Tiger's Quest

by Colleen Houck

  Mr. Kadam pulled out some papers. “I think I may know. I placed a call to a friend who is a professor of ancient history at Bangalore University. We’ve had many a great discussion on the kingdoms of ancient India. He is always fascinated by my . . . insights. He has studied the Baiga in great detail and has shared some interesting facts with me. First, they are extremely afraid of evil spirits and witches. They believe that any bad events—sickness, a lost crop, a death—are all caused by evil spirits.

  “They believe in magic and honor their gunia, or medicine man, above all others. If Lokesh had demonstrated magic of some kind, it is likely the people would do anything he asked. They consider themselves guardians or caretakers of the forests. It’s very possible that Lokesh persuaded them to move by convincing them that the forest was in danger and that he has placed guards there to protect it. The other thing he mentioned, and what I found most interesting, is that the gunia of the Baiga are rumored to be able to control tigers.”

  I gasped, “What? How is that possible?”

  “I’m not entirely sure, but they are somehow able to protect their villages from tiger attacks. Perhaps Lokesh has found truth in the myth.”

  “You think they’re using some kind of magic to keep Ren there?”

  “I don’t know, but it surely seems it would be worth our time to investigate, or perhaps infiltrate would be a better word.”

  “Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

  “I need a little time to come up with a plan, Miss Kelsey. Our goal is to get everyone out of there alive. Speaking of which, I feel I should share with you two that my informants have disappeared. The men I’ve sent to investigate the penthouse office of the tallest building in Mumbai are gone. They haven’t contacted me, and I fear the worst.”

  “Do you mean they’re dead?”

  He replied soberly, “They aren’t the type of men to allow themselves to be taken alive. I won’t allow any more men to die in this cause. From now on, we’re on our own.” He looked at Kishan. “We’re at war with Lokesh again in a new century.”

  Kishan clenched his fist. “This time, we won’t run away with our tails between our legs.”

  “Indeed.”

  Clearing my throat, I said, “That’s great for you two, but I’m not a warrior. How can we possibly win? Especially when it’s just the three of us against all of his men?”

  Kishan put his hand over mine. “You’re as fine a warrior as any I’ve fought with, Kells. Braver even than many I’ve known. Mr. Kadam has been known to come up with strategies when we’ve been outnumbered before that won a battle with ease.”

  “If there is one thing I’ve learned in my many years, Miss Kelsey, it’s that careful planning can almost always create a positive outcome.”

  Kishan interjected, “And don’t forget, we have many weapons at our disposal.”

  “So does Lokesh.”

  Mr. Kadam patted my hand. “We have more.”

  He pulled out a satellite photo and a red pen and began circling items of interest. Then he handed me a piece of paper and a pen. “Shall we get started?”

  First, we made a column of our assets, brainstorming how each could be used. Some of the ideas were silly and some had merit. I recorded everything we came up with, not knowing what might turn out to be handy.

  Mr. Kadam made a star on the map where he thought Ren might be found. He felt the simplest plans were the easiest to follow, and our plan was pretty straightforward: Sneak in. Find Ren. Get out. Even so, Mr. Kadam made sure to analyze the plan from several different viewpoints.

  He prepared for every contingency. He asked dozens of what if questions. What if Kishan can’t enter the compound because he’s a tiger? What if there are tiger traps in the jungle? What if there are more soldiers than we thought? What if we can’t enter from the jungle? What if Ren isn’t there?

  He made a separate plan to overcome each problem and still have a successful outcome. Then, he combined problems and drilled Kishan and me on our roles. We had to remember how our roles would switch depending on what problems came up. I felt like I was memorizing every possible ending in a Choose Your Own Adventure book.

  Mr. Kadam also organized practice runs. We had to test the limits of the Golden Fruit and the Divine Scarf as well as several complicated moves using our weapons. He made us train most of the day in hand-to-hand combat and practice several techniques simultaneously. By the time he let us quit on the first day, I was exhausted. Every muscle hurt, my brain was tired, and I was covered in maple syrup and cotton fluff— a Fruit and Scarf combo test that backfired.

