The Takeover Effect

by Nisha Sharma

  “Well, I appreciate you coming here for a debriefing. I know we were trying to get something set up for the first week I started on Bharat’s due diligence report.”

  “Yes, sorry about that. There are a ton of clearances I had to go through before I could talk to you about our research. Since we finally filed our application, it’s a little easier for me to get you up to speed. I’d like to go over our most recent project—I think it’ll triple our revenue and hopefully make your life easier.”

  Mina raised an eyebrow and took another sip of her latte. It was obvious that Sahar was on Team Turn-down-the-offer. “I’m always up for making life easier, but I have to admit, you’re the first employee who has even hinted at your feelings regarding WTA.”

  “I’m a Pakistani-American woman in the tech industry. Not many people respect and appreciate my skills. Deepak Uncle sought me out, offered to mentor me, and treats me like a professional. I know for a fact I’m not going to get that at WTA.”

  “Fair point,” Mina said.

  “May I?” Sahar said, motioning to the laptop.

  “Sure.”

  She pulled it onto her lap and began typing. “The information I’m about to show you was only available to me and a team of six people until last week. I can’t give you hardcopies of anything for confidentiality purposes, I’m going to lock you out your computer temporarily so I can give you a visual.”

  Mina nodded and watched as Sahar pulled a storage device from her pocket and plugged it in the USB port. She then folded the laptop back into a tablet and held it out for Mina to see.

  “This is it,” Sahar said with pride in her voice.

  On the left side of the screen was a navigation bar, on the bottom was a compile box, and the top half of the pane was crammed with lines of Python code, some highlighted in neon colors, vividly displayed against a black screen.

  “Uh, Sahar? I have some technical knowledge but you’re going to have to actually explain to me what this software does.”

  “Oh,” Sahar said, taking the tablet back. “Sorry. I guess I missed a few steps.” She tapped the screen and started scrolling through the code, her eyes bright behind her glasses.

  “It’s deep learning technology. A type of intelligence that Bharat has created to help locate difficult to find objects. It can save lives, corporate and national revenue. To be more specific, this software can locate moving targets traveling at over two hundred miles an hour. The accuracy rate is over ninety—”

  “Ninety-eight point eight seven percent,” Mina finished. Her stomach knotted painfully, her throat drying at the realization of what Sahar was telling her.

  “Y-yes,” Sahar said. Her eyes went wide with shock. “How did you know that?”

  Silence stretched between them and Mina looked into the other woman’s face, horror growing in her gut. She recalled Sanjeev’s words when he first spoke to her about Bharat, Inc. He’d told her about the software with almost the exact same description.

  “Is it—is it used to find missing persons?”

  Sahar nodded slowly. “We’ve already received some inquiries from the military after we filed our application. We think that the government wants to use the technology for missile location. That’s not why we created it, and—”

  “I need you to answer a question for me and I need you to keep it in this room,” Mina said. She leaned forward, her elbows on her knees, and her sweating palms clasped together. “Did you share any of this with the board of directors?”

  Sahar shook her head so hard that her ponytail whipped her in the face. “No. Like I said, my team of six knows about this. Oh, and of course Deepak Uncle, Zail, and Ajay. I don’t even think Hem has an idea of what we’re trying to accomplish. Mina, how do you know about my project?”

  Son of a fucking bitch, Mina thought. She may not have found the mole, but she’d sure as hell found the right team. Usually it was Finance that leaked information, but she should’ve guessed R&D as the second choice. If she hadn’t been so distracted, she would’ve made the connection. It didn’t help that it had taken so long for Sahar to come out and meet with her.

  What was done was done. The only problem Mina had now was that the information leak was so much bigger than she expected. Like national-security big.

  She bolted to her feet, grabbed her phone, laptop and her purse, and strode toward the door. “We didn’t have this conversation, okay? Your team doesn’t know about it, no one.”

