RETURN OF THE SHADOW - Chapter 215

As Bhagvat was telling Parvati to prepare for the actions going to be taken by ShadowCard, the commanders were also in a state of alarm. As soon as the commander talking to Bhagvat realized that he wasn’t original, he triggered a state of alert. By that time, the other commander had already confirmed the other’s identities and they were waiting for the pair of them.

Bruce, Evelyn and Xiao Tian were among the first to finish and were waiting for the alert. Within a few seconds, they began to think that the commander who was checking Number 8 (Bhagvat) was also in cahoots with him, when an alert came to all the commanders.

“What happened, Number 2” asked Huang as Number 2 was the one who triggered the alert.

“Intruder in place of Number 8. He was talking gibberish and didn’t know anything of the protocol. He was supposed to initiate the conversation, but he didn’t even do that,” replied Number 2.

“Did you expect this?” asked Number 1 looking at Number 9. It was easy for him to understand that this was not a coincidence and Number 9 started the meeting with the intention to pull out the infiltrator. The others also looked at him with the exception of Evelyn and Bruce at that instant. Noticing their behaviour, Number 1 continued. “I guess 4 and 7 were also aware.”

“Yes, we had reason to suspect. There was an attempt to grab Number 7” said Evelyn pulling the focus of the others from Huang to her and pushing it towards Bruce. “He found out about it beforehand and laid a trap for them, managing to capture their men.”

“There was indeed an attempt to kidnap me. I know that the person who ordered it was his daughter, but some the things told by the ones whom I caught didn’t make sense. Moreover, they seemed to be involved the recent attack by the apes on the fringe and also with the knights of the old republic. So, I tried this out, asked both 4 and 9 to co-operate,” said Bruce.

“I didn’t find an heir and I am not in a hurry,” spat out Number 9 who had been feeling that he was being looked down at since the start of the meeting.

“Well, in that case, good work. Number 3, you better make a move at it. Let the enforcers surround the place. No sh.i.p.s are allowed to leave his office. Set up a video that he had requested the enforcers help secretly and that he was being held in secret against his will,” instructed Number 1.

“Wouldn’t it be a bit too, public?” asked Number 3.

“It is not an issue. We need to make a statement to the ones who dared to infiltrate us. Make it public and make sure that we got a hold of them both. Alliance secret services will take them from the enforcers and then we can deal with them. Not a problem right, Number 4?” he continued.

“I agree with it,” nodded Evelyn.

“Bruce, you get to take point on it with Evelyn. You were the one who identified and pulled them into a trap,” continued Number 1.

“Glad to,” replied Bruce. He had been ready for this ever since he realized that the ones trying to capture him were involved with Shadow Card.

“Any other suggestions?” asked Number 1 looking at the rest.

“Didn’t he see your face?” Number 6 asked Number 2. This was a very crucial thing as their identity was very strictly protected by the commanders. Most of them were not known to the public and would only be known to certain circles.

Number 9 flinched as he heard the question and cursed internally. “Why do you have to ask it fatso? You think the old guy is a fool or he hadn’t realized. Do want me to get scolded publicly?” he thought.

“He did see,” grunted Number 2. He was also not happy about it and was actually a bit angry at Number 9 for it. He just let it go as he also couldn’t find a better solution to the situation, they were in. Moreover, they only knew that one of them was infiltrated and that some of the information about Shadow Card had been revealed to the infiltrator. He understood that he could have already been known to the infiltrator.

“I apologize for the manner in which this was known to the others, but we had no idea about the amount of information known to the infiltrator. Apart from that, I had reason to believe that it might be his brother who is technically dead and hence, would have a good knowledge of his family and has a high chance to know more about his secrets. It was the best we could do in the situation,” said Bruce taking responsibility.

“Let it be. I understand,” said Number 2 waving his hand. “Just let me also be involved in this. Now, that he knows my face, it is not hard to relate it with my identity.”

“Ok, you will co-ordinate with Number 2,” said Number 1. “Inform us all as soon as you get any details. Let us be done with the meeting for now. Number 10, did you find out about the attackers that killed the pirates, yet?” he asked looking at Number 10 who was calm all this time.

“In process, they are avoiding the entire alliance and us for now,” said Number 10.

“Ok. You stick to the task. We will handle the infiltrator. That is a high priority. Let us wrap it up for now,” said Number 1.

By the time they had ended the meeting, Parvati was already preparing to run away. She had brought out Bharat with a cloth bag over his head and hands shackled to Bhagvat, when she got a call from the receptionist that the enforcers were requesting to meet with her.

“Don’t let them in. Tell them that I am not available,” said Parvati on the call.

“They aren’t listening ma’am. They just pushed through our security and are warning the staff to escape. It seems some terrorists have entered our premises,” said the receptionist.

