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.All countries other than their own.No press releases to the media.No entourages.Almost as if they didn’t want anyone to know they were meeting.’‘So you think that there is more to this meeting tomorrow, between Buckworth and Bheem Singh, than has been officially announced?’ Vaid began to see where Imran was going with his logic.‘I think so.This is a one-on-one meeting between Bheem Singh and Buckworth.No delegation accompanying the VP or joining Bheem Singh A meeting to convey thanks from the US, would normally be accompanied by much more publicity, invitations to the press, a large delegation on both sides and all the frills.Why is none of that happening?’‘So what do you think they are meeting for?’‘I don’t have a theory about that, yet,’ Imran admitted to his boss.‘Like I said, it’s just a hunch that something more is cooking.’Vaid sighed.‘Fine.But you’re going out on a limb on this one, Kidwai.I’ll get you into the farmhouse.But I’m not getting the Home Minister involved in this.Not without a better reason than a hunch of yours.Once you’re in the farmhouse, you’re on your own.If you’re wrong about this, just make sure that you don’t mess up there.If something goes wrong, I won’t cover you.Not this time.Is that understood?’Imran nodded.‘Got it.But I’ll find something.I can feel it in my bones.’Right On Track‘So that’s the plan,’ Farooq said to Murphy.‘We won’t move in until you give us the signal.And you’ll lie low after that, until we reach the final phase of the plan.’Murphy looked thoughtful.‘Seems like a good plan.The only problem I can see is if they find more clues at Barabar and the search goes on.We are now running against time.’‘I don’t think this trail goes on for much longer,’ Farooq sounded confident.‘We are going to where the Magadha Empire sprang from, where Asoka had his Capital.The location where the secret is hidden can’t be too far.The description by Surasen, the man who first discovered the cavern 2,000 years ago, mentions a 10-day journey from the Capital of the empire.We are close to finding it now.And I think our plan will ensure that they work to our deadlines.’‘Very well.’ Murphy rose.‘You’d better not mess this one up.They aren’t happy with you, I can tell you that.’Farooq didn’t reply.The secret of the Nine was within his grasp.And he would ensure that it did not elude him.25Day 8The Patna-Gaya Highway, BiharColin looked out of the window of the Nissan X Trail they had hired at Patna, the Capital city of the state of Bihar.They had decided to set up base at the Asoka Palace Hotel in Patna after arriving earlier in the morning.Two hours ago, they had left Patna and were now driving down to Gaya.‘One kilometre to Bela,’ he announced as they passed a milestone.He glanced at the roadmap of Bihar that lay open on his lap.‘From Bela, we turn right, off the highway.’‘I’ll be glad to reach the place.’ Vijay shifted in his seat as he drove.Colin was in the passenger seat next to him, while Radha, Shukla and White were in the backseat of the X Trail.The drive had been tiring.The road was a two-lane highway and in poor shape.With alarming frequency, it would degenerate into a mass of potholes and cracks, making it difficult to maintain a good speed.Even when they did manage to speed up, Vijay often had to slow down as they passed through villages that would keep popping up on either side of the highway.Occasionally, they would have to stop for a tractor-trailer or bullock cart that emerged from the dirt paths that snaked away from the road and through fields on either side.A signboard announced that they had reached the town of Bela and the car slowed down to a crawl as Vijay manoeuvred through the mass of bicycles, push carts, bullock carts, cycle rickshaws and motorcycles that thronged the road.Cows and stray dogs mixed freely with the traffic and people and Vijay had to use the vehicle’s horn liberally.He popped his head out of the window and hailed a hawker selling bangles.‘Where do we turn for Barabar?’Though the question was aimed at the hawker, four men standing nearby gathered around the car, and began arguing about the best way to reach Barabar.Vijay waited, patiently, as they discussed the merits of each route.Finally, one of the men gave him directions, nodding his head all the time as if to reassure Vijay about the accuracy of his advice.Vijay drove off only to stop a few metres ahead to validate the directions he had been given.Relieved to find that they had been guided correctly, he followed the directions and they soon found themselves on the road to Barabar.The road from here was rough and bumpy; mostly potholes and dirt.They had been warned, at Patna, about the state of the road beyond Bela, which had led them to rent the X Trail.Forty-five minutes later, jolted and shaken by the ride, they arrived at the site of the caves.The landscape was bleak and barren; desolate scrubland with large rocks and boulders strewn around as if thrown there in anger by the hand of a giant.Clumps of straggling trees dotted the scene which was dominated by the hill.Even as they approached, they realised that Barabar Hill was a misnomer.The hill was more a huge black rock, not more than 30 feet in height.It rose from the ground like the back of a whale protruding from the ocean.The rock was bereft of any vegetation.Vijay brought the vehicle to a halt at the foot of the rock.They alighted and gazed at the desolation around them.Radha shivered.‘I can see why people are advised not to venture here alone,’ she remarked, looking around.White waved an arm at the rock-strewn landscape.