  When I said goodnight, I wearily climbed the stairs, took Fanindra off my arm, and set her on the pillow. Mr. Kadam had a plan for her, but she didn’t move when he’d explained it.

  We didn’t know if she would do anything, but I was going to bring her along anyway. She’d saved my life enough times to deserve to be in on the action, if nothing else. I watched her golden coils shift and twist until she settled in a circular position with her head resting on the top coil. Her emerald eyes gleamed for a moment and then went dark.

  Something fluttered outside the window. My fairy clothes! It seemed there weren’t any fairies here. The clothes still seemed solid enough, but now they just needed a spin in the washing machine. I threw them into my hamper before stepping into a hot shower. As my sore muscles relaxed, I let my thoughts dwell on trivial things, such as wondering if I should wash the fairy clothes in cold or hot water. The shower soothed me until I almost fell asleep on my feet.

  Mr. Kadam drilled us for a week before he felt we were ready to seek out the Baiga village.

  The three of us stood at the base of a large tree in the dark jungle. We passed around the Divine Scarf and assumed the appearance we had each been assigned to mimic.

  Right before Mr. Kadam changed, he whispered, “You know what to do. Good luck.”

  I wrapped the Divine Scarf around his neck, tied it, and whispered, “Don’t get caught in a trap.”

  He quietly slipped off toward the jungle.

  Kishan hugged me briefly and departed as well. His steps were quiet. Soon, I was left in the dark jungle by myself. I strung my bow and slid Fanindra up my arm as I waited for the signal.

  A loud roar echoed through the jungle followed by the shouts of several men. That was the signal I’d been waiting for. I made my way through the trees toward the encampment about a quarter mile away. When I neared, I pulled out the Golden Fruit and murmured directions. My assignment was to take out the two watchtowers on the outskirts of the camp and the floodlights.

  Lights first. I scanned the area and recognized the various buildings. We’d studied the satellite images until all of us had the layout memorized. The Baiga huts were arranged in a semicircle closer to the edge of the jungle. They were behind the military bunkers and an assortment of M-ATVs. Mr. Kadam had said the M stood for MRAP, or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, which meant that they were awfully difficult to take out.

  The Baiga huts were made of woven grasses and were big enough for only one or possibly two families to live in. I didn’t want to hit those. They’d go up in a ball of fire easily.

  The command center had four compartments, each about the length of a semitrailer but twice as tall. They were attached in pairs and were made of some type of alloy. They looked sturdy. Two watchtowers stood, one on each side of the camp. Three guards watched the area from the top of each tower, while two men stood guard below. Next to the southern tower, I saw a tall post with a large satellite dish at the top. I counted four floodlights, not including the two spotlights attached to the watchtowers.

  I was supposed to find the generator, but I didn’t see it. Maybe it is hidden in one of the Baiga huts? I decided I’d just have to take out the lights one by one. I held up my hand and aimed. Warmth flooded down my arm until my hand glowed red in the dark. Energy shot out in a long white burst. First one and then the other three floodlights popped and exploded when my lightni
ng power hit.

  Someone got into one of the vehicles and turned on the lights. The ATV sputtered and choked. The gas had probably all been absorbed by the sponge cake I’d used the Fruit to fill the tanks with. The electricity still worked, though, and powerful headlights and spotlights scanned the trees for me. I turned my lightning power on the vehicle full blast because I knew it would be hard to destroy, sending an extra-thick pulse of energy through my palm.

  My lightning hit the car with a thunderous boom that shot the ATV thirty feet into the air. It exploded in a fiery ball and slammed down on top of another one, landing with a screeching of twisted metal. I shot another one with a blast; this time, the vehicle rolled. It flipped over three times and landed on its side against a huge tree. It only took me a few seconds to extinguish the other spotlights.

  Next, I needed to take out the two towers. The towers were simply made compared to the other buildings. Four wooden supports, one level taller than the command post, were topped with a boxy structure and armed with three men and a spotlight. The only way up was a simple wooden ladder, probably created by the Baiga.