“They are forcing through our security. They will take custody of you. It is best if we kill him and you assume his identity,” said Parvati looking at Bhagvat.

“I need to know a lot more, if I am to successfully take his identity. There will be a few among the ones coming that can verify his identity and I am the priority target,” said Bhagvat pointing her to a screen. A video of Bharat was streaming on it. He was requesting help from the enforcers and Bharat was publicly telling the whole world that the person in charge was a lookalike.

“This will be hard,” said Parvati. “He is still in our custody. I can’t believe that the enforcers would release a false video in the news. Now, the forces under him will be divided.”

“You are thinking too much. There would be no divide. Even if they believe that I am an impostor. You are with me. Everyone believes that you are Bharat’s daughter, not mine,” said Bhagvat. “Either way, once they catch me and free him, you will be imprisoned. I was expecting this, since the moment I realised that they recognized that I am an impostor.”

“So, what should we do?” asked Parvati.

“Leave him with me. You try to get away from the enforcers and any others. Don’t interact with anyone and don’t try to contact me after I am imprisoned,” said Bhagvat as he sat down on a chair and handed her a communication device. “If it is safe someone will contact you, else use one of those identities I had you make and try to make a life out for yourself.”

“No, not again. I lost mom to this nonsense before. I am not willing to,” she began to cry as she fell down laying her head on his lap.

“Don’t worry, child,” said Bhagvat in a reassuring manner as he caressed her hair. “This won’t be like the last time. They still need me, and I did manage to uncover some things which no one else knows about him. They will come for me as they need me. I will take you back. Just stay out of trouble.”

“No dad. I will come with you,” she sobbed again. There were a couple of Parvati’s recruits behind her who were shocked to see her in such a state. They had always known her as a violent, vengeful commander, but it was their first time seeing her soft side.

“No, this is final. Remember your training. I didn’t train you in secret all those days for you to go soft now. It was for moments like this. You need to escape,” he said lifting her up.

“You two. Escort her off the floor. If required, help her out of the building and stay back. Inform our men that they are to work for my brother and under no circ.u.mstance, he is to find out about our members,” he warned them as they escorted Parvati off the floor.

He pulled the cloth bag off of Bharat’s head and dragged him to a chair. There was a mask on his head made of metal and cloth. Parts of it blocked his ears and mouth, preventing him from talking or hearing. There were marks on his face indicating that he had been beaten recently and his left eye was missing. His eyes were the only things that were unobstructed, and he began to take deep breaths as he saw Bhagvat. It seems that fraternal relationship didn’t stop Bharat from torturing his brother.

“You were right, Bharat,” said Bhagvat as he released the clamps of the mask and removed it off his brother’s head.

“I never lied to you brother. Didn’t tell you a lot, but never lied or led you to believe a wrong thing,” said Bharat as he coughed and spat out. “So, if you think I am right, I need you to be a bit more precise about which thing you believe I was telling you the truth about.”

“After all this time. You still insist with the same. Do you honestly expect me to believe you?” asked Bhagvat. “I was never even in the ShadowCard because of you. I was meant to be the next commander, but you snatched that chance away from me.”

“As I said before brother, you got it wrong. Only one of us could be in the Shadow Card and you failed that mission. You killed an important operative who had intelligence because one of your men died in the operation. That is what put you behind,” said Bharat.

“He was my best friend. Was I supposed to just let it be?”

“Yes. Then, at the very least, his death wouldn’t have been meaningless,” replied Bharat.

“You were the same as him. Telling lies to cover up your callous behaviour. I for one, could never be like that. That was the reason you were made the commander,” said Bhagvat.

“What is going on brother? You vent your feeling quite often, but this the first time you are doing it publicly where you could be seen by someone,” said Bharat. Though he was beaten up and under the weather, Bharat was never one lose perspective. He already realized that something happened which put his brother in dire straits. He just was unaware if his brother wanted to execute him or if it was something else.

All Bharat received in reply was a punch to his face which told him all he needed to know. If his brother wanted to execute him, he would have shot of his fingers or went for his other eye instead of punching him. A punch like that would at most cause him a slight cut or swelling. He coughed and laughed at the same time as he turned his face back.

“Ok, then,” said Bharat. “Won’t ask you about it. I will probably understand in a moment or two,” he laughed. “Where is Parvati?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” sneered Bhagvat. He had already been prepared to be arrested. Bharat was only there to divert the focus of the enforcers so that his daughter would get more time to escape.

“Well, I am not much worried about her,” said Bharat. “She is your blood and you are far too sentimental to harm her.”

“When did you know?” asked Bhagvat. He had expected that his brother would have guessed about it when Parvati betrayed him, but he wanted to hurt him, make him feel bad with the realization that his wife, Vrita had also betrayed him.

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