  Sahar’s eyes had gone glassy with unshed tears. Her breath hitched but her voice was firm and as strong as her handshake. “How much more do you know, Mina? I have to figure out where to start damage control.”

  “Not much, but someone else might have more intel. You can’t let on that you know. If you’re loyal to Bharat, keep it as quiet as you can until the leak is found.”

  Sahar stood on quivering legs. “Two years. This took two years and countless sleepless nights, weekends, missed vacations. I have to tell the Singhs first and then I’m going to have to go back to California. If you need anything, you’ll have to come out to see me. I—I can’t leave again.”

  In the weeks that Mina had been at Bharat, she’d learned how passionate the Singhs were about their company. Deepak Singh didn’t deserve to have his business destroyed by greed. She had to deal with this now. Today. “Let me tell the Singhs. I owe it to them. I’m sure Zail will talk to you tomorrow.”

  Sahar nodded as she pocketed the dongle that had brought up the software on Mina’s machine. “I’m sorry our meeting got cut short.”

  “Me, too. Good luck.” Mina knew that she was trusting Sahar at her own risk. The director was aware that Mina had made the connection to leaked information and her team. Sahar didn’t seem like the type of person to engage in corporate espionage, but at this point, everyone was a suspect.

  Mina bolted through the office. She saw Rafael’s and Tiffany’s startled expressions as she ran by them and straight into an open elevator. She was in a cab heading to Kohli and Associates in moments.

  First stop was Sanjeev. She had enough information that she could confront him now, and try to force him out. How was she going to do it, though?

  “Think, Mina, think,” she said, pressing her fingertips to her temples. If her uncle was dealing with trade secrets, then every attorney at her mother’s firm would be questioned, including herself. She could lead with that.

  No, Sanjeev only ever worried about himself. She’d have to hurt him where it mattered the most.

  Her mother’s firm.

  She got out of the car and took the elevator up to the office. Before she stepped through the glass doors, she paused and looked down at her phone. She needed to take extra precautions if she was going to confront her uncle about something that could land him in the middle of an FBI investigation. Mina turned on the recorder app.

  When she was sure her phone was ready, she exited the elevator vestibule, badged into the office, and was greeted by the sounds of keyboards, conversation, and ringing phones. A few people waved to her as she walked down the hallway toward the partner offices.

  Lies. All of this was built on lies.

  Sangeeta, her uncle’s secretary, looked up in surprise when Mina walked by her desk. “Mina? Your uncle is in a conference call. I can page you at your desk when he’s done.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” Mina said and pushed open his door, phone held in one hand, purse in the other.

  The room smelled of smoke and sweat. The windows were cracked and her uncle had someone on speaker as he leaned back in his leather chair, hands clasped on his bulging belly. There was a distinct yellow mustard stain on his shirt.

  Sanjeev looked over at Mina, glaring before he said, “Gary, I’ll call you back. I may have information for you sooner rather than later.”

  A man grunted on the other end of the line. “This is taking too long. Call me soon.”

  The lines disconnected.

  “Mina, what are you doing here? Isn’
t today the day you’re supposed to be at the Bharat offices? I want that case wrapped up.”

  Mina hated litigation for a reason. She had a very hard time controlling her emotions, and she knew she couldn’t control the rage that vibrated in her voice. “Is that the person you’re leaking information to?” she said.

  She saw the surprise on Sanjeev’s face before it was masked by his legendary poker face.

  “You obviously came here to say something.”

  Mina put her purse on one of the chairs and sat in the other. She still held her phone in one hand and rested it on her knee.

  “You’ve been negotiating for trade secrets that could affect national fucking security, Sanjeev.”

  “That’s a hefty accusation from my niece,” Sanjeev said. “I told you that there are certain things done in business that—”

  “Do you remember what you told me the first day that we talked about Bharat? How I was supposed to do a due diligence report?”

  The corner of Sanjeev’s mouth twitched. “What are you getting at, Mina?”

  “I want to revise the deal.”

  “Did we have one?”

  “I’m not here to waste time.”

