Page 5 of Tiger's Voyage

“No,” I said curtly and stood.

Ren took my hand but dropped it quickly. “What is it? You’re sad. More than usual.”

“That song … it’s—”

“The song? Have you heard it before?”

“No,” I lied and smiled sadly, “It’s … lovely.” I squeezed his hand and stumbled away before he could ask any more questions. I wiped a tear from my cheek as I climbed the stairs. I could hear him working on the song again, trying to figure out where the notes belonged.

Another evening, I was relaxing on the veranda, smelling the night jasmine, and looking up at the stars when I overheard Kishan and Ren talking.

“You’ve changed,” Ren pointed out to his brother. “You’re not the same man you were six months ago.”

“I can still whip your white hide if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“No, it’s not that. You’re still a powerful fighter. But now, you’re more relaxed, more certain, more … composed.” He laughed. “And much harder to get riled up.”

Kishan replied softly, “She’s changed me. I’ve been working hard to become the kind of man she needs, the kind of man she already believes me to be.”

Ren didn’t respond, and the two entered the house. I sat quietly, thinking deeply about Kishan’s words.Who knew life and love would be socomplicated?

2

Getting Reacquainted

Afew days later, Mr. Kadam called us together in the dining room. As we all took seats around the table, I secretly hoped this wasn’t bad news and that Lokesh hadn’t found us again.

“I’d like to propose an idea,” Mr. Kadam began. “I’ve figured out a way to make sure we can find one another if, perchance, someone is abducted again. It won’t be comfortable, but I feel a little discomfort is a small price to pay to make sure no one is lost.”

He opened a box and took out a bubble-wrapped package. Inside was a black velvet bundle that unrolled to reveal five thick syringes with needles the size of a giant porcupine quill.

Nervously, I asked, “Umm, Mr. Kadam? What exactly do you mean by alittlediscomfort?”

He opened the first syringe and took out a bottle of saline solution and some alcohol wipes. “Have you heard of RFID tags?”

“No,” I responded with alarm as I watched him gently take Kishan’s left hand, swipe the area between his thumb and forefinger with an alcohol wipe, and then dab a yellow topical ointment in the same place.

“It stands for Radio Frequency Identification tags. They’re used in animals.”

“You mean to track whales and sharks? Things like that?”

“Not exactly. Those are larger and drop off after they lose power.”

Ren leaned forward and picked up a chip about the size of a grain of rice. “It looks similar to what Lokesh implanted in me.”

He set the chip down and rubbed his hands together slowly, looking off into the distance.

“Did it hurt? Could you feel it inside your skin?” I asked tentatively, trying to bring him back from whatever dark place he had gone.

Ren let out a breath and gave me a small smile. “The pain was minimal at the time, but yes, I could feel it under my skin.”

“This tag is slightly different.” Mr. Kadam hesitated and added, “We don’t have to use them, but I think they will be a protection for all of us.”

Ren nodded in agreement, and Mr. Kadam continued, “These are somewhat similar to RFID tags which are used in pets. They emit a frequency, usually a ten-digit number, which can be scanned through the skin.

“The chips are encased in biocompatible glass to prevent them from coming in contact with moisture. RFID tags for humans are not commonplace yet but are beginning to be approved for medical purposes. They identify medical history, allergies, and the types of medication a person is currently taking.”

He drew some saline solution into the syringe and replaced the smaller needle with the giant one. Then he placed a tiny chip into the needle’s groove. He pinched the skin between Kishan’s thumb and finger and carefully inserted the needle. I looked away.