The Spy

London #3

Sumit drove his police car to a square. He slowed down. Before he could stop, Vinod opened the door and sat beside him.

"Don't stop, keep driving."

Sumit shifted the gear and speeded up.

He said, "Do you know the police has been tasked to track you down? They might pass an order for the execution too."

"Right now, instead of running from the police, I have something far more important to do and I need you for it. You'll have to help me."

"Okay. Tell me."

"What do you know about Hafiz?"

"He came to London twenty five years ago to finish his law studies. He earned a degree and became an advocate. He established his firm with the help of his uncle who was associated with 'FREEDOM PUBLIC PARTY', which was led by Mandeep Singh who had been accused multiple times by the opposition of giving hate speeches and provoking the Sikh community to demand for Khalistan from their own government. An explosion took place in a bakery during the New year Eve near the Big Ben. I was newl at that time in the police. I investigated the attack along with the MI5. Hafiz and his uncle's name popped up in the blast. We arrested both of them. Because Hafiz has helped Mandeep in a number of court cases, the latter one helped them to prove their innocence. Hafiz's uncle died in their custody but he managed to get bail after five years."

"And then?"

"That's it, I didn't see him after that. Why you are interested in him."

"Because I believe he is working with ISI. So, it's necessary for me to know where he is."

"Well, I can't tell you where he is, but before being imprisoned he married a catholic girl. I met her once. She used to reside near the Churchgate."

Vinod took out his phone and showed him the CCTV image of the man standing outside Janice's hotel room.

"Do you know him?"

Sumit shook his head.

"I am sending you this image. If you get anything about it, just make a call."

Sumit nodded. He stopped the car. Vinod opened the door. He stepped off the car and walked away.

Arvind walked out of the London airport carrying a backpack. His phone rang. He took out his phone and attended the call.

"Sir. I have just landed in London. The flight was a bit late."

Yashwant stood inside his cabin resting his one hand on the chair.

"Alright, just wait for his message. He might call you in an hour."

"Yes sir."

Yashwant hung up the call. He stepped towards the window.

He muttered, "Come on Vinod, I know you are upto something."

Kate sat on a bench inside the church, praying. She stood up, leaving. She turned around where Vinod stood in the aisle.

"Mrs. Neeson."

"Can I help you?"

"I would like to have a word, about your husband. Ex husband."

Kate and Vinod strolled through the courtyard.

She said, "I didn't want to see him after he was bailed from prison. I never wanted to meet him."

"So, you didn't meet him even once?"

"Well, I met him some five years ago when I was returning after picking my son from school. He told me that he had started a new business and wanted us to settle with him. I didn't want my son to be brought up in a house owned by a terrorist."

He nodded. Their photos were clicked by someone.

Sumit stood inside the police station. Nancy came to him carrying a file in her hand.

"Sergeant."

He turned to her.

She said, "Everyone was interrogated. All of them claimed they worked for Sanchez-except one."

"Who?"

She gave him the file. He opened the file.

She said, "His name is Sharib Hasan. He is the only one in their group who hails from Pakistan."

The file contained Sharib's photograph. One glance was enough to leave Sumit staring in stunned disbelief. He took out his phone. He opened the gallery and tapped on the photo sent by Vinod. He realised Sharib is the same man who stood outside Janice's hotel room.

"Oh, my man."

"What happened Sergeant?"

"Do we have any contact details of Sanchez?"

Sumit followed Nancy to the evidence room. A carton box was kept on the table. She took out a phone from the box.

"We seized this phone in the raid. There is a number in this phone on which multiple calls were made. We traced the number. It's from Mexico."

Puerta Vallarta, Mexico: Gilbert stood on the deck of a moving fishing boat. Smoking. His phone rang. He attended the call.

"Hello."

Sumit said, "Sanchez."

"Who is this?"

"I want to talk to Sanchez, handover him the phone."

"I am the one who finalise deal on his behalf. Talk to me."

"It's not about deal."

"Then what is it about?"

Sanchez sat inside the cabin, playing cards with his couple of goons. Gilbert came in carrying the phone.

"Sanchez."

Sanchez looked up. Gilbert gave him the phone.

"Who is on the call?"

Gilbert didn't respond. Sanchez talked over the phone.

"Hello."

Sumit said, "Sanchez."

"I am listening."

"This is Sergeant Sumit Kumar, London police. I have arrested your eighteen men from the site. One of them is not Mexican. He doesn't even know you."

"What do you want?"

"I know that you are not operating alone on the British soil. Someone else is working with you, and you are just acting as per his instructions. Tell me whom are you working with."

"What if I don't tell you?"

"It won't take even an hour for passing an order to execute all of them. I can deport some of them as per your choice to your country."

"You are trying to deal with me."

"You may see it as an offer. Just tell me who else is working with you."

"Okay, then listen. I got a call seven years ago. He didn't tell me but he told me that he wanted to help me to establish by drugs business in London. I saw this deal as an opportunity. His only condition was to share the revenue in half. I agreed."

"Is that it?"

"That's it, nothing else."