Chapter 66

When they were within sight of the house, Lena pulled the car over to the shoulder and turned to Arif.

"You sure you're up for this?"

Arif was startled to see her eyes glowing green and fluorescent in the darkness, like a cat's eyes. He realized that she had worn special lenses that made them glow like that. It made her look alien, animalistic.

"I'm ready."

He was glad his voice didn't tremble or squeak. He sounded more confident that he felt. Not that he was nervous, but he just didn't know what to expect. Attending orgies beneath the full moon was not something he did every second weekend after all.

She looked at him a moment longer. Then seemed to believe him. A car passed by, travelling almost silently, and Arif noticed it because it was the longest stretch limousine he had ever seen outside of a film. It was pale, luminous white, like the full moon he had glimpsed a moment ago.

He wondered who might be in the white limo, and if they happened to be heading for the same destination. Then Lena spoke again, refocusing his attention.

"Now remember. You're a businessman from Delhi. Nobody uses their names, so don't worry about that, as long as you don't reveal your real name. You're filthy rich, that's important. I've put the word out that a certain young heir apparent from one of India's richest industrial families is going to be attending tonight, and he doesn't want to be recognized because he's married with children and his family's ultra-conservative. That'll keep them from probing too deeply, but Myanmar will have someone check you out anyway, in case you might be a potential convert to the cult, so make sure you act and talk like you're coming from big money. Be arrogant, behave rudely, whatever."

Arif smiled at the thought of himself acting "arrogant and rude".

"What's funny? This is no joke, Arif. Get serious. These people will not be happy if they catch you and find out that you're just here to look up your ex-wife, Sarla."

"Wife," he corrected. "We haven't been divorced yet."

"Whatever. The point is, they'll be pretty rough on you if they catch on that you're a fraud. Savvy?"

"What if they catch you? You're pretending to be my mistress here, aren't you? Supposedly a Hispanic woman from Mission Valley who's actually married to a senior Bank of America executive, right? What if they find out you're actually Lena Kapoor, NRI, Myanmar's former partner and promoter, and now his biggest enemy? And that all you really want is to discredit the sect?"

She nodded with approval at his recital of her cover story.

"Good, very good. You've got your lines down pat at least. Now all you have to do is act like your life depends on it. Because, believe me, it does."