‘So why did Alexander die after drinking the amrita?’ Colin persisted. ‘If he found this miracle cure and consumed it, he should have lived forever.’ He shuddered. ‘God knows I am thankful he didn’t, though.’
‘I’ll tell you why,’ Vijay responded. ‘It was Callisthenes.’
‘What?’ Galipos looked confused.
Colin chuckled. ‘A Greek historian who was executed by Alexander.’ He looked at Vijay. ‘So what did Callisthenes do?’
Vijay shook his head. ‘It wasn’t what he did. It was what he didn’t do. When we reached the Three Brothers, the Serpent Seal was unbroken. It had been untouched ever since that chamber had been originally sealed. Callisthenes never entered the chamber. And he would never have got past the door to the cavern even if he had managed to climb the rock and break the seal. He got the plants and fruit that were required. But he didn’t get the virus.’
Colin whistled. ‘So he planned to let Alexander die? I mean the verses are very clear. If you don’t follow the instructions, you don’t stand a chance. Not surprising, considering what we know about the virus now.’
‘Not really,’ Vijay replied. ‘I don’t think Callisthenes planned it. I think he just realised that there was no way he could climb that rock and break the seal. He probably thought that whatever lay behind the seal wasn’t all that important. And he didn’t want to tell Alexander about it. Not surprising, considering how intolerant Alexander had grown by then.’
There was silence for a while as everyone digested this. A myth from the Mahabharata had led a conqueror to his death. The world may have been a very different place had Alexander not died just short of his thirty-third birthday.
‘What’s the status with Titan?’ Vijay asked. When Imran had discovered the eight hidden floors with the patients from the clinical trials still locked in them, he had swiftly organised a medical evacuation of all the patients to Jaipur. From Jaipur itself, he had called Patterson and briefed him on the discovery.
‘We spoke to Wallace,’ Patterson replied wearily. ‘He was shocked to hear about the medical facility. But he also pointed out, quite rightly, that the premises did not belong to Titan. Neither was the Jaipur facility associated with Titan in any way. Kidwai has been working on tracing the owners.’
‘They’re absconding,’ Imran reported, taking up the narrative. ‘We’ve put out a red alert but they’ve covered their tracks pretty well. This was a well planned operation. They had planned for emergencies like being discovered.’
‘Do you believe Wallace?’ Colin asked. ‘He’s been popping up in the strangest places. Too many coincidences for me to swallow. Just look at it. He funded the Olympias tomb excavation. His trust hired Stavros and Peter, who turned out to be thugs. He’s the Chairman of Titan Pharmaceuticals. And we did find that one medical centre affilitated with his company is involved in shady medical experiments. Even if that centre was outsourced, there’s got to be some link here!’
There was silence for a few moments. Then Patterson spoke up. ‘I don’t dispute the facts you have stated,’ he began, ‘but there’s no evidence. Wallace is the non-executive Chairman of Titan. Which means he doesn’t sign off on day-to-day decisions made by the company. Even if those decisions involve contracting with outsourced vendors who conduct clinical trials. It is within the realm of possibility that he didn’t even know that the Delhi centre was working for the Order. And the Jaipur centre has no connection with Titan anyway. It is good enough reason for Wallace to point out that there may be a link between the two centres that Titan has nothing to do with.’
‘What about the excavation?’ Colin demanded, unwilling to give up. He had been very fond of Radha and was searching for someone who could be blamed for her death.
Patterson shook his head. ‘Negative again. Wallace’s trust is run by a man called Seymour Parker. Parker authorises all appointments. Not Wallace. He’d never heard of Stavros or Cooper. We checked Parker’s background and he’s clear. Cooper’s papers were forged. Damn good forgery too. Near CIA quality. These guys are professionals. Even if I were to go with you and doubt Parker, there’s no hard evidence that they acted wilfully in whatever they did. They’re in the clear.’
‘But you’re going to keep an eye on them, aren’t you?’ Colin wasn’t willing to give up.
