Shadow Tyrants (Oregon Files 13)

“You’re going to be watching a lot of movies over the next day or so. But we’re also going to say you’ve come down with a case of laryngitis to keep conversations to a minimum. MacD and I will be doing most of the talking.”

“If they can understand me,” MacD said, then pointed at Murph. “He’s not coming? Don’t we need to break into a computer in there?”

“You do,” Murph said, handing a pocket-sized tablet computer to Eddie. “This will connect to Mallik’s network once you’re inside his condo tower. I’ll be ordering room service back at the hotel room while I do all the hacking remotely.”

“What about me?” Hali asked.

“The real Kiara Jain is staying at the Mumbai Four Seasons,” Eddie said. “Your job is to keep her from getting to the party until we’re gone.”

“That sounds easy enough.”

“Apparently, you’ve never read about Ms. Jain’s prima donna antics in the tabloids. Seems she learned something from her Hollywood counterparts and became a bit of a diva since arriving in America.”

Hali smirked at that. “Oh, great.”

“How long will it take you to hack into the network?” Eddie asked Murph.

“Depends on what kind of security Mallik has. Hopefully, less than an hour.”

Raven gagged. “I have to parade around that party in a gown and high heels for an hour?”

“We drink champagne and schmooze a little while Murph does all the work,” MacD said. “What’s the problem?”

“I joined the Corporation to fight bad guys, not play dress-up at some fancy rich person’s prom.”

“Don’t take this mission lightly,” Eddie warned. “We estimate there will be fifty uniformed police and at least twenty plainclothes guards at this function, not to mention the dignitaries’ personal bodyguards. Think of this as if we are sneaking into the White House. For the evening, Mallik’s condo building will be one of the most heavily protected places in the country. And if he or his attack dog Asad Torkan suspects that we aren’t who we say we are, we’ll be learning a lot more about the Indian prison system than we want to.”

That silenced everyone.

“Now, Murph,” he continued. “Bring up the blueprints you found for Mallik’s building. We need to know all our possible exits. We’re all going to know them backward and forward by the time we get to the party.”

Eddie watched Raven intently following Murph’s rundown of the structure. He had no doubt she would realize that no Corporation mission was ever easy.

THIRTY-THREE

THE RED SEA

It took less than forty hours for the Oregon to make the dash across the Arabian Sea to the Mandeb Strait, the narrow body of water between the countries of Yemen and Djibouti. The precise coordinates Lyla Dhawan had given to Juan were in a group of islets near the southern end of the Red Sea. While he waited for Max to call to say that they’d arrived at the location, he met in his cabin with Eric Stone, who had been struggling to identify the strange symbol with the swastika embedded in it.

“I’ve looked all over the place for this,” Eric said as they sat at Juan’s dining table while they were served coffee from a silver tray by Maurice, the Oregon’s chief steward. A veteran of Britain’s Royal Navy under numerous admirals, the distinguished septuagenarian was the oldest person on the ship. He preferred to wear a black tie and elegant white jacket protected by a gleaming linen napkin folded over his arm.

“This is not the Nazi swastika?” Juan asked.

“No. It’s not on any military insignia from that era. This swastika is a backward version of Hitler’s. So unless Lyla Dhawan was looking at a mirror image, it is probably South Asian in origin.”

“The swastika was originally a religious symbol, right?”

Eric nodded. “For thousands of years before it was perverted by the Nazis. It’s commonly found on Hindu and Buddhist statues and temples. In Asia, it symbolizes well-being and prosperity, not the bigotry and hatred of the Nazis’ twisted emblem.”

“What about the other part of Lyla’s symbol?”

“The wheel and nine spokes? I have no idea.”

As he poured Juan’s coffee, Maurice cleared his throat.

Juan looked up in surprise. Usually, Maurice prided himself on coming and going without being noticed. “Do you know something about this, Maurice?”

“I don’t mean to intrude, Captain, but I believe I may be of service in helping you solve your conundrum.” Maurice was the only person in the crew who insisted on maintaining naval tradition and calling Juan Captain instead of Chairman.