"Hey, man!" Vikram greeted me. "Pull up a sack and make yourself at home."
Abdullah and I shook hands all round and, as we sat down on the row of sacks, Scorpio George signalled a chai-runner to bring two more glasses. The passport work was often keeping me busy at night because Krishna and Villu-both of them with young children in their growing families-had taken to staggering their shifts, giving themselves valuable hours at home during the day. That work with the books, and other commitments to the Salman council, prevented me from going to Leopold's as often as I once had.
Whenever I could, I'd met with Vikram and the Georges near Vikram's apartment on the edge of the Colaba Market. Vikram was there most days, after his lunch with Lettie. He kept me up to date with the news from Leopold's-Didier had fallen in love, again, and Ranjit, Karla's new boyfriend, was becoming popular- and the Georges filled me in on what was going down on the streets.
"We thought you weren't coming today, man," Vikram said as the chai arrived.
"Abdullah gave me a lift," I replied, frowning at my friend's mysterious smile, "and we got stuck in traffic. It was worth it, though. I had a front row seat for Taj Raj and Indra doing their stumble routine on MG Road. It was quite a show."
"He's not what he used to be, our Taj Raj," Gemini commented, hurling South London at us in the vowels of the last two words.
"Not as nimble, like. Since the accident, y'know, his timing's a bit off. I mean, it's only reasonable, innit? His whole bleedin' head was damn near off, an' all, so it's no wonder his timing's got a kink in it."
"At this point," Scorpio George interrupted, lowering his head and assuming the solemn piety we all knew well and dreaded more, "I think we should all bow our heads in prayer."
We glanced at one another, our eyes widening with alarm. There was no escape. We were too comfortable to move, and Scorpio knew it. We were trapped.
"Oh, Lord," Scorpio began.
"Oh, Gawd," Gemini grumbled.
"And Lady," Scorpio continued, "infinite yin-yang spirit in the sky, we humbly ask you to hear the prayers, today, of five souls that you put into the world, and left in the temporary care of Scorpio, Gemini, Abdullah, Vikram, and Lin."
"What does he mean, temporary?" Vikram whispered to me, and I shrugged in reply.
"Please help us, Lord," Scorpio intoned, his eyes shut and his face raised to heaven, which seemed, roughly, to be in the middle of the balcony on the third floor of the Veejay Premnaath Academy of Hair Colouring and Ear Boring. "Please guide us to know what's right, and to do the right thing. And you can start, God, if you're of a mind, by helping out with the little business deal we're doing with the Belgian couple tonight. I don't have to tell you, Lord and Lady, how tricky it is to supply customers with good-quality cocaine in Bombay. But, thanks to your providence, we managed to find ten grams of A-grade snow-and, given the real bad drought on the streets, that was a mighty slick piece of work on your part, God, if you'll accept my professional admiration.
Anyway, Gemini and me, we sure could use the commission on that deal, and it would be kinda nice not to get ripped off, or beaten up, or maimed, or killed-unless, of course, that's in your plan.
So, please light the way, and fill our hearts with love. Signing off now, but keeping the line open, as always, I'll say Amen."
"Amen!" Gemini responded, clearly relieved that the prayer was far shorter than Scorpio's more usual efforts.
"Amen," Vikram sobbed, nudging a tear from his eye with the knuckles of a balled fist.
"Astagfirullah," Abdullah muttered. Forgive me, Allah.
"So how about a bite to eat then?" Gemini suggested cheerily.
"There's nothing like a bit of religion to put you in the frame of mind to make a pig of yourself, is there?"
At that moment Abdullah leaned forward to whisper into my left ear.
"Look slowly-no, slowly! Look over there, behind the peanuts shop, near the corner. Do you see him? Your surprise, brother Lin. Do you see him?"
And then, still smiling, my eyes were drawn to a stooped figure watching us from the shadows beneath an awning.
"He is here every day," Abdullah whispered. "And not only here- in some other places that you go, also. He watches you. He waits, and he watches you."
"Vikram!" I mumbled, wanting some other testament to what I was seeing. "Look! There, on the corner!"
"Look at what, man?"
With my attention upon him, the figure drew back into the shadows and then turned and loped away, limping, as if the whole left side of his body was damaged.
"Didn't you see him?"
"No, man. See who?" Vikram complained, standing with me to squint in the direction of my frantic stare.
"It's Modena!" I shouted, running after the limping Spaniard. I didn't look back at Vikram, Abdullah, and the Zodiacs. I didn't answer Vikram's call. I didn't think about what I was doing or why I was pursuing him. My mind was only one thought, one image, and one word. Modena...