‘We have to tread carefully here,’ Patterson replied. ‘As a task force, we haven’t built enough credibility to push our case. The first time we’ve seen action, we’ve failed. That’s right. We’ve failed. There’s no other way to describe what’s happened. No matter what the reasons or the extenuating factors, the outcome is beyond dispute. Who’s going to believe us if we accuse anyone? Who’s going to agree to spy on people we want to keep under surveillance?’
‘We can’t just stand by and let them get away,’ Colin protested.
‘Is that your emotion talking or is that based on facts?’ Patterson countered. ‘I think the same way you do. The members of the task force are paramount for me. Damn everyone else. But I’m not going to be swayed by emotion. And facts tell me that we cannot accuse anyone at this point in time. If we collect the evidence, I’ll be the first one baying for their blood. But not now.’
There was silence again. Colin bit back a retort and accepted the reality of Patterson’s words. It was bitter but he was right. There was no argument that could stand against what he had just said.
‘What about Saxena?’ Vijay wanted to know.
‘No evidence,’ Patterson responded. ‘We can’t connect Saxena to the centre. No witnesses to prove that he was even there.’
‘You mean he’s going to walk scot-free?’ Vijay was incredulous. ‘After Imran here survived an assassination attempt and Radha was killed by them?’ He choked on his words as he mentioned Radha’s name. ‘Isn’t it obvious that he is involved in this?’
‘We can’t arrest him,’ Imran said gently. ‘You and I suspect him. But without evidence, there’s nothing we can do. We’re going to watch him like a hawk. He’s going to trip sooner or later. And then we’ll nab him.’
‘We have to follow due process,’ Patterson explained. ‘Anything we do, anyone we charge, we have to make it stick in a court of law.’
Vijay was silent. His bitterness showed on his face.
‘Right, then. I think I’ve got all I need for a report to the US and Indian governments,’ Patterson summed up. ‘It wasn’t an ideal start for the task force. Our enemy got away. And they have the virus. We have work to do. It won’t take them long to isolate the virus, sequence it and then create the solution they are trying to develop. We have to stop them. But we don’t have much to go on. Let’s get to work and see what we can dig up. There has to be a trail. History may have overlooked the Order but would not have ignored it altogether.’
The others nodded. There would be no rest. They had to find the Order. And stop it. Before it was too late.
Patterson nodded and everyone stood up to leave. He looked pointedly at Vijay. ‘Stay.’
Vijay hung back as the others left the room. Patterson, too, was by himself now. The big man looked down and then back at Vijay.
‘I can’t pretend that I know how you feel,’ he said. ‘But I promise you, I can empathise. I have lost buddies on the battlefield. Boys I grew up with, hung out with, guzzled beer with...’ He shook his head. ‘If there’s one thing I’ve learned about war, it is this. Don’t hope. War doesn’t bring hope. It takes hope away. It is peace that brings hope. And that is what we must work towards. I’m sorry about Radha. I really am. But you have to move on. I suppose you harbour thoughts about avenging her death. It is natural. But I want you to suppress those thoughts. We have to work to defeat the Order. If we don’t there will be anarchy. This is war, my boy. This is not about Radha. It is about the future of the world. So hang in there.’
Vijay stood for a while, silently. ‘I understand.’ he looked Patterson in the eye. ‘Saxena, Van Klueck and the others; they can’t walk free just because we d
on’t have the evidence. If we can’t collect the evidence then we have to do more. And I will work to bring the Order down. Not just to feel that I’ve exacted revenge. They must also be stopped from taking away the loved ones of others. Like the people who were the subjects of the clinical trials. We will stop the Order. God knows how we’re going to do it. But I know we will find a way. Whatever it takes.’
Patterson nodded. Whatever it takes.
How many lives had been claimed already? And how many more would be claimed before this was over?
Thoughts of revenge
As Vijay left the conference room, he was surprised to find Shukla barring his way. The linguist’s eyes were bright and there was a hard determination in his face that was difficult to ignore.
