner. It was apparent that the table was cut in half by some glass cutter, half fell on the marble floor and shattered in the pieces.
“Looks like someone cut this table by a glass cutter.”
“Or by our diamond.” Danny’s son was shaking his neck, he stomped in anger.
A three-quarter empty bottle of Johnny Walker Scotch whisky was resting on the settee. They looked all around and found a small sparkling diamond under the table and a piece of paper in the trashcan. That’s all they found in the room.
In less then five minutes they were gone on the motorcycle.

At some distance, in a deserted area, Danny was waiting for them in a car. Motorcycle stopped, and both boys alighted. Car trunk was open; they tossed in their AK-47, goggles, caps and gloves. Danny’s son took the front passenger seat of the car.
Other boy started the motorcycle.
Danny’s son said to him, “Hey listen.”
He walked to Danny’s son.
“Yes.”
Danny’s son has a revolver ready; he shot the other boy in the head.
Danny said, “Another Black sheep climbed the golden staircase.”
Danny drove the car and asked to his son, “Did you get the diamonds?”
“No, we got just one diamond and this paper from the trashcan. It looks like we were a bit late.”
Danny was very shocked. He stopped the car on the curb.
“I am not feeling well, you drive the car.” They walked around the car to change the seats and car sped again.
“Inspector Daya has joined the gods. Seems like he is the only one died.”
“Too bad, your uncle has kicked his bucket prematurely. Daya was the one who was on the chase to the robbers. Now whole police would be our enemy. We must leave the country immediately.”
“But we are broke without diamonds.”
“Oh God why you have forsaken us?” Danny said.
After twenty minutes they were in their safe heaven, Danny called his big brother in Dubai.
Hope he survives this news.

12

Don was pacing nervously in his verandah in Dubai. A gale was blowing. He was waiting for the good news.
Cell phone rang.
“Yes Denny?”
“Big brother, we have a bad news. The worse news of our life.”
His heart fluttered, phone fell down from his hand and he fell upon it and stared jerking his limbs and head. He had another epilepsy seizure.
Abdul immediately inserted the shoe aid in his mouth.
His breaker tripped. Overload is diverted to his nerves.

13

Don in Dubai had no energy left to pace in his verandah. He was lying in his room. Loudspeaker in the mosque near told that it was prayer time. He made a Herculean effort to pray.
God please give me my diamonds. Please don’t forsake me in this time of the need. Why you did this to me at this time when I was going to change myself.
”Abdul call my brother.”
Abdul connected the phone to Danny.
“Hello Danny, I am sick.”
“Big brother, now what would happen to our Canadian deal? We have to make payment soon or we would lose everything. It is not the time to get sick.”
“Well Danny, I have no control over it, I am getting epilepsy seizures.”
“We may have a link to the robbers, your nephew found a piece of paper from that room number 307 in the hotel Golden Star. It is a Delhi street address. I am going there myself. We are on the way to the Airport. This is our last chance.”
“Who lives at that address?”
“Whoever lives there, we will force them to tell us about our diamonds, we will pull their limbs apart, we will hang them with their tongues.”
“Go. God be with you.” Don replied.
Don muttered, “I must call Roger and ask for forgiveness again. I will ask him to connect me to Rishi so I can ask for his forgiveness too. Oh Merciful God! Please help me I will really forgive them both.”
Abdul looked at him. Now he is again hopeful. His compressor is short cycling and safety will trip again.
Don stared at the ceiling for several minutes then started weeping.
Abdul connect me to New York.
“Sir, Roger’s secretary already told us not to call again.”
Don barked, “You retarded idiot, my life is on sake and she told us not to call again. Call HER again.”
“Sir she clearly told us that in order to accept our call she must see our number on her caller ID.”
“Call her on our land line. This is the matter of life and death.”
Abdul punched her number on a cordless phone.
“Sir she is on line.”
“Hello Jennifer, please connect me to Roger. I beg you.”
“Sir, you already talked to him, he is a busy man.”
“Please! Please connect me to him.”
“OK, this is the last time. Hold on.”
Roger came on the line after five minutes.
“Yes. Now what?”
“I ask for your forgiveness again, kindly connect me to Rishi so I can ask for his forgiveness too. Please tell him to give me my diamonds he robbed from us, God will bless you. I have no other money left.”
“Wait a minute, wait a minute. Tell me exactly what Rishi did to you?”
Don gave him details.
“Now tell me in details how you tried to blackmail me?”
“It will never happen again. I am really sorry.”
“Tell me in details, I may ask Rishi to forgive you.”
So Don told him the details.
Don said, “Now can I have my diamonds back.”
“I don’t know but this conversation is recorded on our best machines, with time stamps and call records.”
Don had another epilepsy seizure, the biggest of his life.
Abdul looked at him.
His compressor! First time in his life he used his land line and ---

