Chapter 213 - Inquest (1/2)
Bruce's words triggered her worst fears. She had worked for Parvati for quite some time to know that Parvati was a bit of a control freak. Parvati was called as a crazy, vengeful person by almost all who worked for her and the feared her for the same reason. Parvati would kill a bunch to set an example to the others. She had killed a few for similar reasons when ordered by Parvati and those orders usually involve making the process painful and torturous to the victim.
She never took these things to heart or pitied the victims. She knew that these victims had enjoyed the riches and blood money earned by their loved ones. So, she always believed that they had to be aware of it at some level. She just considered it as a clearing of weeds required for the others to survive. Unexpectedly, she found herself on the receiving of it today and she felt her beliefs changing.
She wondered if her brother and family really were unaware of her activities. She felt that they must have at least had a few doubts about it. She definitely wouldn't have completely believed that her brother believed her reasons and excuses for some of her behaviour, but she did knew that he accepted that she kept secrets from him and let her have those secrets as he loved her. It was then, she understood that the ones she killed might have been in similar situations.
”You were one of Parvati's death squad. So, I need to suggest you the things she intends to do to your loved ones,” said Bruce interrupting her thoughts. ”The more trouble she faces from me, the less she would be concerned about your loved ones. So, I will give you a one-time offer. Tell me something that would trouble her, and I give you my word that I will let you and your team free. Depending on your information, I might even help you save the ones you care about.”
”Like I would trust your word. You do remember telling me that you had no intention to fight me, right?” replied the woman.
”I do, and there was no fight. You might have been confused by your rapid discharge of your sidearm, but there was never a fight. You fell into my trap and I took you down. The same happened with your team. You are a death squad. Do you honestly think that there would be no casualties if there was a fight?” asked Bruce.
”No,” he continued as his voice became louder and angrier. ”There were not even the slightest injuries to any personnel involved in the incident. You, your team and even Parvati are not qualified to fight me. Even her father wouldn't have such stupid thought. And for the same reason, I know he isn't involved in this. So, I suggest that you talk. The faster you talk, the better it is for you. I recommend that you start with your name.”
”C.o.c.ky old man,” she thought hearing Bruce's dialogue about them not being qualified to fight him. ”But it is best if I co-operate with him for now. Ever since, Parvati gave the command to kill him by blowing myself up, all relationsh.i.p.s between me and her are torn. I would go down and probably my family even if I stay loyal to her.”
”Name is Janet. Janet Goldspot,” said the woman finally revealing her information.
”Goldspot? Huh!” said Bruce. ”Haven't heard that name for a long time. You know there used to be a candy by that name. Of course, one wouldn't have seen one for a few centuries.”
”You all right?” asked Janet surprised by Bruce's blabber wondering whether it was a sensible thing to join him.
”Yes. Just felt that I heard the name some place before. So, I guess your dad was one of the managers of the Banerjee's stores. Toby is your brother,” said Bruce looking at a screen on which he looked for associates of the Banerjee's with that name.
”That was fast,” said Janet.
”We could estimate your age. Expecting your time of death on official records with a certain range and we know that you would have been involved with Banerjee's at some level to have this position at your age,” said Barbara. ”It wasn't hard to search after knowing your name. Would have been easier if you didn't have such extensive facial reconstruction. Probably done after the accident in which you and your father were proclaimed dead.”
”Ok. Now, what do you want to know?” asked Janet. Now, she was the one in a hurry. It was important for her that she get out and save her brother as soon as possible.
”What is her plan? Who are all involved?” asked Bruce.
”Don't know. She hardly tells anyone.”
”Is her father involved?” asked Barbara.
”Probably, she does have someone who advises her, and she even takes commands from him, but no one know who it is,” said Janet. ”He keeps himself hidden and all she hears in our presence is a voice. Could be her father.”
”I told you that you trust him too much. He must be involved. She couldn't have done this without his help,” said Barbara.
”If he betrayed me, it wouldn't have been such a roundabout means of attack. He would have done better, even if he did it alone without involving any of his family,” said Bruce waving his hand before his daughter continued about her suspicions of Bharat Banerjee.
”Anything else?” asked Bruce. ”It is best that you be as forthcoming as you can. The more she gets distracted by me, the better your chances.”
”I have something else, but I am willing to only do it if you help me secure my family,” said Janet.
”Anything else?”
”You accept that?” asked Janet surprised that the man immediate agreed to help the person who had discharged a weapon in an attempt to kill him a few moments ago.
”Yes, but they will be under my custody. You will help me, and I am even willing to let you work for me after this is done,” said Bruce.
Janet found it extremely hard to believe his words, but it was her best option to save her family for now by co-operating with him. She hardly had other options and if she refused it, she didn't know what else she could do.
”I don't need you to trust me, but you are injected with a proprietary pico bot tech which can disable your motor functions as you are currently experiencing. With it, I can make sure that you don't do anything stupid and one of my men will have control of it when you go to save them,” said Bruce. ”Frankly speaking, I am sure that Parvati and her backer would be under duress by the end of the day. I don't even need any of your help, but I would like to preserve as much of my forces as I can. So, I am asking for information from you.”
”What gives such confidence? I looked into your details, but nothing apart from a regular soldier who got out of the armed forces and provides security services to industrialists,” asked Janet.
”That is what you were meant to know when you search about me. Only a select few know more than that and you don't get to know more. Maybe later, but not now. Now I own you,” said Bruce as he changed settings of the pico bots he injected her with to enable her motor functions. ”You destroyed my property and tried to kill me. I need to get even. So, you get your family and you work for me till that debt is paid. We can discuss those details later, but you can go ahead and tell me whatever you think would help.”