Ch. 1

Ashes to Ashes

Better the devil you know then the devil you don't.

Ajay wasn't really sure what to do right now. He entered Tibet and came to the homeland of his late mother to spread her ashes somewhere called Lakshmana. He had his passport, a guide and everything, and despite warnings of terrorist attacks in the country, nothing bad had happened. That is until his bus was stopped by some outpost guards.

He could feel the tension rise as the guards continued to hold them in their position, but while they were checking the bus, they apparently found weapons underneath the vehicle and that is where everything went to hell. Some terrorists jumped out of the back of the bus forcing the guards to shoot at them and at the bus.

Ajay and his guide, Darpan, jumped out of the bus before they were riddled with bullets. When they got out the soldiers pointed their weapons at them and he and Darpan got on the ground in surrender.

That was when things started to get even more intense. A helicopter landed and out came a strange Asian man with weird blonde hair. He looked upset as he approached the commander of the soldiers. After a small "discussion" about what the soldier did wrong, the Asian man stabbed him repeatedly in the face with a pen. And then went on to complain about the blood on his shoes.

Ajay had never been more terrified in his whole life. Even when he committed armed robbery in the states he wasn't that terrified. Oddly enough the strange man seemed to calm down and seemed happy when he laid eyes on Ajay. He was so happy in fact, the Asian man took a selfie with Ajay.

The strange man then had his men put a burlap sack over his head after lighting the bus on fire and he went for a ride in the man's helicopter.

And now he was in this strange scene. He and his guide, sitting at a fancy dinner table, with fancy food, and creepily, a plate of monkey heads for a center piece. The Asian man was sitting across from him now dressed in a flashy pink suit, which made him look even more ridiculous, but Ajay kept that to himself.

"So, introductions. Ajay Ghale, our guest of honor; Paul, our very gracious host. The little monkey whose name I still don't know. And I, over course, am Pagan Min." Pagan Min looked at Ajay expectantly, like he was supposed to recognize him or something. "You really don't remember me? Your mother never spoke of me, never mentioned me? Oh we'll change all that. Paul, I need cash."

"How much do you need?"

"All of it." He literally took every rupee out of the man's wallet and began showing Ajay his face on every bill. Ajay just continued to stare and listen. He already knew this man was important, but what he didn't understand was why he was being so familiar with him. He knew his mother? Ishwari never talked much about Kyrat or the people there. He would definitely remember her talking about a pink suited, blonde, Asian psychopath. That's just something you don't forget in a conversation, just because it was way absurd.

Pagan Min then grabbed his mother's urn. Ajay was about to get up and protest, but a look from Paul told him otherwise.

"Now your mother, your mother on the other hand, she understood me. She knew me in a way that nobody else ever did." He dipped his pinky into the ashes and tasted them. That was even more disturbing than watching Pagan stab that soldier in the face. "Mm, that takes me back. The last time I saw Ishwari was years ago. She told me she loved me. Women, they can do that. They can tell you they love you in the moment and mean it, men on the other hand. No, men only really love you in hindsight. When too much distance has built up. So when your mother decided to flee to the United States with you on her hip, I couldn't help but blame myself. Then I realized, it wasn't me, no. It was the fucking Golden Path!" And then he shoved Darpan into the table and stabbed him in the shoulder with a fork. "Those fucking terrorists they ruin everything. Like dinner. Didn't anyone ever teach you it's rude to text at the table?" He took Darpan's phone and examined it. Pagan chuckled. "Ah. "I'm with Ajay Ghale." You'll love this part. "Help." A text for help? You don't text for help, you cry for help. So come on, you're going to cry for help. You're going to do something, you're going to do it right."

He dragged Darpan to the balcony, with the fork still imbedded in his shoulder and told Darpan to call for help. At first Darpan pitifully cried for help, then Pagan forced him to yell louder. It wasn't loud enough and Pagan ordered him to yell louder. Still not loud enough, Pagan twisted the fork and Darpan finally yelled loud enough that his voice echoed over the mountains. Pagan yelled alongside him and he was much louder than Darpan. And then the psychotic man gently shushed him.

"Listen. Do you hear that? Nothing . . . I'm afraid they're not coming for you buddy." Pagan then removed the fork and ordered Paul and his men to interrogate Darpan. "Terrorists, right? Now please stay right here. Enjoy the Crab Rangoon. Don't move, I'll be right back. Yuma we need to talk." Pagan talked into his phone as he went into the back room.

When the pink suited psychopath was out of the room and out of ear shot, Ajay slumped in his seat and let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

"Holy fuck . . ." he exclaimed.

Ajay could not believe this was happening to him. He was now starting to wonder if the reason he hardly has any memories of Kyrat is because of some violent trauma he experienced here. It would not surprise him, considering the man that was running this country. And no wonder his mother never said anything about this place. He just got here and already people had shot at him!

