Amongst the Believers

By Kochery C Shibu

Amongst the Believers, another master piece from the Best-selling and Award -winning author of "Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar" and "Faith and the Beloved." The novel is a saga of love, set in the back drop of war-torn Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Nanda is an accused in a murder case and the lives of his dear ones are in danger. He is given an option to join RAW on a mysterious mission, and penetrate the elite society of Pakistan. A choice that forces him to create a family only to destroy it.

Khusru is a terrorist who has fallen out with his handlers, the ISI, and  is on the run. Caught in the vicious gang wars of Karachi, he is to escort the warlord's daughter Miriam, to Bosnia. A journey that takes him to Iran, Armenia and to the prisons of Russia.

Rekha has choreographed her life in the captivity of a terrorist as a dance drama. Even after marriage and two children, her obsession with  Khusru knows no bounds. She is kidnapped and ends up as a sex slave to the teenage terrorists in  war-torn Afghanistan.

A ruse that lead America to invade Iraq and a mysterious video of an Army officer directing the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that could change the course of history, is being chased by the ISI, Mossad, CIA , å Russians and the RAW.  The lives of Nanda, Khusru and Rekha are entangled in this international web of espionage.

A journey through the unknown, a saga of love, espionage and suspense that will keep you riveted.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kochery C Shibu
• Release date: Apr 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9788196370442

Kochery C Shibu

Kochery C Shibu- Bio DataKochery C Shibu, the bestselling and award-winning author of ‘Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar’, and ‘Faith and the Beloved’, is a graduate of the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. He has served in the Indian Navy and commanded two warships. Post his retirement, he has executed hydro-electric projects in the Cauvery River basin in Karnataka, Beas River basin in Himachal and Teesta River basin in Sikkim. He holds a postgraduate degree in Defence Studies from Chennai University, and an MA English Literature from Pune University. Shibu has changed tack from the snow-clad mountains to the blue oceans, and has been associated with the setting up of a shipping company in India.‘Amongst the Believers’ , a suspense thriller, is his third book. A passionate and committed writer, Shibu creates a magical world of fiction built around a well-researched background.Kochery C Shibu was born in Kochi, Kangarapady and now lives in Bangalore with his wife and daughter.

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Published by

MISHAN DESIGN POINT PVT LIMITED

110, First Cross, Vivekanand Nagar

Cox Town, Bangalore 560033

Tel: [phone]

email: [e-mail]

ISBN: 978-81-963704-4-2

Editor: Keerti Ramachandra

Cover Design: Misha Oberoi

Layout Design: Parvathi N Venkitaraman

Proof Reading: Aparajita Kumar

Year of Publication: 2024

This is a work of fiction. The incidents, characters and names portrayed in it are the work of the authors imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities, is entirely coincidental.

All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission and consent of the Publisher.

Edition: Jan 2024

To the men and women who live by their beliefs

You believe, so you are – That Thou Art.

Author’s Note

This is a work of fiction. The resemblance of any character or incident to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental and unintended.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission and consent of the publisher.

Acknowledgement

Writing of this book has been a journey in time and has been made possible by the support of my wife Mini and daughter Anjali. They have been my inspiration during the time away from home while writing this book.

I am thankful to Keerti Ramachandra for editing the novel.

I am thankful to Mishan Design Point Private Limited for publishing this book.

Kochery C Shibu

Bangalore, India

What Came Before

Khusru came up gasping for breath. His head was still dizzy, and the sound of water was echoing in his ears. He was drifting down with the flowing water towards the rocks. He looked at the shore, and swam frantically towards the overgrowth on the right bank. He could hear voices and police whistles in the background. Fear made the adrenaline rush through his blood. He swam hard using the flow of water and made it to the low-hanging limb of a tree. He grabbed it and steadied himself, took a few deep breaths, and pulled himself up onto the tree. His jacket slipped off and fell into the water. He jumped onto a jutting rock and started climbing up the hill. He kept glancing at the vehicles and the police swarming the dam site. It would not be long before they started looking for him downstream of the dam. The weather was chilly, and he was feeling cold. He knew he had to keep moving to make himself warm. He saw his wife being bundled into a car and being driven away. It took him three hours to climb the hill. The sun was shining bright by the time he reached the top. He found shelter in a cave, quickly took off his clothes, and laid them out in the sun to dry. He was glad to see the machete still tied to his belt. He found some hay and old gunny bags in one corner. He used his machete to cut a few dry twigs and made an improvised lighter. It took some time to light a small fire with some of the hay. Spreading the rest of the hay out, he lay down exhausted and covered himself with the gunny bags. He knew he had to catch some sleep and start a long march in the night. Though he was feeling drowsy and tried to sleep, the image of the dying Pathan jumped in front of his eyes.