Vijay stood in silence, facing Shukla. He knew that the older man wanted to speak to him in private. The others had left. It was just the two of them.
Shukla waited a few moments before he spoke, as if he was trying to control his emotions.
‘I have not seen my daughter’s body,’ he said finally, emphasising each word. ‘Do you know how precious a daughter is for her father?’ Vijay could see him choking back the tears and he felt a strange feeling rise within him to reciprocate. ‘A daughter is her father’s life. He feels pain when she feels pain. He cries when she cries. He wants to give her every bit of happiness that she wants, even if it is beyond him.’ He paused, visibly composing himself again. ‘She was all that I lived for. And now...now, she is gone!’
Shukla’s restraint broke down and tears flowed down his cheeks. He was unable to control his emotions any more.
Vijay stood there, his own emotions a maelstrom in his mind. Shukla’s words had reminded him of what he, too, had lost. A selfless human being who loved him for what he was, blemishes and all.
He gripped Shukla’s arms and looked into his eyes. ‘I will bring her back,’ he assured Shukla. ‘I couldn’t do anything to help her. I couldn’t save her.’ The words tumbled out and he knew that his emotions were dictating them but he didn’t want to control himself now. ‘I promise you will see her again. I will bring her back. I don’t know how, but I will hunt them down and find her body. And I will ensure that they pay for what they have done.’
Vijay was conscious that he was contradicting everything he had told Patterson just a few moments ago. But he didn’t care. He didn’t want to care. He wasn’t a hero. He wasn’t here to save the world. It was all very nice and noble to talk about ensuring that others wouldn’t lose their loved ones. But what about him? What about Radha? There was no going back for her.
He embraced the old man who broke down openly now.
Two men stood in the semi-dark anteroom of the conference hall, sharing their grief. In that moment, for that moment, they were one in their thoughts and feelings.
EPILOGUE
A disturbing call
Vijay sat in the study of the fort, nursing a whisky. He was alone. Colin had left that night for the US. He had gone to the airport straight from the task force meeting. Alice had gone with him. They had been booked on the same flight. Patterson had made arrangements to ensure that Alice would be under protection in the US. He hadn’t disclosed what those arrangements were and no one had asked. It was better that way.
For the first time in his life, Vijay felt truly alone. When his parents had died, his uncle had been there. When his uncle was murdered, he had Colin by his side. And, later, Radha.
Now, there was no one. It was true, he mused, that one came into the world alone and left the same way. For some reason, his thoughts were dark and depressing. He couldn’t stop thinking about death. He didn’t find it surprising, considering how often death had visited his loved ones and taken them away.
His set his glass down on the desk. If nothing else, he would busy himself so that his thoughts would not overwhelm him. It would be better to spend time going through the cartons in the room on the fifth floor until he was too tired to continue. He would then retire for the night.
The jangling of the phone intruded on his thoughts. He frowned. Who could it be? He glanced at his watch. It was 11 pm. A bit late for a social call.
It was an unfamiliar number. He decided to answer
it. ‘Yes?’
‘Vijay Singh?’
He frowned. It wasn’t a wrong number after all. But the voice was unfamiliar.
‘Speaking.’
‘You don’t know me.’ The voice was hesitant. A bit tremulous. As if the speaker wasn’t sure he should be calling Vijay in the first place. It was guarded. Cautious.
‘Who is this?’
‘I’m a friend of Pratap Singh,’ came the reply. ‘A very close friend.’
Vijay sat up. His father’s name was Pratap Singh. ‘What’s your name?’
‘I… can we meet?’
‘I need to know who you are.’
‘We need to meet.’ The speaker was more forceful now. The hesitancy was gone. ‘I need to tell you something. Your father gave me something before he died.’ The speaker corrected himself. ‘Before the car crash.’
‘What was it?’
‘I can’t… not over the phone. We need to meet.’
‘And why have you waited fifteen years to contact me?’
‘I didn’t need to. Now, I do.’
Vijay considered this. What need could have driven this mysterious caller to call him after fifteen years?