  “Oh?” He laughed, and the sound was as noxious as the smell in his office. “Well it appears that you’re fine wasting my time.”

  Mina stood. “Right now it looks like Bharat will turn down the offer. Too bad for you.”

  “What?” He bolted up in his chair. “Damn it, Mina. Bharat needs to accept the offer.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s not your concern.”

  “It is when you know about a patent application that hasn’t been released to anyone outside of the organization.”

  He waved his hand in dismissal. “Getting the information from Bharat’s team was easy. Anyone can be bought with enough money. Half the board knows that they’ve been working on this software. It’s going to make us a lot of money if WTA uses it for military intelligence.”

  “Who at WTA know this?”

  “Why does that matter to you? You have one job, Mina. Nothing else is important.”

  She leaned forward, fury burning in her blood. “Listen up, old man. I know that you don’t care if you’ve put everyone here at risk of losing a job and their careers. But if this gets out, you’ll be spending all your money on making sure you don’t go to prison. If you take an early retirement and leave the firm, you’ll save jobs and time with the authorities.”

  Sanjeev burst out laughing. He pushed away from the desk and spun in his chair like a child who had heard the best thing in his life. “Leave the firm? What, to you? Mina, Kumar and I built this firm into the powerhouse it is today.” His words sounded thick with an accent, and his English broke to reveal his Punjabi roots.

  “Muma built this firm.”

  “Your mother was a drunk,” he said, spittle projecting from his mouth. “She was controlling and manipulative, and I did what I had to do to beat her. Look at the empire I’ve created. You’re only here because your father protects you.”

  “How dare you? She raised you, Sanjeev.” Mina’s voice shook.

  “You, Mina Kohli, never saw the ugly side of that bitch. You’re lucky that all you had were perfect memories and a few diaries.”

  “Those memories and diaries are more trustworthy than you are, you son of a bitch.”

  “That I am, but you’re her spawn. Don’t think for a second I don’t see her filth in you every day. You won’t have this firm as long as I’m alive.” His fist pounded on the desk and every item on its surface shuddered from the impact.

  Mina knew her mother, and she’d seen Sanjeev in action her whole life. He was wrong about her just like he’d always been wrong about Mina. She stood, chilled despite the temperature in the room.

  “What makes you think,” she said slowly, “that I haven’t already won? With the way you’ve screwed with Bharat, you’ll be in jail soon enough and your career will be as good as dead. Kumar’s, too.”

  Sanjeev laughed again, this time with a hint of menace. “Little girl, I’ve been playing these games longer than you have. Why do you think I have you running due diligence? You’re just another chess piece in my master plan.”

  Chess piece.

  Master plan.

  It all started falling in place. Shit. She’d been more distracted than she thought to miss something so glaringly obvious. “You told me about what decision you wanted so I’d look for the mole, didn’t you? Once I was in close enough proximity to the mole, you would’ve filed a false claim that I was behind the info leaks. You’ll make the connection between proximity and probable cause.”

  “Finally! She’s figured something out.”

  “Then you’d pin all of this on me. You’d ruin my career, just like you ruined my mother’s career?” She shoved back away from the desk, ashamed that she’d been stupid enough to not think beyond her own wants and needs as partner of her mother’s firm. “You never intended to give me any partnership position.”

  “No, of course not. It’s business, Mina. And you’re disposable.” He picked up his phone and motioned to her. “Now get out of my office. I was going to be gentle and just screw you out of a job, but if you vote against me on WTA’s offer for Bharat, then I will destroy your future. Are we clear?”

  Mina knew when it was time to pull back, and when it was time to charge. She picked up her purse and turned to leave.

  “This isn’t over, Sanjeev,” she said and slammed his office door behind her.

  She took a moment to close her eyes and let out a breath. Raj’s words from lunch came back to her like a sorry reminder.

  I know taking back your mother’s company is important to you, but if they fire you, I know there are other things you can do to reclaim your mother’s name.