Khusru, you have moved away from your mission, he heard the bearded Pathan whisper as he collapsed, bleeding.

Khusru, you killed their man; they will come after you.

Khusru heard the Pathan mumble as he ran away from the Nazariya Pahad. He thought for some time, then wrapped himself tight in the gunny bags and drifted off to sleep. The words of the bearded trainer from the jihadi camp echoed in his mind.

The believers who stray from the mission shall face our wrath.

–01–

Nanda

Nanda was ecstatic as the aircraft landed at Kochi. He was received by the ‘Pathinettara’ gang at the airport. They talked non-stop as they drove straight to the house of Nandinikutty. The Pathinettara gang watched as Nanda and Nandini hugged and clung to each other. Soon the Pathinettara gang left. Nanda and Nandinikutty were with the children. Nanda noticed that though Nandinikutty was very happy with their reunion, she looked worried, and soon it came out in their conversation. Nanda’s arrival had been noted by the rival gang. There would be reprisals. Perhaps not in her house, but it would happen. She was worried about his safety. They talked endlessly through the day and into the night and made passionate love after the children were put to sleep.

The next day started with a missive from the local police station requesting Nanda to visit them. Nanda went with the Pathinettara gang. The Sub-Inspector in charge was called ‘minnal Pareed’, that is, ‘lightning Pareed, for his reputation of speedy action on any incident. The inspector was curt and to the point.

Nanda, you have come back after many years. You are accused of being responsible for the murders. The inspector paused and looked at Nanda intently.

Nanda looked back at him as if he knew nothing about the incident. There was silence for a few seconds as they looked each other in the eyes.

Your rivals think you are responsible; there will be another round of reprisal and bloodshed. The inspector looked uneasy and sounded worried.

Nanda looked him in the eye and maintained silence. Something was amiss, he thought. It had not even been 24 hours since his return, and the police were warning him of reprisal. It meant that they were aware of something brewing or may be even party to it. Was it a ploy or were they testing him? He was surprised to hear his own voice.

I will be here and with my family. I am not expecting any trouble.

There was an awkward silence, then the inspector thanked him and asked him to leave.

Nanda guessed that their phones were being tapped and they were being closely watched. The Pathinettara gang had been part of his life since childhood. The gang would maintain only eighteen members at any given time. They lost two members in the last gang fight. The rival gang had laid an ambush for them. Nanda had warded off the attack and killed three of them in self-defence. There had been an uneasy truce since then. The ‘gang rivalry’ had been going on for decades with countless attacks and counter-attacks. Nanda’s family owned a car repair garage and a service centre. The garage was the anchor point for the gang.

Nanda called the Pathinettara gang. He said they would meet in the evening at the festival of the local Shiva temple.

The Pathinettara gang arrived at Nandinikutty’s house in two SUVs. As they were driving towards the temple, Nanda asked them to head for the highway. The team looked a little surprised.

Call our garage and inform them that we are heading to Ernakulam to buy a few sarees, Nanda said with a smile on his face. He knew that the phone call would be monitored. The rival gang would swing into action once they knew of this travel plan. The game was to keep them short on time and to have a forced meeting for reprisal. The gang members became alert; there was tension in the air. Nanda kept a look out for vehicles tailing them. There were none. The rivals would position vehicles parked en route and stage an attack after blocking them. The question was - where? The cut-off point would be Angamaly, beyond which it would be difficult for the attackers to get away.

It was about 9 p.m. as they approached Athani near Angamaly when Nanda noticed two Jeeps. They were parked close to each other on the side of the road with their bonnets open. A few men were hanging around. He knew the stage was set. There would be a vehicle coming to block their path.

Speed up towards the police station, said Nanda calmly. He started moving his wrists and ankles to warm up the joints. As they were nearing the police station, Nanda saw a truck parked on the roadside start and head towards them. He also noticed two Jeeps following them.

Get off the road and get behind the tree, Nanda guided his team. The SUVs swerved off the road, cutting across traffic, and came to a halt behind a tall mango tree. The Pathinettara gang jumped out of the vehicles. The truck from the opposite side screeched to a halt near the tree, blocking the escape route of the SUVs. The two Jeeps screeched across the traffic and headed towards the SUVs.

Nanda ran towards the truck, and even before the driver could realise what was happening, he yanked open the door, pulled the driver out, and hit him on the neck. The driver fell with a thud to the ground. The men from the rival gang rushed out of their Jeeps and ran towards the SUVs, brandishing their swords.

