From The Wordkeepers: Leaving the Security Council to their post-dinner drinks, General Kokh moved to his inner sanctum, his aide close behind him. The hesitancy in his steps gradually reduced as he approached the chamber. His aide maintained the light hold, however. The automatic doors slid silently open with the General’s muttered command and shut just as noiselessly behind him. His aide released his hold and relaxed his stance as the General strode confidently to his desk and took off the dark glasses. The chamber consisted of a bed and a large wardrobe with mostly military and a few civilian outfits, a sofa for visitors and a large desk with three chairs: a leather swivel one for the General and two smaller ones opposite it for visitors. It was on one of these that his aide sat down, without asking for permission. Vikokh was General Kokh’s twin. Within closed doors, there was a subtle shift in their relationship. Here, Vikokh seemed to exude a greater air of self-assurance. The General folded his dark glasses and placed them on the desk with the precision of a surgeon: his vision was evidently normal, if not excellent. In the confines of his high-security disaster-proof and sealed chamber he felt free to let go of the elaborate subterfuge. ‘Pointless pretence. The blindness thing. Why keep it going?’ asked the General, his voice gruff. He spoke in the staccato style he reserved for more informal situations. Vikokh threw his jacket on the arm of a sofa, hitched up his trousers, and said, ‘You mean, tell them that our true form is that of conjoined twins— invincible when our bodies touch? No thanks, I think we’ll keep that to ourselves. Alliances are shifting sands. Let’s not divulge critical information based on them.’ ‘The Supremo’s impatient. Feels we’re not doing a good enough job. It’s been fourteen years—the human should be in our grasp by now. Each passing day is an increased threat to our existence.’ Vikokh was toying with a small flag of Vishasha. He replied crisply, ‘Our agents are on the field both on Vishasha and on Earth; the fourth wordkeeper has already fallen; we’ll get the rest as well. It would be useful to know the gender, though. Are you sure your information’s correct? The Seer has said nothing about it?’ The General grunted. ‘A gap-toothed cackle and a date. We’re keeping a close watch on the Sindhu river valley. It’s highly likely that all of the Indian subcontinent and some of China are fertile grounds for our search. But nothing to stop the Enemy from being anywhere else on Earth, or even in Vishasha itself.’ ‘A fourteen-year-old moving from Earth to Vishasha? Impossible!’ ‘You forget, Vikokh, that it was born with powers that are unheard of on Earth and rare even in Vishasha. Never underestimate the Enemy … or the Seer’s words,’ said the General in a tone that indicated that the discussion was over. ‘Get me that bottle of Al Oudh, will you? I have to meet the Supremo now and I feel quite breathless after one of our interviews—a dash of cologne really helps.’ ‘Get it yourself,’ retorted his aide in a shockingly disrespectful voice. He could get away with it.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 02:54:16 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015