  “Ms. Kohli? Mina?” Sangeeta said from her desk. Mina opened her eyes to look at Sanjeev’s pale assistant. She’d obviously heard most of the conversation. Mina would be surprised if Sangeeta didn’t hear most of Sanjeev’s conversations. She looked down at her phone and up again.

  “I’m—He’s—Ms. Kohli.”

  “You worked for my mother first, Sangeeta, before you spent years watching Sanjeev ruin lives,” she said quietly. “If you have anything on Sanjeev. Any emails. Save them and send them to me. I’d protect you for the help you’d give me.” She turned to walk away, ignoring the rest of the curious faces in the office.

  Once she was in the elevator, she checked the recording on her phone. The sound was low, but clear enough to hear every word. She then sent a quick message to Hem.

  MINA: Where are you?

  HEM: With my brothers. What’s up?

  MINA: Need to see you.

  HEM: Is something wrong? At Ajay’s.

  MINA: Yes. Address? Your brothers need to hear this, too. I can be there in an hour or two tops.

  He sent a Google pin moments later.

  HEM: I’ll be waiting for you, hiriye.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Hem checked his watch again. Mina said it would take her an hour or two to get to the penthouse. It had been almost two hours, and he was running out of patience.

  “She’ll be here soon.” Zail clapped Hem on the back before he picked up the cue chalk and tended to his pool stick.

  “Are you going to tell her what we found out about her mother, bhai?” Ajay asked.

  “In time.” Hem still cringed when he recalled the details of the full dossier he received from investigators. He’d wanted the report because he wanted to understand Mina better. Now, he’d wished he’d left it alone.

  “I think she’s uncovered our mole,” Zail asked.

  Hem grunted as the sound of pool balls cracking echoed through the room. He’d been brainstorming all day with Ajay and Zail, trying to figure out how Bharat was losing money when in truth, they should be making it.

  They’d even conferenced in their father, taking a chance on the fact that the issue wasn’t going to up
set his health. Deepak didn’t react the way they expected. Their proud, strong dad who’d built an empire and taken care of his family, looked defeated and pale. His wide shoulders slumped under the weight of the news Ajay delivered with diplomacy.

  “The company I built, the people I took care of, have betrayed my heart,” he said in gruff Punjabi. “I have failed my sons and the legacy I’ve left behind.”

  Before Hem could do or say anything to convince him to relax, he lost the connection. That was when he texted Mina in the afternoon. He knew she’d been out to lunch but connecting with her always helped him put things in perspective.

  The doorbell rang and he nearly vaulted over the railing that sectioned off the gaming area from the rest of the room. Ajay beat Hem to the door, and when he opened it, Mina stood in the entrance with her hair pulled back in a French braid. She still wore the heels that she loved so much, but instead of a purse, she carried a large brown paper bag and a backpack.

  “I bought takeout,” she said. “Hopefully it’s enough of a peace offering that you won’t kick me out after I tell you what I know.”

  Ajay took the food from her and motioned her into the house. She looked around, eyes rounding at the expansive kitchen that took up most of the main floor. Ajay enjoyed cooking more than Hem and Zail, so he’d gone overboard in that section of his penthouse.

  Mina kicked off her heels, dropped her pack, and headed straight for the windows that faced the East River. The view was different from Hem’s place, but just as stunning.

  “I need to get me one of these,” she said, motioning to the two-story windows. “My condo is nothing compared to the digs that you rich munday have.”

  “Well, us Punjabi boys won’t be rich for much longer if we don’t figure out what’s happening with our company,” Ajay said as he began unpacking the food. “Where did you order from?”

  “There’s a Thai place near my apartment. I picked up a few options. Go ahead and eat whatever you want.”

  Hem couldn’t wait to touch her any longer. He crossed to her, ignoring her startled expression, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Mina stiffened for a moment, before returning the embrace and leaning her head against his shoulder. The heat from her touch was the sweetest pleasure after such a long week.