CH-12 The Scared Veteran

The police officer immediately called Lalit. The Bank Manager had been in contact with the culprit. She might have new information that could be helpful for their mission. He knew from experience the importance of information to solve any case.

Lalit had a battle scar that made his face look hideous. The civilians were scared by his appearance, and Poorva was no different, becoming even more frightened.

"Have you questioned her yet?" Lalit inquired.

The police officers answered, looking downwards.

"No, Sir."

A RAW agent was a legend to them, and they were already grateful to meet such a person once in their lifetime. Their respect for him was at its maximum.

"Why do I have to deal with such a useless bunch? Do I have to do everything here myself?"

"Sorry, Sir."

"I don't need your apologies. What am I to do with them? Try to be more useful."

Lalit observed Poorva's condition, her eyes filled with fear, and he decided to take action. "Damn, get her a bottle of water and call an ambulance. She needs immediate treatment."

The police officer immediately followed Lalit's instructions, and they were grateful that the RAW member had addressed them personally.

With the others out of the room, Lalit finally found some peace. The other RAW members were spread throughout the building, searching for more clues. He pressed a buzzer, signaling his colleagues that he had cl found a clue. All members of his team had a device on them which vibrated after hitting the buzzer.

Lalit knelt down to look at Poorva's level and looked into her eyes. She seemed like a scared animal, reluctant to make eye contact. At one point, she dared to look up but quickly lost her courage. Lalit realized her current mental state was similar to that of a frightened animal.

"Please don't fear me. I am here to protect civilians, not to scare them. Just trust me and take these items as my attempt to make a friendship."

Poorva was taken aback by his comment, and this approach worked. She mustered the courage to pick up the items. Lalit waited for her to drink before continuing.

"Could you help me with something? I need your help."

She glanced at him, as he continued, "I'm going to ask some questions. There's no need to answer them; just nodding your head is enough."

Luckily, she began to engage in their conversation and nodded to his questions. "Did the culprit attack you?"

She nodded in affirmation.

Lalit felt his anger building at the thought of someone threatening helpless civilians. "Do you know why he was here?"

She shook her head in denial.

"How old did he look?"

Lalit immediately realized his mistake, but it seemed she was comfortable answering. "25-26," she whispered softly.

Encouraged, Lalit probed further, "Did you, in any way, help him?"

Unexpectedly, she nodded in affirmation, and Lalit sensed that new information was about to be revealed.

Moving closer to hear her answer, he asked, "Did he tell you something about himself?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't remember anything besides that."

Lalit controlled his disappointment, "That's okay." He got up to search for more clues but was surprised to see Poorva getting up, though her steps were wobbly. Lalit reacted quickly to support her and prevent her from falling.

He remembered another detail, "Can I have your number? You may be called again for questioning."

She simply nodded, and Lalit used his Retina to scan her QR code and send a friend request, which she accepted. Being in contact with her during the mission was essential; the information she provided at any moment could be a game-changer.

They both exited the cabin, with Lalit supporting Poorva. Team Blue was waiting outside, seemingly having completed their search and ready to report their findings. Lalit handed Poorva over to the police officers, instructing them to take care of her.

The police officer was excited to see a squad of RAW members and they replied by "Yes, Sir."

The five RAW members exchanged glances, and one of them created a private room on the nearest wall to ensure privacy.

"Did you find any important information?"

Minu, their technician, spoke up, "The culprit is clever; I have to give him credit. He disguised himself in a way that makes it impossible to identify him. All we know is his attire, which will likely change, and his walking style, which we can use an algorithm to match with our camera database."

"A tough nut to crack, huh?"

Sheetal reported, "The culprit had brief conversations with two civilians. He inquired about the location of the form-filling section and the Bank Manager's cabin."

Minu added, "The culprit filled out a Bank Reactivation form before going to the Bank Manager's cabin, presumably for her consent."

Lalit nodded in understanding, "I see. Anything else to add?" There were no objections. "We will conclude our search of this bank. Declare the bank as an off-limits site for at least 14 days."