Jungle Justice

“I must assume that is the case,” Takeri said. “If any negligence of mine has jeopardized your mission, I must now apologize.”

“We couldn’t count on cover all the way,” Bolan replied. “I would’ve liked a better lead, but we can work with this.”

Takeri frowned. “But if the hunters, as you put it, are aware of our intentions—”

“Scratch that,” Bolan interrupted. “We’ll assume they’re onto you for asking questions, but they won’t know why, or who you’re working for. They don’t know me at all, beyond a glimpse tonight, and there’s no way they have a handle on my plans.”

“Because?”

“I haven’t made plans, yet.”

Takeri’s frown deepened. “I draw no reassurance from that statement, Mr. Cooper.”

Bolan shrugged. “Don’t sweat it. Coming in, I had no fix on the best way to reach Naraka. Now I’m warming up to it.”

“You have a plan, in fact?”

“It’s coming to me. First, I need to have a word with this Vyasa character.”

“I say again, he is protected.”

“Not from me.”

The cutting edge of Bolan’s tone sent an unexpected chill rippling along Takeri’s spine.

“You would approach him directly?”

“That’s right.”

“And if he’s being watched? Guarded?”

“We’ll have to take that chance.”

Takeri’s frown deepened. “When you say ‘we’—”

“You’ll need to show me where Vyasa lives and point him out. Aside from that, I’ll need details of what your Captain Gupta has on him, what links him to Naraka. Dates, facts, figures. Anything at all to crack him open, make him feel cooperative.”

“I see.” From where Takeri sat, it was a grim vision indeed. “But once again I ask, if he is guarded?”

“We’ll see how it goes,” Bolan replied. “You did okay tonight against those cutters.”

“Still, if you had not arrived just when you did, the outcome may have been a disappointment.”

“We’ll avoid that in the future if we can.”

“If I am permitted to inquire, what are you, Mr. Cooper? Surely not an analyst.”

“I wouldn’t say that. No.”

“What, then?”

“A trouble-shooter,” the American replied. “We’ll let it go at that, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.”

“About those details on Vyasa—”

“Captain Gupta did not favor me with all specifics of the case, you understand.”

“Just give me what you have.”

“On several occasions—five or six, I think he said—Vyasa has been seen with export dealers linked to the Naraka group. In normal circumstances, these are men Vyasa should have been investigating, possibly arresting, but he seemed to be on cordial terms with all of them. At two meetings, police observed the passage of an envelope into Vyasa’s hands.”

“Containing money?” Bolan asked.

Takeri shrugged. “Sadly, they did not stop him to inquire. There is a mystery of sorts in that respect. His bank accounts—those known to the authorities, at least—show no unusual or unexplained deposits, yet Vyasa lives beyond his means.”

“So, he’s been hiding cash somewhere.”

“Presumably.”

“Maybe we’ll shake some of it loose from him and use it on the next phase of our journey.”

“Which would be?”

“I thought you understood. I’m here to find Naraka.”

“But he almost never leaves the Sundarbans.”

“I guess that’s where we’ll find him, then,” Bolan stated.

Again, the deadly we, Takeri thought. “I should advise you, Mr. Cooper, that my personal experience in fieldwork of this sort is…limited.”

“You spent time in the military, I believe?”

Takeri masked his first rush of surprise. “That’s true.”

“And you’re my guide for the duration, yes?”

“Correct.” Takeri felt the noose settle around his neck.

“No problem, then.”

No problem. The phrase was said as if the words would not only allay Takeri’s fear but turn him into something he was not. A hunting guide, perhaps. A jungle warrior. True, he had been trained for living off the land and fighting in the wilderness, but all of that seemed long ago and far away.

“I will endeavor not to fail you, Mr. Cooper,” he replied.

“It’s Matt. And failure’s not an option.”