Free Turbulence by Samit Basu Page A

course, but really, this wasn’t smart.”
    “I haven’t even talked to my people since our conversation. His presence here has nothing to do with me.”
    “I’m supposed to just believe you? I don’t think this is going to work. Shame.”
    “Listen. Maybe we should meet somewhere else. I don’t want him to see me either.”
    “Too late for that. Don’t hang up. I want to hear what you say.”
    The hatchet-faced man has spotted Vir. He gasps and drops his ice-lolly. Growling in exasperation, Vir strides out of the cafe, and the girl gang sighs in disappointment. Mukesh slides off the wall and stands, hand on hip, until Vir reaches him.
    “What are you doing here?” Vir asks.
    “I should ask you that, man. Where the hell have you been? We thought you were dead!” Mukesh replies.
    “I’ll report to base tomorrow. Until then, no one knows I’m here, okay? I’m following up something on my own.”
    Mukesh’s mouth twists into an approximation of a smile. He sticks his tongue out: long, forked and snake-like, rendered somewhat less fearsome by an ice-lolly orange coating.
    “I don’t think that works, man,” he says. “You failed your mission, no? Jai’s not going to be happy. I think you should talk to him now.”
    “You don’t get to tell me what to do, soldier,” Vir snaps. “Now get out of here. I have work.”
    “I’m not your soldier any more, man. Things have changeda little bit. You talk to Jai. Or maybe I should.”
    Vir steps forward, puts a friendly hand on Mukesh’s shoulder and presses slightly. Mukesh flinches in pain, and his muscles convulse. Green scales appear along his cheekbones and neck. His eyes turn yellow.
    “I think you’ve forgotten who I am and what I can do,” Vir says. He steps back, releasing Mukesh, and Mukesh’s features slide back towards normal. “Get out of here for the next two hours. I don’t owe you any explanations.”
    Mukesh steps back, smiling, and his canines lengthen into long fangs.
    “I’ve often wondered exactly how thick your skin is, Vir,” he says in a strangely deep voice. “Maybe I’ll get to find out soon.”
    “Maybe you will. And keep your face under control, you idiot. People are watching.”
    “They’re going to be watching a lot more soon. Wait and watch, man.”
    “And if Jai finds out you saw me before I tell him, I’ll come looking for you. Got it?”
    “I’m going, I’m going,” Mukesh grumbles, and shambles off.
    Vir stands and watches while he gets into a car and drives off towards Juhu. Then he puts the phone back to his ear.
    “Where are you?” he snaps.
    “Just come back to the cafe and sit down.” The caller disconnects.
    Two minutes later, a short, shapely woman in a tiny dress swings the cafe’s gate open and sashays in, her heels tapping loudly in time to all male hearts in the vicinity. She draws up a chair and sits across from a stunned Vir.
    “Sorry I’m late, darling,” she trills, “but my hairdresser took a very long time. What do you think?”
    She pulls her huge sunglasses up on her head and runs a hand through her inch-long hair.
    “Very nice,” Vir says politely. “Who are you?”
    “I’ve been trying to think of a good answer to that for a while. I was going to say Multiple Woman, but apparently there’s already a Multiple Man. So I’m going with Ms Quantum for now. But it’s a bit of a silly name, no? Do you have a superhero name, or is it just Vir? It does mean brave, so you’ve got a head start there. Still, you should have a secret identity, no?”
    “It’s just Vir.”
    “Nice. You know what else I wanted? A costume. Like a proper superhero costume, except you can’t wear a bodysuit in Mumbai in this weather, you’d stink and melt. And I don’t really have the figure for it anyway. Apparently there are lots of superhero chicks who wear next to nothing, but that wouldn’t be very practical either, no? Like, I’d look okay, but I couldn’t fight with anyone. Of course I