‘How do I know you aren’t a fraud? Making up this story about knowing my father?’
‘Check your email.’
‘Hold on.’ Vijay pulled his laptop towards him and switched it on. He quickly checked his email. There was, indeed, an email sent just a few minutes ago. From an email address that he was not familiar with. He clicked on the email.
And froze. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing on the screen. It now made sense. The file among his father’s papers. The newspaper clippings and articles. The research on archaeological excavations. He was shocked. But he had to know more.
‘Are you there?’ the caller enquired, a bit anxiously.
Vijay shook himself out of his reverie. ‘I’m here,’ he responded. ‘When can we meet?’
‘Six months from now. Starbucks. Cyber Hub, Gurgaon. I’ll call you two days prior and give you a time.’
‘Why wait so long to meet if it is urgent?’ Vijay couldn’t understand.
‘I need time to prepare,’ was the terse reply.
The call disconnected. Vijay put his phone down and sat thinking. His mind spun. Who was this mysterious caller? He clearly had an urgent need to meet. So why wait for six months? His explanation didn’t make sense. What preparation did he have to do? And what was he going to reveal to Vijay when they did meet? There were too many questions that were unanswered.
Six months from today this puzzle would unravel.
He would have to wait.
To be continued…
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Dear Reader,
Thank you for your interest in this book.
The Alexander Secret is the first in a series. Unlike my previous novel, The Mahabharata Secret, the story that unfolds in this book doesn’t end here but continues beyond.
When it was first published, many readers wrote to me asking when the sequel would be released. Who is the mysterious caller who wants to meet Vijay? What happens at Starbucks, Gurgaon six months later?
So, I decided to write a mini-sequel to The Alexander Secret, called The Mahabharata Quest: A Secret Revealed. What’s more, I decided to give it away. That’s right—a free continuation to the story you have just read!
I want you to read that story before you buy the sequel to The Alexander Secret. Here’s how you can read The Mahabharata Quest: A Secret Revealed in two simple steps:
1. Enrol as a member of The Quest Club using this link: www.christophercdoyle.com/the-quest-club. Enrolment is free. Create your own username and password.
2. Log in with your username and password. Th
e continuation of the story will be yours to read for free!
In the meanwhile, there are several facts that merit explanation within this book itself and I believe I owe it to the reader to explain them. Here they are.
Happy reading!
From the Science Files
A lot of scientific research has gone into this book and, while I have tried to simplify the science as far as possible, I am conscious that a fair amount of jargon and technical description has been inevitable. I would like to present a straightforward explanation of the scientific facts that does not interfere with the unfolding of the story, so here we go.
PCR testing: Polymerase Chain Reaction is a method to analyse a short sequence of DNA. PCR amplifies (reproduces or replicates) sections of DNA or RNA. A DNA polymerase is used for the replication. As PCR progresses the DNA generated is itself used as a template for replication, setting in motion a chain reaction which produces many copies of the DNA.
Stingray: this is a new surveillance technology, a portable device, that enables the tracking of cell phone signals inside vehicles, houses and insulated buildings. The Stingray trackers work by mimicking cell phone towers and mop up phone data like text messages, emails and even cell site information. This can allow the user of the device to pinpoint the location of cell phones, which numbers are called, who people spend their time with etc.
Virus replication: All cells replicate through division, creating identical copies of the DNA that rests in their nucleus. A virus cannot replicate on its own. It needs a host, which could be any living creature, including bacteria. A normal virus replicates by translating its DNA to RNA (ribonucleic acid). The RNA is nothing but a set of instructions, like a computer program, to assemble proteins. Those proteins help to create a new virus. So, the virus infects a host cell, and the replication machinery in the host cell helps to translate the virus DNA into virus RNA, which creates virus proteins to manufacture a new virus. The baby viruses then accumulate and burst through the cell, killing it, and infect new cells, starting the process all over again. Scary, isn’t it?
THE MAHABHARATA QUEST:THE ALEXANDER SECRET Page 30