Ajay leaned over the table and picked up his mother's ashes and picked up the money that Pagan nonchalantly dropped on the table.

"Okay, I need to get out of here." Ajay went over to the balcony. "Can I jump? No, the fall will probably kill me and if it doesn't I'll definitely break something and not get far." He turned around and went over to the door that Pagan went into. Ajay didn't bother to open it, but he could hear Pagan talking to someone named Yuma, though the conversation was a bit muffled by the thick door. He tried the other doors in the room, but they were all locked. Ajay then went down the stairs they came from and heard screams of agony coming from behind the door. He knew that it was Darpan screaming. He tried to open the door, but it was also locked.

"Damn it!" Ajay went back the way he came and walked back to the table. He gave the room one last look-around before sighing in defeat. There was no way he could escape. And if there was, he didn't see it. Eh, just as well, considering how brutally Pagan Min killed one of his soldiers for "fucking up" his job, perhaps leaving and defying the King of Kyrat wasn't such a good idea.

Ajay took his seat again, ignoring the monkey heads center piece. He eyed the Crab Rangoon and decided to take Min's offer. He took a bite and hummed in satisfaction.

"Not bad."

Half an Hour Later

"Oh fan-bloody-tastic! You sir, are a gentleman. I sincerely apologize. We saw terrorists in the area and yada yada. The Crab Rangoon right? It's . . ." Pagan was interrupted by Darpan's tortured screams and looked down in annoyance before continuing. "fabulous. Mm! Well, come on, let's go."

Ajay got up from the table and followed Pagan. After a while, Ajay gathered up the courage to ask Pagan a question.

"Where are we going?"

"Why to Lakshmana, of course!" Pagan smiled riley.

Ajay had a look of surprise on his face. He didn't expect Pagan to just suddenly take him to where he needed to go. He looked at his mother's ashes. Did this guy really have a relationship with his mother. Ishwari was a kind, compassionate, and strict mother. He had a hard time imagining his mother being with someone like this man.

The two walked outside and entered a helicopter.

"Kamran! Take us to, you-know-where." Pagan ordered the pilot. The pilot dutifully saluted and the helicopter took off. For a few minutes Ajay and Min just sat in awkward silence. At least it was awkward to Ajay, he glanced at Min a few times and saw a . . . content smile on his face. Ajay would have tried to have a conversation with him, but the helicopter was so loud he doubted he would have been heard. Oh well, he wasn't much of a talker anyway. His mother always said he was the strong silent type.

Several minutes had passed and the helicopter landed on a hill with a small building on it. Was this a shrine?

"Three point landing." Pagan joked. "You know . . . a part of me is surprised that your mother asked you to bring her all the way back here." Kamran, the pilot, opened the helicopter doors for them. "Thank you, Kamran."

Ajay was a bit hesitant to get out and nervously asked Pagan. "Y-you want me to follow you?"

"Jesus Christ. Yes boy, the ashes aren't going to scatter themselves." Pagan said exasperated.

Ajay got out of the helicopter and followed Pagan to the small building.

"Did your mother ever tell you about your father?"

Ajay stopped and tried to think of a time, but he never recalled a time his mother even mentioning his father. In fact, the times he asked her she had this pained expression on her face and he would drop it.

"No never."

"Mohan . . . the great protector of the Golden Path. Hmph, he was a cunt. He whored your mother out. Sent her to spy on me. But, we fell in love, had a child and that is when Mohan showed his true colors. Hmph. He drove you and your mother away, even killed your sister, Lakshmana." That's when Ajay got a look inside the building and realized it was a shrine. "Which brings us here. Lakshmana shouldn't be alone anymore. I'm so glad we're finally back together" Ajay could see the genuine emotions on Pagan's face. "After you." He motioned for him to enter.

Ajay slowly walked in and Pagan closed the door behind him. Inside were candles and incense and the traditional Kyrati funeral rights; bells and charms. There were even some children's toys around on the floor. Ajay made his way up to the pedestal that held a single urn not unlike his mother's except it had the image of a peacock on it. Above the pedestal was a painted portrait of a little baby girl, no older than a year. This was Lakshaman, his unknown baby half-sister.

With a carefulness Ajay didn't even know he had, he placed his mother's ashes right next to Lakshmana. A wave of emotions washed over him as he recalled the last words his mother said.

'I love you and will always be with you.'

Ajay gave a short prayer to his mother and to his newfound sister before finally saying goodbye.

"Goodbye Mom. Goodbye . . . Lakshmana."

Ajay walked outside and let out a heavy breath, like he just took off a great weight on his shoulders. Ajay saw Pagan Min leaning against his helicopter with an amused and nostalgic smile on his face.

"Oh good. Feel better now? Get it out of your system?"

"Yeah." Ajay answered.

"Good. And now maybe we can finally shoot some goddamned guns."

When Pagan said that, Ajay heard the song "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by The Clash play once again on the helicopter's radio.