Vetti kollada ellathinem, There was a murderous growl as they charged towards the SUVs.

Nanda got into the truck, reversed it, and rammed the truck into the jeep whose engine was still running. The jeep toppled over, and the driver was trapped underneath. The agonised screams of the driver filled the air. Nanda manoeuvred the truck and rammed into the second jeep. The driver tried frantically to reverse the jeep and get away from the truck. He glared at Nanda as the truck pushed the jeep sideways. As the jeep started toppling, he jumped out and ran. The Jeep was knocked onto its side, with its engines still running. The attacking men from the rival gang stopped in their tracks and looked back at the jeep driver, who was screaming. They saw Nanda and charged towards him. Nanda took off the steel belt from his waist and hit the first attacker on the head even before he could swing his sword. Nanda watched the second attacker from the corner of his eye as he swung the sword. He deftly stepped aside and kneed the man in the groin. The attacker lost his balance, dropped his sword, and tumbled forward. Nanda hit him on the neck with his belt as the attacker fell to the ground. Suddenly, he heard the swish of a sword and ducked. He felt the sword graze his shoulder as he moved in and elbowed the man in his Adam’s apple. Nanda grabbed and held the man in front to shield against the sword thrust from the next attacker. The sword penetrated through him, and the man fell with a gurgling sound from his throat. The attacker stood frozen for a second, holding the sword, looking bewildered. He let go of the sword and ran. Soon there was consternation as all the attackers ran towards the highway with the Pathinettara gang chasing them.

Back into the cars, Nanda shouted.

Move fast; they will throw bombs. Nanda warned as they all got into the SUVs. One of the Pathinettara gang members was injured and bleeding. As the SUVs sped away, they heard the shout.

Eriyada bomb, Vidathavare.

(Throw the bomb; don’t let them escape.)

Nanda watched the attackers take out the ‘eru padakkam’, as country-made bombs were called. The bombs exploded in the vicinity as the SUVs sped away. They stopped at the Little Flower Hospital for first aid to the injured, and it was late in the night that they drove to Ernakulam.

Near Palarivattom, they were stopped by a police squad and escorted to a police station. Nanda was taken separately to a room.

You have one more murder on your hands, a middle-aged man in civilian clothes addressed Nanda in a matter-of-fact manner.

Self-defence, Nanda mumbled.

Your rivals will settle it outside only, blood for blood.

There was an awkward silence.

Nanda, I am Rajiv Menon. The man broke the silence.

You were being hounded for your self-defence, three years back which took three lives. Now you have one more to your account. After a pause, he said,

You may like to look at this. Rajiv Menon placed his mobile on the desk.

Nanda looked at the video playing. Someone had recorded the attack. Possibly the driver who had gotten away, he thought. The video was pixelated and blurry, but clear enough to make out the faces.

We got this from the driver. You know what they will do once they see the video, Rajiv Menon went on.

Nanda knew he was stating the obvious. There was enough evidence for his rivals to mobilise their cadres for a fight until he was dead. Nanda sensed that something else was happening. The police seemed all too quiet and subdued in front of Rajiv Menon. Nanda guessed that they had been tracking him. They wanted something from him, but he was not sure what. He remained silent.

Please leave us, Rajiv Menon dismissed the policemen with a wave of his hand.

The policemen left the room.

Nanda, you are in deep trouble. So is your wife Nandinikutty and your children. Rajiv Menon sounded sincere as he spoke.

They have a target to eliminate you in 72 hours. You need to move out of the state, and you need protection, Rajiv went on.

Nanda listened to the preamble. How did Rajiv Menon know Nandinikutty? How did he know about the 72 hours? What did he possibly want from him? He remained silent as his mind churned.

You need to join us. We will shift Nandini and children out of the state. They will be safe. Rajiv spoke with an air of confidence.

Nanda was getting the drift. They wanted him to join some government outfit. Which one and for what? Were they looking for a kalari exponent? Nanda maintained his studied silence.

You will be working for the Government of India, yes or no? Rajiv queried and looked at him intently.

Nanda let the words sink in. Menon sounded genuine, and Nanda could feel an aura of competence. A break from the endless cycle of violence would be welcome. He was not sure how Nandini would react to it though.

You have one hour to decide, Rajiv said with an air of finality, and he walked out.

Nanda sat there, thinking. Instinctively, he knew it would have something to do with the hydro-electric project. Was it because he knew Hindi and was familiar with the hilly terrain? Were they going to use him as bait? Or maybe they wanted a kalari exponent to escort someone. He was still ruminating when Rajiv walked in.