‘Most people are probably unaware that this site has an association with Asoka the Great [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.All countries other than their own.No press releases to the media.No entourages.Almost as if they didn’t want anyone to know they were meeting.’‘So you think that there is more to this meeting tomorrow, between Buckworth and Bheem Singh, than has been officially announced?’ Vaid began to see where Imran was going with his logic.‘I think so.This is a one-on-one meeting between Bheem Singh and Buckworth.No delegation accompanying the VP or joining Bheem Singh A meeting to convey thanks from the US, would normally be accompanied by much more publicity, invitations to the press, a large delegation on both sides and all the frills.Why is none of that happening?’‘So what do you think they are meeting for?’‘I don’t have a theory about that, yet,’ Imran admitted to his boss.‘Like I said, it’s just a hunch that something more is cooking.’Vaid sighed.‘Fine.But you’re going out on a limb on this one, Kidwai.I’ll get you into the farmhouse.But I’m not getting the Home Minister involved in this.Not without a better reason than a hunch of yours.Once you’re in the farmhouse, you’re on your own.If you’re wrong about this, just make sure that you don’t mess up there.If something goes wrong, I won’t cover you.Not this time.Is that understood?’Imran nodded.‘Got it.But I’ll find something.I can feel it in my bones.’Right On Track‘So that’s the plan,’ Farooq said to Murphy.‘We won’t move in until you give us the signal.And you’ll lie low after that, until we reach the final phase of the plan.’Murphy looked thoughtful.‘Seems like a good plan.The only problem I can see is if they find more clues at Barabar and the search goes on.We are now running against time.’‘I don’t think this trail goes on for much longer,’ Farooq sounded confident.‘We are going to where the Magadha Empire sprang from, where Asoka had his Capital.The location where the secret is hidden can’t be too far.The description by Surasen, the man who first discovered the cavern 2,000 years ago, mentions a 10-day journey from the Capital of the empire.We are close to finding it now.And I think our plan will ensure that they work to our deadlines.’‘Very well.’ Murphy rose.‘You’d better not mess this one up.They aren’t happy with you, I can tell you that.’Farooq didn’t reply.The secret of the Nine was within his grasp.And he would ensure that it did not elude him.25Day 8The Patna-Gaya Highway, BiharColin looked out of the window of the Nissan X Trail they had hired at Patna, the Capital city of the state of Bihar.They had decided to set up base at the Asoka Palace Hotel in Patna after arriving earlier in the morning.Two hours ago, they had left Patna and were now driving down to Gaya.‘One kilometre to Bela,’ he announced as they passed a milestone.He glanced at the roadmap of Bihar that lay open on his lap.‘From Bela, we turn right, off the highway.’‘I’ll be glad to reach the place.’ Vijay shifted in his seat as he drove.Colin was in the passenger seat next to him, while Radha, Shukla and White were in the backseat of the X Trail.The drive had been tiring.The road was a two-lane highway and in poor shape.With alarming frequency, it would degenerate into a mass of potholes and cracks, making it difficult to maintain a good speed.Even when they did manage to speed up, Vijay often had to slow down as they passed through villages that would keep popping up on either side of the highway.Occasionally, they would have to stop for a tractor-trailer or bullock cart that emerged from the dirt paths that snaked away from the road and through fields on either side.A signboard announced that they had reached the town of Bela and the car slowed down to a crawl as Vijay manoeuvred through the mass of bicycles, push carts, bullock carts, cycle rickshaws and motorcycles that thronged the road.Cows and stray dogs mixed freely with the traffic and people and Vijay had to use the vehicle’s horn liberally.He popped his head out of the window and hailed a hawker selling bangles.‘Where do we turn for Barabar?’Though the question was aimed at the hawker, four men standing nearby gathered around the car, and began arguing about the best way to reach Barabar.Vijay waited, patiently, as they discussed the merits of each route.Finally, one of the men gave him directions, nodding his head all the time as if to reassure Vijay about the accuracy of his advice.Vijay drove off only to stop a few metres ahead to validate the directions he had been given.Relieved to find that they had been guided correctly, he followed the directions and they soon found themselves on the road to Barabar.The road from here was rough and bumpy; mostly potholes and dirt.They had been warned, at Patna, about the state of the road beyond Bela, which had led them to rent the X Trail.Forty-five minutes later, jolted and shaken by the ride, they arrived at the site of the caves.The landscape was bleak and barren; desolate scrubland with large rocks and boulders strewn around as if thrown there in anger by the hand of a giant.Clumps of straggling trees dotted the scene which was dominated by the hill.Even as they approached, they realised that Barabar Hill was a misnomer.The hill was more a huge black rock, not more than 30 feet in height.It rose from the ground like the back of a whale protruding from the ocean.The rock was bereft of any vegetation.Vijay brought the vehicle to a halt at the foot of the rock.They alighted and gazed at the desolation around them.Radha shivered.‘I can see why people are advised not to venture here alone,’ she remarked, looking around.White waved an arm at the rock-strewn landscape.‘Most people are probably unaware that this site has an association with Asoka the Great [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]