The Enemy Within

Chapter 28

Known throughout the world as God's Own Country – Kerala is one of the most scenic places one could hope to visit. From the swaying palm trees to the flowing backwaters, from boat cruises to beach sports, you will find it all. Chinese fishing nets dot the shoreline as Rohan and team race on to Allepy to find the elusive Dr. Nair, and the spectacular scenery is the last thing on their minds.

They had already called ahead and got the information that the good doctor was doing a free medical camp for the underprivileged locals at his father's clinic. When they get there, they go in pairs and wait for their turn as per the token number collected at the front desk.

Tanya and Rohan are ahead in the line in the crowded clinic. Jack and Sunny are sitting some distance away, keeping a watchful eye for any trackers.

The nurse finally calls out their number after waiting for more than an hour. Tanya and Rohan walk into the consulting room. Dr. Nair is seated on a leather chair behind a large desk. He looks up at them, smiles and points to the chairs on the other side of the desk. He is a darkish man in his early forties, well dressed, with a sprinkling of grey running through his slicked-back black hair.

He looks at them quizzically as they sit down, "You are not from around here. Are you at the right place? This is a health camp I run for the locals – it's not a regular clinic."

Rohan decides to not beat around the bush and come straight to the point, "We have come to meet you Dr. Nair; we have just come in from Jaisalmer."

Dr. Nair looks at him with a start and starts stammering, "Oh... Ok... So what do you want... are you sick?"

"No, we want to discuss what happened on that desert safari – out on the dunes."

The doctor looks at him wide eyed, "How do you know about that? Who are you?" he whispers looking shaken.

"My name is Rohan Kapoor and this is..."

Dr. Nair drops his stethoscope and gets up with a jerk, "Ro... Rohan? You are Rohan Kapoor?"

Rohan looks at Tanya stunned, and then back at the doctor, "You know me?"

Nair looks panicky and dives for the phone on his desk, "I'm calling the police."

Rohan slams his hand down on the phone shouting, "Doctor, how do you know my name?"

The doctor is now shaking with fear, "Please.... Please don't kill me. I don't know anything. I have a wife and 2 kids."

Rohan leans across the desk and shakes him by the shoulders, "What are you talking about? Why would I kill you?"

"You killed that man in the desert in Jaisalmer... now you have come to kill me."

"Me? Killed Alan? He was my friend! What are you talking about? Tell me the whole story."

Rohan calms down and says in a low voice, "Doctor, we work for the Indian Intelligence. Tell us what you know and I promise we will protect you."

Nair calms down and sits on his chair.

"First tell me who you really are and why I should trust you."

Rohan looks at Tanya who shrugs, so he decides to come clean, "Well, I'm not supposed to disclose my identity, but I work for a division of the Indian Intelligence community. Alan was a colleague who had some vital information when he was killed. I have travelled all over India, meeting all the people who were with you in the car that day, including the driver Mr. Bakshi, the singer Juan Carlos and the construction tycoon Abdul Karim. We had to put all the pieces of this puzzle together from scratch and that led us to you."

Nair sighs deeply, "Yes, those were the names of the people on the desert safari with me. And a fourth guy named Raymond."

He mops his brow with a handkerchief, "When I was on the desert safari in Jaisalmer, we saw a man rolling down a dune. Being a doctor, I rushed to check him. He was still breathing when I reached him. He shoved something in my hand and whispered – 'Find Rohan Kapoor'. Then he died. So I thought you killed him."

Rohan looks at Tanya in shock then looks at the doctor urgently, "He whispered my name? What did he give you?"

"He gave me a flash drive. I was so scared at the time; I just pocketed it and didn't tell anyone else. I was hoping this whole thing would just go away."

"Do you have it? Please give it to me – it is a matter of national security."

"Ok, I'll be glad to get it off my chest."

Nair gets up and walks to a cupboard in his office. From a safe there he removes a flash drive and hands it over to Rohan.

"Thanks a million, Doctor Nair. If you can think of anything else that you want to tell me, please write down my mobile number."

Nair writes down the number and shakes hands with both of them.