14

Rishi and Hermit took a taxi to a market but all shops were closed, they wandered around till a garment shop opened, they changed the clothes in the shop. Taxi brought them at the airport at 9am.
A flight to Delhi was to depart in half hour.
Rishi went to ticketing counter.
“Do we still have the time to catch this flight to Delhi?”
Lady said, “If you run fast.”
“Two tickets to Delhi and names are Rishi Giri and Ganga Giri.” Rishi paid money.
“Now go to gate immediately.”
“May I use your stapler?”
Rishi stapled and closed the opening of the pillow cover, now it looked like a parcel. Lady was laughing. Rishi borrowed a permanent marker and wrote on it: Prime Minister Relief Fund. Delhi.

They were issued boarding passes.
Hermit whispered in Rishi’s ears, “Rishi Sahib, these diamonds are illegal, we have no receipts, and we could get arrested.”
Rishi smiled.
Hermit said, “I think we must enter in the security area, everybody is already gone.”
“Let’s go to restaurant, we are hungry.”
“Rishi Sahib we have no time for breakfast, we will miss the flight.”
“We have time.” Rishi took time to eat breakfast. Hermit was nervous.

“Ganga Giri you go ahead and pass thought the security.”
Hermit passed the metal detector gate and his bag passed through X-Ray scanner without any question.
Rishi had the parcel in his hands; a stewardess with a walkie-talkie in her hand was waiting for him nervously because they were missing the flight.
He placed the parcel at the X-Ray machine and passed through the metal detector gate.
“What is in this parcel? You must open it.”
“Rishi turned the parcel and policeman’s eyes were wide open.”
“Open it?”
Stewardess said to policeman, “Sir, we are running late.”
Policeman said to Rishi, “You can go, have a nice journey.”
They entered in the aircraft.
“Rishi Sahib you are a fearless trickster.”
Danny’s brother, his son and three other operatives were on the same flight.

15

Kalu Yadav arrived at Mumbai Central station at 7.30am and found ‘Mumbai Bangalore Udyan Express’ ready to leave at 8.05am. He had hard time to purchase a second-class ticket to the town that was nearest station to his village, because booking clerk refused to accept thousand-rupee bill. He tried three windows and finally one clerk gave him the ticket and the change. His ankle was hurting; he limped after moving train and caught it. He was scared of police as well pick picketers. If police caught him, he would be in trouble because he had no explanation for the large amount of the money he was carrying. He himself was a criminal, he knew, this much money was enough to get killed in the street in the broad daylight. That’s the reason he walked to air-conditioned sleeper coach, which was the relatively safer. Plenty of seats were empty; conductor upgraded his ticket and assigned him a side window seat and he locked himself behind a curtain.

A person was listening to the news on FM radio.
----Today morning a Police Inspector Daya Ram was assassinated in front of a hotel ‘Golden Star’. Two years ago, he was awarded, presidential award for bravery. A sophisticated remote controlled RDX device blew up his jeep to pieces. Many people had a narrow escape and no other casualty is reported at the site. Police has blamed this assassination on a gang of the Mumbai Underworld whose Don has been hiding in Dubai. Police has declared a full-scaled war with Mafia. It was a dark night for Mumbai Gangs too, more then fifteen people of questionable character were killed in shootouts all around the city. It is reported that two fractions of Mumbai Underworld are at war with each other. In another unrelated incident, three dreaded criminals were found poisoned near a slum. -----

Kalu Yadav shivered with chill, all hairs of his body erected. He shivered and put on the blanket supplied by the train staff..
I saw Kali Mai the ruthless black mother destructor of evil. Black Mother in the form of a smiling hermit faced man Rishi. She asked me for a hug and she blessed me. She lured Inspector Daya to her feet and blew him to pieces. She lured me and transformed my life. She killed Poppy and his friends. A dog is always seen near Kali Mai’s pictures and idols; she jumped in the sewer to rescue her animal.
He imagined Rishi’s smiling face again and prayed.
Maa thanks for accepting me. I will never let you down. I will use each drop of my blood and sweat in your service. My people are not helpless anymore, Mother Kali you are with us now.
Then Kalu Yadav remembered that he was the only person who was dark colored in his family. A wandering hermit told his parents that Kali the black-goddess-of-death and destruction has blessed their baby boy with dark color.
My birth did not go in vain. Mother Kali you blessed me.
Train stopped at Kalyan Station. From the slit of his curtain he saw a policeman with gun. He looked at his swollen ankle and shivered again. Then he saw another policeman. They were four. Kali imagined Rishi’s picture in his mind.
Mother Kali the Avenger! Please do not abandon me.
Now he saw a man he hated most in his life.
This man has murdered my family and half of my village. My little nephews are dieing slowly with pain in front of my brother and sister-in-law. This man has brought hell in our lives.
This man, Mr. Narang MP (Member of the Parliament) was the law of his land.
Narang MP owned the factory that was still pumping back the toxic chemicals in the groundwater. He boarded the train with four of his bodyguards. They occupied a full section of the coach, a little away from Kalu Yadav’s berth.
A uniformed man came to sell mineral water bottles; he gave a bottle to MP neither vendor asked for a payment nor MP showed any interest to pay.
Kalu Yadav bought two mineral water bottles.
He smiled.
Mother Kali the Avenger! You have many hands; my hands are your hands. I am on your mission.

