LEGAL VENGEANCE

17. MASKED LIES

Shrishti's POV:

12th June.

Had he offered me this before I met Shiv I would have shot him and sent him back. I looked into Veer's eyes while I shook his hand and all I could imagine were Shiv's eyes. I watched the life leave his eyes. And if I had the chance to see the life leave the eyes of the person behind all my misery, I surely would take it. 

"Did you find any clues in Prakash's files?" I asked letting go of the hand I held. I turned around taking off my off-brand leather jacket. I fetched myself some sustainable clothes with the least amount of money I had left in my pockets. 

"We didn't open it yet. We tried cracking the security codes but that is all." Rohit spoke while setting up his laptop. I looked at Veer being sure that he would be the one who suggested that they do so. He looked down. I took a seat on the couch waiting while Rohit opened the files on the flash drive. 

There...was nothing. It had one video and nothing else. 

I looked at Veer and Prayas who seemed to be shocked by it too. Did we steal the wrong flash drive? 

"This is it?" Rohit asked trying his hardest to open more folders that stood empty. I slumped back onto my couch. Aisha...she dies for this crap? Rage began to fill my head. 

Jai placed his hand on mine, gently squeezing it. He took notice of my anger. I gathered my breath. 

"We are doomed. This has nothing on it." Rohit said with concern showing through his words. His tone made me lose hope. No. 

"Open the video," I said standing up to calm my nerves. 

"It had audio too," Rohit said putting the video on. Prakash stood there with a gun. He aimed at a target earning a bull's eye. A woman's voice was heard behind the camera cheering him on. She had a very pressing accent. It seemed too familiar. then the video ended with a bird singing. 

"That was it?" Jai asked. Rohit nodded. I strode into the living area still nervous. We don't have any leads. How am I to get to the boss? The guys replayed the clip again. While my mind wondered what we should do next, my ears heard the audio of the clip again. 

As soon as the video ended my head snapped towards them. They looked at me too. Did I hear that right? I walked over to them hastily. 

"What is it, Shri?" Veer followed. I sat down took the laptop in my hand and ran the video down to its last four seconds. 

"The bird..." I said while I played it. The bird, exactly. I sigh leaving my lips. 

"It's a bird singing a song, Shri, that is not lead," Prayas said seeming disappointed. I smiled. The bird. 

"It's a Eurasian blackbird. Do you recognise what it is singing?" I asked them before standing up again. 

"It seems a whole lot familiar though. But I don't understand what it is." Rohit said. 

"No time for that. It's a Eurasian blackbird. We have a lead." I said setting down the laptop on the table. 

(Author's note:
People who are interested to know what the bird was singing please search Eurasian Blackbird song on the internet. Or I'll put it at the end of the chapter. Check it out if interested.)

I smiled to myself as the accent of the woman also started making sense. It was a Chinese English accent. 

"Veer, phone." I held my hand out, he gave it to me warily. 

"2-4-1-0," he told me the pin code. I glanced at him for a second before turning my head back to the phone. That was why he remembers the date of our first kiss. It's legit his pin code.