The Honeybee Conspiracy

Part 39

Chapter 37

JK met Bharat Shah at his office. "We know you ordered the Myanmar strikes and the PM wants your resignation," said Bharat. There was a devilish smile on his face, a smile that revealed he had finally won in this dirty game of politics and manipulations. He took a fresh sheet of paper and passed it on to JK. It was addressed to the PM and talked about his inability to perform his duties due to personal health issues and requesting to be relieved at the earliest. "Just sign there JK. I want you to remember who's theboss and nothing will move without my consent."

Bharat was rowing his revolving chair and smiling at JK.

"And what happens if I refuse?" asked JK.

Bharat laughed a hearty laugh. He was so pleased with himself. "You will be fired," either way you are gone as he continued laughing and rocking his chair.

JK contemplated his move and then decided to go in for the kill.He slowly pulled out his Benson & Hedges packet and took out a cigarette and lit it. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs and let out a puff. Bharat still had his dirty smile on his face and thought the old spy was finally trapped in the cobweb spun by the master of manipulation Bharat Shah. JK took another puff and relaxed. Finally, he said, "Tell me, Bharat, why was Surekha Jagmohan killed?"

The effect was deadly and so too was the timing. Bharat abruptly stopped rocking. First, his throat went dry and slowly his lips. Beads of sweat began forming on his shining forehead.He licked his lips and took the glass of water and drank half. It was now JK's turn to smile, and Bharat slowly raised his eyes to meet his. JK took another puff and let out the smoke into Bharat's face.

"What do you mean?" asked Bharat. His voice had a nervous tone. The tone that you hear when your child tellsa lie when he has done something wrong.

JK let the question sink in, for a much deeper effect. He had, after all, spent more than two decades in this game of deception and deceit when Bharat was sitting around with his school friends playing Gilli danda.

He took another puff and blew it out, "I'm sure you know what I mean, Bharat. " said JK while he slowly rose from his chair and put the cigarette into the glass of water as he winked at him and left.

Bharat kept staring at him as he left the room. Five minutes back he thought he had him and now the tables had turned. He took a deep breath and put his hands behind his bald head. He was damn sure JK knew the real reason why Surekha Jagmohan, wife of Cabinet Minister Mohan Jagmohan was killed. He had to confront the PM, and he was dreading it. Unfortunately, he was a teetotaler or else he would have downed two pegs before opening the cage and entering the lion's den.

Never the less he entered the lion's den the same evening. Bharat briefed the PM on the events.In the end, he said, " I have a strong feeling that JK knows the truth. I'm sure of it. Sir, he can destroy us and everything else. Perhaps we should get rid of him, make it look like an accident?"

The PM glared at him, Bharat wished he had not blurted out the last line. The PM was furious and in his anger, he took the flower vase and flung it, Bharat ducked just in time missing his bald head by ten centimeters as it hit the wooden bookshelf at the end of the wall behind them. The PM shouted, his eyes still glaring at Bharat, "You are a bloody fool. He is the head of ATW and the defacto No.1 of RAW. By killing him, do you think all this will just disappear? He has already planned out a strategy if that eventuality were to occur. JK is an excellent strategist, he has planned out every move and counter move, he has seen half a dozen prime minister's come and go and has survived every attempt both internally and externally in taking him out. You have to think of a better strategy to counter him if you are to survive." Saying this, the PM got up and left.

All of a sudden, the 'We' and given way to 'You '. The whole pack of cards was now going to fall on his head. The last line from the PM was very clear, think of a way out or he, Bharat Shah was going down. Perhaps they would make his death look like suicide, just like what happened to Surekha Jagmohan. He found himself sweating even though the airconditioning was at 21 degrees.