16

Night Manager of hotel ‘Golden Star’ lost his memory, he walked aimlessly in confusion. His clothes and face was full of soot. Everything looked strange to him. Police was looking for him because he was the only witness of the explosion that blew Inspector Daya Ram to pieces. He was asking everybody who he was. Somebody brought him to Police Station.
“Who am I?”
“Who are you?” Police station in charge asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Why are your face and clothes black with soot.”
“I was in a building which was burning two people rescued me?”
“Holy cow, you lost your memory.”
“Where do I sleep? I want to sleep?”
“Empty your pockets so I can see if you are carrying some ID.”
“My pockets are empty. I have no money, I am hungry.”

Manager’s wife heard about the explosion at the hotel first she ran to hotel and then she came running to Police Station to report him missing.
He was sitting with station in-charge and they were drinking tea.
“Oh my Sir! What happened to you?”
“Who are you?” he asked his wife.
“Who is he?” Police Inspector asked to his wife.
“He is My Sir.” She replied.
“And who are you?”
“I am his wife.”
“I guess you both are married.”
“Yes we are married. He is My Sir.”
“And you are his wife.” Inspector said in anger. He picked his cane and grabbed it tight in his hand.
“I already told you that I am his wife.”
Inspector clanged the cane on the table. “I want to know who he is?”
“He is the father of my children.” Now lady was in anger, her father was in Police too.
“OK tell me where this father of your children works?”
“He works in a hotel.”
Inspector’s anger was now hitting the ceiling he clanged his cane on the table again and both tea glasses jumped.
“And where is this hotel?”
“Here in Mumbai.” She replied.
Inspector grinded his teeth and hissed, “Where do you both live?”
“Here in Mumbai?”
Inspector clanged his cane on the table the third time and this time both glassed jumped and fell on the ground.
“Is he the night manager of the hotel ‘Golden Star’?”
She yelled, “Yes, his hotel is burning and he is sitting here drinking tea with you lazy copper.”
Then she ordered her husband, “Get up, you lazy bum. You are covered with black dust.”
Night Manager of the Golden Star yelled back, “Hey woman, you mind your language. This is not black dust this is soot.”
Inspector said, “Holy Cow.” he picked up the phone and started calling.
“Inspector I don’t want to go with her, can I come with you to your home. I must go to sleep?”

