Pratap soon came to help them load the truck and cover the gizmo with a thick, dusty old cloth, as the high-tech instruments didn't exactly help them stay undercover.
After driving for around 20 minutes, they reached a coconut cart, perched a few meters away from the dazzling, blue coast. Behind the cart was a broad, middle aged man, who had an unusual sort of devious gleam in his eyes.
Any common person would not have liked to be intimidated by this man.
"Didn't you say that he was a trader and a seafarer?" Karan asked Aniket, slightly weirded out by Nivedhan's rugged look.
Aniket grinned and said, "Oh, this is just a side business, a front to all the things he does behind- stop looking at me like that, I meant things like wrestling and boxing, not whatever you're thinking."
He facepalmed and took a deep breath to stop himself from exploding into laughter, "I think only two people should approach him first, he seems like the type of guy to get suspicious quickly."
Ishar nodded. It was true, Nivedhan already seemed to be eyeing them while sharpening his iron billhook, as a warrior sharpens his weapons.
"Okay, then Ishar and Aniket should go." Karan said. "Ishar's the leader and Aniket seems fond of the man.".
"Naren's a military person too. Why not him?" Ishar argued, ignoring Naren's look of relief.
"Well…how about rock, paper scissors?" Karan suggested.
"What are we, five?" Ishar asked, looking at him with an incredulous look. Nevertheless, it was agreed to play that infamous game of choosing a winner. On the count of three, both put forward their hands. Ishar's was a rock. Naren's was paper.
"I win!" Naren announced, with a rather smug look.
Ishar glared at him and shot Aniket a look that said, 'If you don't join me, I WILL kill you.'
Aniket looked confronted, but in the end he sorrowfully agreed under the glares of Anjani and Gargi- a power that all women seemed to have.