Chimera

“Welcome to the People’s Republic of China, Group-Captain Parekh. I apologize for the condition of your arrival but as you can imagine, external conditions were extraordinary to say the least. While you are here, you are a guest of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force!”

Feng turned to the Major escorting Verma and spoke in mandarin:

“Remove the blindfold. Make sure he gets food and water. He is not to be ill-treated or I will have the people responsible for it shot! Understood?”

The Major nodded and looked over to the two soldiers restraining Parekh. They quickly removed the blindfold. Parekh hadn’t seen light of any kind for hours now and the bright sunlight caused him to wince for a few seconds. Once his eyes adjusted, he looked around and saw a Senior-Colonel of the PLAAF standing in front of him. The bright red star on his fur cap could not be missed, and neither was the smile on the grizzled face…

“Group-Captain, as you can see, the Chinese air-force is in complete control of the skies over the battlefield to the south. We even flew you here during daylight in an unarmed helicopter and no escorts. In the time of your capture, we have struck your airbases with impunity using our missiles and have pushed them all the way to the south of the country,” Feng lied through his smile in crisp English. “Within a few days our land forces will have defeated your forces in Ladakh. Expect to meet a lot more of your friends here real soon. It should be just like 1962 for your countrymen, so you will get used to it. It’s almost like China has to remind your country every few decades of where it stands in Asia. Well, no matter. We will finish the job this time!”

Parekh squinted in the bright sunlight and turned away from it. He still had energy left to respond:

“Really, Colonel? All I remember seeing yesterday night was the exploding fireballs around your vaunted radar and missile sites in the Aksai Chin. And the rest of my boys made it home safely. You should probably check again with your field commanders about the war because to me it seems like you are being fed bullshit!”

“Ah yes, your attacks. They were nothing more than pin-pricks, Parekh,” Feng shook the file in his hand. “As of this morning, those holes you created have already been plugged. And our missiles have already claimed two more of your squadron Jaguars this morning. We even have reports coming in that the Tuskers unit is now so combat depleted that it is being replaced on the front lines. So your co-pilot and the others died for nothing. Our S-300s continue to remain active and your unit continues to breathe its dying breaths!” Feng replied.

“Buddy, we will see about that! I hope you have bunkers here, because it won’t be long before my boys will be visiting you too!” Parekh retorted

Feng laughed at the back-and-forth conversation. Something he had always wanted to do with his enemy face to face…

“We will see, Group-Captain!” he checked his watch and faced the Indian pilot again: “I had hoped to meet my counterpart, and I have. However now I am needed elsewhere. Perhaps we will meet again under better circumstances. Right this instant I have a war to fight!”

Feng smiled condescendingly and nodded to the Major.

Parekh was taken away after reinstating the blindfold over his eyes. He didn’t realize it, but he had just conversed with the man who had saved his skin inside an active war zone. Feng had gone to great lengths to have Parekh transferred to the control of the PLAAF instead of the PLA intelligence officers whose brutality in these matters were infamous throughout the Chinese military.

But Feng would not allow such a thing to happen to a person he considered a professional adversary, not a street criminal. Not many others agreed with him on that, however.

Privileges of my rank. The men will do as they are told.

For now.

Feng thought about that, sighed and then headed back to his utility vehicle to drive back to the operations center.

THE VILLAGE OF DOKUNG

NORTHERN SIKKIM

DAY 3 + 1215 HRS

Gephel yawned like a yeti when his eyes opened. He checked his watch and saw that he had been asleep for around six hours.

First warm bed and blanket in weeks…

Heaven!

He looked around and saw that the other members of his team were still fast asleep, snoring away. Except for Ngawang, who was busy shaving his beard off with a small mirror mounted on the window sill.

Gephel decided to do the same and pulled himself out of the warm sleeping bag on the floor. The winds were still howling outside and he recollected where he was again.

“Good afternoon, sir!” Ngawang smiled as he noticed Gephel getting up. He got a grunt in return. Gephel realized that their days of operating black and non-existent were perhaps close to ending. He was, at the end of the day, an Indian army officer…

“You too, Major!” he finally retorted to Ngawang before heading off into the washroom.