“When you say they – who do you mean?” Marlon asked.

“The Prime Minister is meeting with the sadhus.”

Marlon shrugged –

“So what – we know they meet from time to time?”

“But this time they are meeting with the Mehants.”

“So?”

“Well it’s… most unusual.”

Julia sat quietly in the back seat. She’d read about the Mehants – the supreme council of sadhus. And, if her research was reliable, it was true – they very rarely met.

“Where?”

“Haji Malang.”

She also recognized the name of the mountain as one of the places Shard and Pierre often visited – a site apparently shared by all religions.

“So – who have we got up there?” Marlon asked.

“Us?..” Singh said. “We have no-one there.”

Marlon’s jaw dropped in a show of dismay –

“You can’t be serious!”

Singh was wide-eyed with protest.

“Haji Malang is reserved for sadhus only.”

“Hoh! That can’t be!”

“For the last seven years Haji Malang has been set aside like this.”

“I can’t believe it.”

“They have been preparing for this moment for a long time. And it is all happening now… as we speak.”

Beads of sweat were forming on Marlon’s brow.

“This is not good enough Singh! It’s your job to have someone there! I want to know what those little fuckers are up to! I don’t give a damn where it is! It could be Hell on earth for all I care. Just – if there is something happening somewhere – just… have… some… mother-fucker… there! It’s the Golden! Damn! Rule! Goddammit!”

Singh smiled brilliantly –

“Marlon – nobody can pretend to be a sadhu.”

Marlon threw up his hands in disgust –

“What a load of rubbish!”

“Sorry Marlon – that is simply not possible.”

“Of course we can!”

“A pretender may well fool us, but he won’t fool them.”

Marlon’s frustration was exploding through his body – he was dripping with anger –

“Don’t be ridiculous Singh – for God’s sake grow up!”

Singh was unperturbed –

“They see it in each other.”

“They see what?”

“Human spirit.”

“Jesus Christ Singh – that’s ridiculous!”

Marlon slumped back into the Hummer’s rich leather seat. That these crazy Indians – who he had never understood – were actually proud of their stupid sadhus caused him to heave compulsively –

“That is absolute, unadulterated… rubbish!”