17

Airplane was flying over the sun baking deserts of Rajesthan. Hermit was looking from the window. Rishi was trying to make a neat hole on the top of parcel.
“Rishi Sahib why are you opening this parcel.”
“Gangagiri few days ago you submersed your mother Ganges’s idol in the Ganges.”
“Yes Rishi Sahib.”
“Mother Ganges was wearing a necklace.”
“Yes you gave me that necklace.”
“That necklace was wearing real diamonds.”
“No kidding.” Hermit said in bewilderment.
“Gangagiri, have you ever seen a leopard.”
“Yes I saw it in the mountains.”
“Is it dangerous?”
Hermit replied smilingly. “Extremely dangerous.”
“Does it look dangerous?”
“No, that’s how dogs die. They think it a harmless beautiful cat with buttery skin they attack it. Once I saw it killing seven wild dogs in a single attack. I hid behind a rock; just consider Ganga Mai saved my life that day.”
Rishi said, “Ganga Giri, once an American friend visited me in India. I picked this young, white, athletic friend of mine, from the airport our taxi broke down in a deserted place. Driver was figuring the problem and my friend got down to walk around. It was early in the morning. I think he went to a bush to urinate but started screaming hysterically and ran. I ran after him but he ran fast because he was an athlete, finally he tripped over a bush and I caught him.”
“Rishi Sahib, what happened? Did he see a king cobra?”
“That’s what I am getting at. I caught him; he said he saw a very dangerous mean looking animal. He said God has saved his life and he wants to go back to America on the same returning aircraft.”
“What did he see?”
“Gangagiri that is what I am getting at. I asked him to show me the dangerous animal. He screamed and ran again.”
“What animal did he see?”
“He fell again and broke his two teeth. I ran to him but he was still in hysteria. I asked him to come sit in the car but he refused.”
“Rishi Sahib, what did he see?”
“Gangagiri that is what I am getting at. So I asked him what he saw. He replied that he saw a huge black animal that looked at him with wide eyes. It had huge horns, it hissed to swallow him alive and he ran.”
“What was it?”
“Gangagiri that is what I am getting at. So what happened? Now it was daylight, a huge black animal appeared, and that white man ran again.”
“What was that animal?” A man who was sitting at the back seat shouted. Two other people followed the suit. Now five people wanted to know what was the animal now including a kid who was staring at Rishi with a desperate look.
“Uncle what was that animal.”
“That is what I am getting at. Now it was light, a huge black animal appeared and that man ran again. I ran too.”
An airhostess stopped serving passengers to listen Rishi’s story. A fat man from the backseat unbuckled his seats and stood next to Rishi in the aisle.
He said, “For Pete’s sake what was that animal?”
“That is what I am getting at. I ran too to follow him. He lost a shoe but kept running. He was an athlete. We heard that animal’s roar we were still running.”
A crowd gathered around Rishi. Everybody was begging him to tell him what was that animal.
“That is what I am getting at. We heard that big black animal’s roar but we were still running. I too lost a shoe but kept running.”
Kid came to Rishi and yelled, “What was the animal?”
“That is what I am getting at. I lost a shoe but kept running. Thorns were hurting me. My socks were torn, and I was screaming.”
“Why were you screaming for?” Kid asked.
Fat man was now angry, “What was that god dam animal?”
“That is what I am getting at. Finally that guy fell in a drain and sprained his boot feet and was not able to run. I sat with him and asked him how is he feeling?”
Now a lady was angry and airhostess was also frustrated a captain walked to them and asked what’s going on.
“What was the animal?” a man asked Rishi.
“What was what?” Captain asked.
“That is what I am getting at. Now it was enough light, so walked to and found our shoes. Then I went to that animal. We stared at each other.”
“For God’s sake what was that animal?”
Now about one third of the aircraft wanted to know what was the animal including the captain.
“That is what I am getting at. I found our shoes and looked in the animal’s eyes, took it by horn and brought it to the white man who again screamed and tried to run but he was too tired and his foot was sprained.”
Captain said, “Come on man tell me what was that animal, I got to bring this airliner down at Delhi, you can whisper it in my ears so I can go.”
“That is what I am getting at, I brought that black milk buffalo by its horn and.”
Half of the aircraft was laughing including the child.
Captain left and announced that they were about (ha, ha, ha) to land in Delhi and (ha, ha, ha) everybody must fasten (ha, ha, ha) seatbelts.
Passengers who missed the story asked other passengers and swapped the seats. Storytellers maintained Rishi’s style.
“Rishi Sahib, I think I asked you a question and whole airplane heard a joke.”
“Gangagiri what was your question?”
“Rishi Sahib, what made you to opened this parcel.”
“That is what I was getting at. You missed the joke.”
“How I missed the joke?”
“Say if we give this package to our honorable Prime Minister and he may throw it away assuming that some body played a prank with him.”
“Yes Rishi Sahib, they may think that some body sent him some glass pieces, or artificial diamonds, the way I thought about the necklace you gave me.”
“Yes Gangagiri.”
“Or Rishi Sahib somebody may steal the diamonds before they reach our honorable Prime Minister.”
“We must make sure that this does not happen.”
“Jai-Ganga-Mai. Jai Kali Mai.”
“Is buffalo a dangerous animal?”
“Even a five years old kid can walk it around, but it may look dangerous to someone.”
“I will make this parcel a dog’s leopard or my white American friend’s buffalo.”
“Jai-Ganga-Mai.”