  By now, soldiers had located my position. Flashlights were bobbing in my direction, seeking me out. I let loose a few golden arrows and heard a grunt and a thud as a body hit the ground. I had to move. I heard a ping as darts flew through the bushes I was hiding in. They must have instructions to take us alive.

  I ran in the darkness. Fanindra’s eyes glowed softly, giving me just enough light to reach my next location. Crouching behind a bush, I summoned my lightning power again and took out the closest tower. It exploded in a giant, fiery bomb that lit up the area. Frightened people ran in every direction.

  I made my way to the other tower, running openly amidst the crowd. I hid between two buildings as a group of soldiers ran past and took out a couple of them from behind. Mr. Kadam was shouting at the people, rallying them, and asking for their aid in the battle. His theatrics made me smile briefly. I planted the gada where he would find it and moved on.

  Back to business. I slunk around the shadowed part of a building and scoped out the other tower. I needed to destroy the satellite too. I nocked an arrow, infused it with lighting power, and let it fly. It thunked into the satellite and fizzed and crackled with electricity before it exploded. By this time, the soldiers in the second tower had figured out that I was their target. I leapt behind some boxes as they turned their weapons on me. I heard the thwap, thwap of several darts plugging the area where I had just been.

  My heart pounded with fear. If they hit me with a dart, I’d be done. I wouldn’t be able to help Kishan or find Ren. Hearing shouts of men searching for me, I gathered my courage and nocked another arrow. The golden arrow twinkled in the moonlight and shimmered as I infused it with lightning power. This time, I was too close to my target, and as the explosion of the tower rocked the complex, the blast lifted me into the air. My head slammed against the building on the landing. Heavy wood chunks from the destroyed tower rained down and several of the flaming fragments hit me as I stood up. Gingerly I touched the back of my skull. I was bleeding.

  A soldier jumped out to attack me. We rolled across the dirt. I punched him in the gut and leapt up. When he started to rise too, I jumped on his back as Ren had taught and tried to cut off his air. He struggled only briefly before twisting and slamming me against a rock. I cracked my head sharply and felt a wet trickle of blood drip from my temple down my cheek.

  I lay still against the rock panting, exhausted, dizzy, and bloody. The soldier stood, grinned, and stretched out his hands to strangle me. I raised my hand, narrowed my eyes at his soot-blackened face, and shot him in the chest with a lightning bolt. He flew back several feet, hit the command center, and slumped to the ground in a sitting position, with his head drooping heavily on his chest.

  Now I had to find Ren. I ran unsteadily between some huts, and when another soldier came after me, I ducked to the side, dropped and rolled. When he shot a tranquilizer, I came up on one knee and took him out with a quick jolt. The door to the main building was being guarded by two soldiers standing at battle alert. When I approached, they spoke several words in a different language. I nodded briefly, and one of them used his key to let me in. I got off easily that time. I was a familiar face, and they hadn’t seen me in action.

  I stepped between them and quietly slipped inside. Unfortunately, the door shut behind me and locked itself automatically. I ignored the problem, figuring I’d just zap my way out later. My head throbbed at my temple, but other than that I’d been lucky. I had several wicked scrapes and cuts on my limbs, a major bump on the head, and I would be bruised all over my body, but nothing life-threatening. I hoped that Mr. Kadam and Kishan were faring as well.

  The inside of the command center was dark. I was in a storage area full of boxes and supplies. I crept through another section and found the barracks for the soldiers. An awkward moment came when I turned a corner and ran into the person I was imitating. The amazed expression quickly changed as I struck. A brief burst of light lit the room, and the individual sank to the floor.

  Despite the building being sparsely furnished, I stumbled over boxes in the dark while checking room after room. Finally, Fanindra’s green eyes glowed so I could see my environment more clearly. The area was lit with her special night vision, and I could make out nearly everything. I heard Lokesh and Kishan in another room. The situation there was escalating. Time was running out. According to our drills, I should have found Ren by now.