What options do I have? Nanda asked.

You could go back and face whatever comes your way or join us and have your name cleared. Rajiv replied.

It felt like ages and time seemed to stand still as Nanda kept pondering.

Okay, when do I need to join? Nanda asked.

Now and here, Rajiv answered with a smile.

Nanda was not allowed to meet his friends. He was escorted out and driven to the naval air station at Kochi. There, he boarded an aircraft that was unmarked. Nanda guessed that the plane may be for special operations. In Mumbai, he was received by someone named Kumar, who was to be his escort and driver.

The drive from the airport was unexpectedly fast. Nanda looked mesmerised at the fishing boats and the fishing harbour as the car passed the Worli Sea Face. Finally, the car slowed down near the Firasiya Hotel in Colaba. The hotel was under renovation. Nanda looked at the fluttering plastic sheets that were tied along the tall building on a lattice frame of bamboo. The driver turned and entered a housing colony named COVINTHIANS. A short dark man received them.

David Abraham sends his greetings, the driver mumbled to the guest.

Bhai is always welcome, the short, dark man muttered.

Thambi, he added, extending his hand. Nanda reciprocated and shook his hand.

The guard waved at Thambi as they moved towards the lift.

11C, Thambi told the security guard at the reception as they moved to the lift.

The lift was an old model with collapsible gates. Phone numbers of the people to be called in an emergency were pasted on the walls. The lift moved up in jerks and stopped at the 11th floor with a shudder.

Don’t worry, old lift, but reliable, Thambi said as if he was reading Nanda’s mind.

Thambi opened the door to the flat. Nanda looked around; the two-bedroom house was small and well kept. There was a large French window overlooking the sea. The bedrooms did not have balconies. There was a steel grill protruding outside the windows of both bedrooms. A split air conditioning unit was fitted in the grill framework along with a clothesline.

For drying clothes, careful, when you step out. Thambi said pointing to a step ladder, giving access to the grill outside.

Nanda went around the house, checking the laser beam sensors. The laser set-up was rudimentary. There was a transistor and resistor arrangement connected to a coin-cell battery. A buzzer was connected to the transistor. The security system seemed to have been installed in a hurry. There was no protective cover. A computer screen near the door made a beeping sound each time he crossed the laser beam. Nanda stood there, gazing at the laser system for some time. It went against logic. He was not expecting someone to break into the house. What was the purpose? He guessed that the buzzer was being monitored by them to keep track of his movements.

Nanda checked the thermal imaging bulbs. They were near the doors and balconies. Once they were switched on, they would create a string of bright spots around the flat. It would be difficult to spot a human high-temperature blob. Nanda looked at the CCTV cameras on the computer screen. There were four of them to capture the multi-storey buildings in the vicinity.

Your name is Tomas D’Souza, and you are a distant relative of the owner. Thambi spoke, tugging Nanda by the arm.

Owner is in Canada; he will come here in November once the winter starts and will stay here till May. Thambi paused for a few seconds.

‘Covinthians’ is a laid-back colony of old people. Very conservative, mostly Parsi, no drinking and no… Thambi grinned and looked at Nanda.

If you must, then the chori will come to you in the morning. She will come in by 7 a.m. and leave after an hour. Thambi looked away as he spoke.

Nanda did not respond.

Maintain a low profile. Stay indoors. You will be required to meet a few people. Bhai may call at any time on the landline. Provisions are there; you need to fend for yourself. Remember, you are working online for IMPETRIX of the US.

Nanda wondered what he meant by fending for himself and smiled as Thambi rattled on.

Carry an umbrella; the Bombay monsoons are unexpected and sudden. Thambi handed over a large black umbrella and slowly walked out.

Nanda looked critically at the umbrella. He had seen the sword umbrella being used before. The black carbon graphite handle had a good grip with a quick-release clasp. Nanda released the clasp and pulled out the 21-inch stainless steel short sword. It was a sturdy self-defence tool. He put the sword back and tried out the all-steel-frame umbrella. The large folding canopy was well supported by metal ribs, and he knew it would be effective in rain. Was the umbrella to caution him? Nanda was not sure.

Nanda went around the apartment and stood by the window for a long time, wondering what strange plans destiny had in store for him. He looked at the buildings and watched each of the floors carefully. He looked at the CCTV camera pictures on the computer screen. It took him a long time to get a clear picture of the buildings in his mind. His success would lie in identifying any changes in the buildings, and that too in quick time.