Fat man was still laughing and his belly was shaking violently. Don’s brother Danny waited for him to finish his laughing.
“Excuse me, do you live in Delhi.” Danny asked.
“Yes from the day one.”
Danny handed him a piece of paper. “I am new to Delhi, where would be this place?”
“You want to go there?”
“That’s right. My friend lives there.”
“What is the name of your friend?”
“That is none of your business. I just want to know where this place is, so taxi drive won’t take advantage of my ignorance.”
Fat man started laughing violently again. A man from back seat shouted, “What was the animal?”
“Another buffalo joke.” Fat man shouted back.
Danny was very angry. He never liked jokes.
“We want to hear this buffalo joke too.” One lady shouted.
“This man happens to be a friend of Prime Minister of India and he is asking me for the directions to reach him so taxi driver won’t take advantage of his ignorance.”
People roared to laugher. Passenger who missed the joke swapped the seats and whole plane were laughing again. Everybody laughed except Danny & Company. He went to the washroom and wept.

Rishi and Hermit came out of airport without any event. Delhi was a furnace under the May sun. They hired an auto rickshaw to Prime Minister’s office, on the way he asked driver to stop in a market. He bought a cheap electronic alarm clock.

18

At 2pm Prime Minister of India was very busy in his office to co-coordinate the relief operations in the west coast of India where a cyclone has caused an immense damage. He was talking with the three Army Generals.
A secretary placed a tray on the table.
“Sir we have a situation.”

19

Danny and Co. did not go to the office of Prime Minister of India but ate lunch and then bought the ticket to the next flight to Mumbai. They arrived in Mumbai at 4pm. A TV was hanging in the exit lobby.
Danny’s son screamed, “Papa look at the television. Our diamonds, those same boxes. Those fifty million dollars diamonds, he donated our diamonds to Prime Minister Relief Fund.”Danny watched the TV in horror.
He said, “Our diamonds are now Bum-Fodder. He had no right to donate our diamonds.”
Ground slipped under Danny’s feet. He fell down and had his first epilepsy seizure.

Rishi and Hermit caught the taxi to Gateway of India.
They arrived at Alipore property in at night. Joshi and Shiva said that many people were calling repeatedly to know their whereabouts including Roger, his CEO Sanjay and Vinita.
Rishi called Vinita at Bishambar’s home and she broke down and wept.
“Where were you? Roger said you are in a grave danger.”
Rishi laughed.
“Stay at the property and don’t leave, I will call Roger.”

20

Udyan Express was running late by four hours because of some derailment ahead. Kalu had washed several bills in a mineral water bottle and now its water looked a bit dirty. He was waiting patiently like a vulture. He was not in any particular rush neither he was scared.
Mother Kali is with me.

Express stopped at a big station, a crowd of people came in Kalu Yadav’s bogie and loaded MP with garlands and handed him a basket full with food, fruits and a bottle of expansive whisky. Train delayed by another half hour for Mr. Narang Member of Parliament who was just one step short of becoming a Union Minister. As train resumed, first he drank the liquor and then ate the special food at 11pm. he ordered his gunmen to pack the half empty liquor bottle in his luggage but gave them the left over food. At 11.30pm he was snoring. His gunmen were playing cards.

21

Omar tried to call Danny on the cell phone but Danny changed his number again.
He called at Danny’s home.
He said in ghostly slow voice, “Dan! Day-neee! Day-nnyee! Da-nny! D-a-nn-ie.”
“Omar please, have some mercy on us.”
“Me-r-s-e-y Dai-nnn-eee? Remember Uttarkashi! Remember Rishi job!”
“Omar please for God sake leave us alone.”
Omar smiled. Good! Confusion and misery is good for their blood sugar. Let me give them fever
“Want to say hello to Rishi … Huh!”
.”Where is Rishi?”
“Daiee-neieee, you pissed us off.”
“Omar, where is Rishi.”
“Rishi just had supper. He is having your blood pudding, naturally sweetened.”
“Where?”
“That will cost you one hundred thousand dollars.”
“We don’t have one hundred thousand dollars.”
“Then kidnap some body, kidnap Sonny.” Omar laughed, “Kidnap Roger.”
“Omar, we can pay you twenty thousand dollars, take it or leave it.”
“Thirty, in advance, by Western Union.”
“Call me after one hour.”
Omar smiled.

22

Abdul handed the cell phone to Don in Don in Dubai.
“Big brother, Omar wants thirty thousand dollars to tell us about Rishi.”
“First thing, I don’t have thirty thousand dollars and second thing, he is a liar, he is recruited by this Mercenary Rishi, he knows about our Canadian plans and I am afraid he may share this information with Rishi.”
“Big brother, you are right!”
“Big brother, I have put our house on sale. Tomorrow morning is the closing and we are coming to you in the evening.”
“Danny, wish we had other choice!”
“Oh Almighty God! We were always faithful to you, why we are seeing this day.”
“Bye big brother.”
“Wait, wait Danny, I will give thirty thousand dollars to Omar, who knows we may get to the Rishi. What choice do we have?”


End of Chapter 12