  If I had taken out the generator, I could have saved time; but, instead, I had to take out the lights one by one and fight more soldiers than I’d expected. The plan needed to be modified. I needed to get to Kishan first. Luckily, Mr. Kadam had prepared us for this contingency. Reluctantly, I left off my search for Ren and went to find Kishan instead.

  I made my way into the rear part of the command center and climbed several boxes until I was perched high above. It was a large room, almost as big as a warehouse. Metal shelves held weapons and supplies of every kind. A heap of soldiers’ bodies indicated that Kishan had been successful in disabling Lokesh’s guards. But, now, Lokesh had him cornered in his private office.

  It was luxurious by military standards. Thick carpet covered the floor. An opulent desk sat in the corner, and on one wall several television monitors flashed scenes of the chaos going on outside the compound. One wall was full of electronic equipment and gadgets. It looked like the inside of a submarine. The wall was covered with switches and monitors. Several red lights were blinking quietly, which I imagined were alarms of some kind.

  Three hanging lights buzzed overhead, flickering occasionally as if the compound was losing its power. A glass case near the desk held several gleaming weapons, some from every era of battle. Kishan was playing his part well. I nocked an arrow and waited for him to move back so I’d have a clear shot. Supercilious and overconfident, Lokesh kept on, trying to intimidate Kishan into doing what he wanted.

  Lokesh wasn’t wearing fatigues like his soldiers. He wore a black suit and a blue silk shirt. He looked younger than Mr. Kadam, but his hair was graying at the temples and was slickly combed away from his face in a modern mob-boss style. I noticed again that he wore rings on each finger that he twisted casually as he spoke. An invidious remark caught my attention.

  “I can rip you apart with a mere word, but I enjoy watching people suffer. And having you here is a special treat I’ve been waiting for, for a long time. I can’t imagine what you were trying to accomplish. There’s no way for you to win. But, I must say, I’m impressed with the way you dealt with my special guards. They were highly trained.”

  Kishan grinned wickedly as they circled. “Not highly trained enough, it seems.”

  “Yes.” Lokesh chuckled warmly. “Perhaps I could interest you in working for me. You are obviously resourceful, and I am a man who well rewards those who serve me. Of course, I should also warn you that I mortally punish those who defy me.”

 
; “I’m not looking for a job right now, and something tells me your employee-satisfaction rating is pretty low.”

  Kishan ran at Lokesh, flipped into the air, and round-house kicked him across the face.

  Lokesh spat blood. He smiled as a line of crimson trickled from his mouth. Wiping it delicately with a finger, he rubbed it across his bottom lip, licked it, and laughed. He actually seemed to enjoy the pain. I shivered with revulsion.

  He continued, “This has been a pleasant enough diversion, but enough of this banter. You have one amulet; I hold the power of the other three. Give it to me, and you can take the tiger and leave. Not that I’ll let you get far, mind you, but I’ll give you a sporting chance anyway. It will make the hunt that much more enjoyable.”

  “I think I’ll leave with the tiger and the amulet. And while I’m at it, I think I’ll kill you and take yours as well.”

  Lokesh cackled madly. “You will give me what I want. In fact, you’ll soon regret snubbing my generous offer. In a matter of moments, you’ll offer me anything I want just to stop the pain.”

  “If you want the amulet that badly, then why don’t you come over here and try to take it? Let’s see if you can fight as well as you threaten. Or, do you just leave all the fighting to other people now . . . Old Man?”

  The smile fell away from Lokesh’s mouth, and he raised his hands. Electricity sparkled between his fingers.

  Kishan leapt toward Lokesh again, but he was stopped by an invisible barrier. Lokesh began muttering enchantments, opened his palms, and lifted his arms. Loose materials in the room rose in the air and began swirling in a whirlwind, moving faster and faster. Lokesh slowly brought his hands together, and the whirlwind moved closer to Kishan. Objects revolved around him and began to hit him. A pair of scissors ripped open a gash in his forehead, but he began to heal immediately.

  Lokesh saw him heal and stared at the amulet greedily. “Give it to me! It’s my destiny to unite all the pieces!”