Iram glanced back at him. As if she were still waiting for his permission. He blinked a nod and watched her slip inside. A knock sounded on his door.
“Who is it?”
“Me, Fahad.”
Atharva eyed Altaf. He strode to the door and turned the handle, allowing Fahad to enter.
“How is she?” Fahad asked.
“Better. Come, sit. Both of you.”
Atharva looked at the time and then back at the men — “Go have dinner after this. We have a long night. Fahad?”
“The news has been buried. You were right. Dilshad Khan was looking for the CM of J&K to be killed in Pakistan, and India to be the aggressor for something Pakistanis would term as a ‘terrorist’ attack on a mosque of their own town.”
Atharva sat back, taking a deep breath. That gut instinct of a few seconds had saved not only their lives but a war. India would have had to attack. The assassination of an elected head of state would have been more than reason to go to war. The insurgency and Sufiyaan Sheikh’s lingering infrastructure in Kashmir which was active again after Usama Aziz’s death would have pushed internal civil strife. There would have been no mercy. Who knows how long it would have stretched. He did not even stop to think about Yathaarth and Iram. For now, he needed his head working in fight mode. He pulled it together and held it tight.
“I am reiterating what I said this afternoon — No reporting to the Home Ministry or MEA. I will not give him what he wants. Not a war, and not a single more day of strife in Kashmir. Make sure it dies here,” Atharva relayed. “We haven’t brought press with us for a reason. All the more reason for opposition and enemies back home to snoop. Ask Zafarji to keep this afternoon out of my travel notes.”
“Already done, Bhai. Dilshad Khan agreed to keep mum as well, as if nothing happened.”
“Of course he will. I am alive. The tables have turned on him now becausehepushed me. We have it on record. Make sure no other traces are left, Fahad.”
“I have cleaned it up. It’s a small village at the end of the day.”
“What is the casualty?”
“Three dead, twelve injured.”
His nostrils flared.
“Altaf.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Prepare the plane to take off at 3.35 am. No VFR plan, ADS-B disabled.”
“Already relayed.”
“You will go with Iram and Rahim.”
“I cannot, sir.”
“That was not a question.”
Altaf opened his mouth to object.
“I do not trust anybody but you with her.”
“I will not leave you alone here, sir. It’s not part of my job.”
“Can we talk candidly, Altaf?”
He blinked.
“Sir.”
“I know covering Iram’s security is not part of your duty. But you have lived with us for two years. Do you think Iram and I are separate entities?”
