Page 27 of Rising Tiger

“U.S. Embassy Tajikistan,” the older man said with a smirk when the video feed went live. “I hope we’ll be able to pry you away.”

“If you can’t immediately arrange for transportation, I’ll be fine. I have it on good authority that the fishing here is exceptional.”

“That person probably also wants to sell you a bridge and some oceanfront property.”

“I don’t know,” Harvath replied. “He seems okay to me.”

“Well, tell him to mail the proposal to yourGettysburgaddress. It’s time to move.”

“Where to?”

“Jaipur,” said Lawlor.

“I figured as much. What’s my assignment?”

“To find out who killed Ritter.”

“And then?”

“The powers-that-be want a Rembrandt.”

Harvath was familiar with the term. It meant a very public, very eye-catching execution.

“But,” Lawlor added, “your brushes don’t touch the paint until you’ve figured out who sent the killer.”

“So, we’re going to work our way up the ladder?”

“All the way to the top. This is priority one. You get whatever you need. And you do whatever needs to be done. Are we clear?”

“Crystal,” said Harvath.

It was now Nicholas’s turn to speak. “As Dushanbe to Jaipur is a bit too far to travel via motorbike, even with a full tank of gas, I’ve found you a flight.”

Harvath smiled.

“That said,” Nicholas continued, “I have good news and I have bad news. Which do you want first?”

He hated any question that started this way. “Give me the bad news.”

“The only commercial flight available takes fourteen hours, it has only one seat left—in economy class, and you have to change planes in Delhi.”

“What’s the good news?”

“The Indian Air Force is moving a transport plane this morning from Farkhor Air Base to Jaipur. It’ll save you several hours.”

“Great. What about getting to Farkhor? It’s about one hundred and thirty klicks from here.”

“In that respect, you’re in luck. When Afghanistan fell, half of its helicopter pilots fled to Tajikistan and brought their aircraft with them. The U.S. has been paying to keep their skills sharp. You get to choose your means of transit to Farkhor. Either a Russian Mi-25 or a UH-60 Black Hawk.”

“No contest,” Harvath said with a laugh. “The last Russian helicopter I flew in turned into a submarine. It’s going to be made in the U.S.A. for me. I opt for the Black Hawk.”

“Good choice,” Lawlor replied, taking back control of the conversation. “Leahy is going to provide you with a new phone, diplomatic passport, ID, and some walking-around money. As far as the government of India is concerned, you’re a State Department specialist sent to look into what happened, and to arrange repatriation of Ritter’s body.”

“Where am I staying?”

“Jaipur is booked solid for Diwali, but we managed to get you into the Fairmont. That’s where Ritter had been.”

“Any support on the ground?”

---