The next morning, Nanda got up at 4.30 am as usual and started his kalari workout. Afterwards, he went for a walk, carrying the black umbrella. South Bombay was still waking up as he walked. There were a few brisk walkers on the road as he headed towards the sea face near the Gateway of India.

He remembered the warning he had been given: They will be observing you and will contact you. He had to be alert.

Nanda walked past the Bombay Presidency Radio Club, where the security guard was still yawning and trying to keep awake. He looked up at the Sea Breeze Hotel and the Sea Pearl Hotel as he walked past. The sea-facing apartments on the roadside were still in a slumber. Suddenly, Nanda could feel someone’s eyes on him. His kalari instincts kicked in, and he became alert. He was being stared at. He looked around and noticed a woman staring at him from one of the apartments. Nanda stiffened. Was she keeping a watch on him? He kept looking through the corner of his eyes. He was relieved when he saw her open the curtains to clean the windowpanes. Suddenly, it started pouring, and Nanda opened his umbrella. There was a young couple holding hands and walking on the parapet by the sea. They broke into laughter as they got soaked in the rain. Two middle-aged men were walking in the rain with a nonchalant grin. There was a young girl who was jogging on the pavement with determination, even as the rain picked up.

By the time Nanda reached the Gateway of India, the rain had eased off. A group of people who were huddled under umbrellas suddenly burst out into the open, running towards the sea.

Chai, chai. Nanda heard a man holding a thermos flask in his hand cry out.

Five photo, hundred rupees, Nanda heard a photographer tell a couple.

Soon, the couple was posing. The photographer instructed his assistant to throw a stone at the hoard of doves in the fenced area behind them. A hundred birds were in the air, and the photographer started clicking continuously. There was a police vehicle stationed in the vicinity. The gunmen in the vehicle looked bored as Nanda walked past. The walkers looked enviously at the sweat-drenched tee shirt of Nanda. On his way back, Nanda peered into the Colaba Dormitory. It was a seedy place with wooden steps and the smell of urine as he walked up the stairs. Halfway through, he left and walked back. On the sidewalk of the road, there was a bare-chested young man exercising, and he looked at Nanda, flexing his muscles. Nanda wondered if the man was gay meat on offer. He stopped on the way at the Colaba Café and ate his breakfast. He bought a sports jacket from one of the street vendors and strolled in the Colaba market. It took him some time to track down the mannequin shop. He bought two mannequins, one male and one female. The mannequins were mounted on a wheeled base plate. He pushed the mannequins around in the shop to check the free movement of the wheels. The shopkeeper looked at him strangely when Nanda asked to purchase the mannequins, along with the clothes on display. The salesman got on the phone to check with the shop owner.

Boni, give it to him for five K extra. Nanda heard the voice of the shop owner as the salesman spoke.

Boni, the salesman said, smiling as he took the cash from Nanda.

Boni was the first sale of the day, and the shopkeepers in Mumbai believed that clinching the first sale early would usher in a prosperous day. Nanda took a cab, loaded the mannequins, and reached his apartment. He paused as he entered the apartment and waited for some time at the entrance. He was alert as he listened. He checked the laser beam alarms; they had not been tampered with. Nanda knew that he was on a survival test for a few days. He was told that the ‘DA’ Gang was out looking for him. The David Abraham gang was referred to as the ‘DA’ gang. He was not sure if that was the name of a gang or a ruse. They would not dare a direct attack. The chances were that they would take a shot at him in the house, or as he moved in and out of the house. Even for the DA gang, it would take them a few days to organise a hit. Nanda had been told he had to track them down before they did.

He checked the thermal bulbs; they were powered on.

Look for a house that is not occupied but pretending to be. You will know if you observe for a few hours.

Nanda recalled his briefing on the aircraft as he watched the apartments. He wondered why Thambi had not mentioned anything about the same. Nanda looked at all the buildings and checked the video history. One of them was an old, dilapidated building that was not occupied. No change had been notified in the video. In the evening, he went out and walked along the Colaba Road.

Sahib, are you looking for nice time? A tout approached him, flaunting the photo of a girl in his hand.

Nanda walked on, disregarding him. Even on the busy street, he had not blended in. The locals knew a stranger by the way he looked around. The next day, he got a call on the landline phone. He was told to visit an office in Hiranandani Park. There was stage management going on. The landline phone for certain would be tapped. Was the visit a bait for those monitoring him? Nanda was not sure. Tomas D’Souza was a technology consultant in infrastructure. He was to meet up with Viresh at One Boulevard. The Innova Crysta turned up in time, and soon he was off to Hiranandani Park.

Go via sea link, Nanda told the driver.

They meandered through the Mumbai traffic and