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Mumbai and have just arrived.”
    “Mumbai? But—”
    “But the Mumbai station was closed, is that what you were about to say?” Sanjay asked. “Why do you think we transferred here? Now please, we need to be on our way. There is important business Mr. van Assen needs to discuss with the director.”
    “Show me your IDs.”
    Sanjay poked van Assen again to remind him they had discussed this possibility.
    “They, uh, were unfortunately left behind in the rush to evacuate Mumbai,” the Dutchman said. “There are new badges waiting for them inside.”
    Another honk from the truck.
    The guard thought for a moment before taking a step back.
    “Bring them back and show them to me as soon as you have them,” he said, and then waved them through.
    At ground level, NB551 was unremarkable, a warehouse and a few smaller buildings encircled by a parking area that itself was surrounded by a three-meter-high brick wall. The Americans in Nevada had told Sanjay and Kusum the real base extended beneath the property for several levels.
    A section of the parking area was dedicated to trucks and vans and buses of various types that appeared to be stored for future use, while the area closest to the entrance played host to a smattering of passenger vehicles. Kusum drove their sedan into this second area and parked as close to the entrance as she could get. After she turned off the engine, she dialed Darshana again.
    “That seemed pretty close,” Darshana said. “I almost set everything off.”
    “Give us two minutes, then do it,” Sanjay instructed.
    “Please try not to get yourselves killed,” Darshana said and hung up.
    Sanjay glared at van Assen. “Once Kusum gets out of the car, you will do the same. She is also armed, so do not even think of running.”
    Van Assen’s mouth twitched but he remained silent.
    With a nod from Sanjay, Kusum exited the car and opened van Assen’s door.
    “Out,” Sanjay said, nudging their prisoner.
    As van Assen scooted through the doorway, Sanjay followed right behind. From the tension in the Dutchman’s shoulders, Sanjay could tell van Assen was thinking about running. Sanjay grabbed the back of the man’s shirt and turned him so that van Assen was facing him.
    “There is a part of me that would very much like you to try to escape,” Sanjay said. “It would be an excuse for me to give you what you really deserve.”
    For the first time, van Assen looked scared.
    Sanjay checked his watch. Just over a minute remained on the deadline he’d given Darshana. He let go of the man’s shirt. “Let’s move.”
    With van Assen between them, they headed toward the door. At least ten others were scattered around the parking area, either heading to or from the main entrance.
    Sanjay, Kusum, and van Assen were only ten feet from the door when the first explosion went off. Though Sanjay knew what was coming, he jerked in surprise at the strength of the blast. It had been far more powerful than he had expected. For a moment, he wondered if all the kegs had accidentally gone off at once, but then a second explosion ripped apart an entire section of the wall, launching brick fragments toward the warehouse.
    “Run!” Sanjay said as a piece of debris grazed his shoulder. “Inside!”
    The door was controlled by an electronic-pass system. Sanjay had relieved van Assen of his after they’d made it through the gate. He swiped it in front of the card reader, pushed the door open, and motioned for Kusum to go first.
    They found themselves in a short corridor that T-boned with a larger one running left and right.
    Sanjay was turning to shut the main door when he heard people running in their direction from deeper inside the building. He whirled around as a squad of security men entered the corridor. At first, he thought they might be coming for them, but then the man in the lead yelled, “Out of the way!”
    “Hey!” van Assen shouted.
    Sanjay jammed his pistol into the small of the man’s back.