Chapter 357: Assessment report

"That is not what the initial records say, Hubert Augustus," Valarie stated, her voice was calm and deadly. Her eyes were fixed on the man before her who right now looked flabbergasted. She could see the sweatdrops forming on his head as the light shone above his head. Neither she nor her two friends averted their gaze away from him, putting immense pressure on him. 

Frederick tried to calm his heart that was about to stop beating any time soon. As time passed by, his misery only increased. He had never expected Valarie or her team to find out his true name. And, why would he when he had painstakingly tried to create a new identity for his own benefit?

"Who is Hubert Augustus?" Frederick tried to appear as calm as possible. But his voice still wavered at the end, giving away his state easily. One could easily deduce how nervous Fredrick was with the way his hands and legs were shaking. Ryder noticed it as he was standing right behind the man and his lips quirked up. 

"I guess you have lost your memory after you took over the role of Frederick Clarke. Let me refresh it for you." Valarie said, standing up, with her hands on the table. She leaned in slightly and her movement made Frederick cower back in fear. "Mr. Fredrick Clarke or if I must say, Mr. Hubert Augustus, you changed your name just three years before you entered the Intelligence. Before that, you were well known as Hubert Augustus, the man who everybody despised in his previous workspace."

As soon as Valarie said that, something triggered in Frederick's mind and he lost control immediately. "Who despised whom? Nobody despised me." Soon after, the man realized what he had done. He had fallen into Valarie's trap. He had given away himself and his words had proven that he was Hubert Augustus.

"Next question. Let me start with the simple ones to make you comfortable." Although she said that, Frederick knew that her questions would be anything but simple.

"Who pushed you inside the Intelligence?" Valarie's question had two meanings behind it and if one gave a closer look at it, they would find out about it. She was trying to find out who was the man who had partnered up with Frederick as well as the person who might have helped him within the government. There was no way Frederick could have made his way inside the Intelligence if he had not sought help.

"What do you mean? I came in with my own capabilities." The man argued, his palm banging the table once. His eyes had turned wide in anger and he seemed to be in a mood to fight. And this was exactly what Valarie wanted. She wanted to agitate him as it was easier to make a person confess if he was not in his calm state of mind.

"Ohh. Interesting, but I doubt that. Given how you have never solved any big cases yourselves, I cannot help but doubt your intelligence." Valarie mocked him and this made the man all the more furious. "Anyway, coming back to my question. Who helped you to get inside the Intelligence?"

"I told you right. Nobody helped me. I entered in with my own abilities." Frederick stood up and started to shout. However, the next second he yelped in pain when Ryder pushed him down again.

"In that case, why do the assessment reports of your initial days at the Intelligence say that you were highly incapable and that you were unfit to work here?" Valarie took out a paper from the file and looked at it as she spoke to the man. She made sure to stand at a considerable distance from him lest he should try to snatch the sheet away from her.

Frederick's eyes widened on hearing her words and his hands dropped to his side. He had known about the assessment reports she was talking about. It was true that he had failed to impress his superiors during his initial days and they had complained about it to the then Chief. 

The Intelligence had this policy where the new officials had to undergo a strenuous test that determined their ability to deal with any kind of situation and the case they were given to handle. Only those who passed the test were given a permanent position, else they were asked to leave as not everyone could handle the stress and the danger that came with the job.

And Frederick had been one among those who had failed to pass the test and he was asked to leave the Intelligence by his superior in charge. Only he knew how he had convinced the man to change his opinions and allow him to enter the Intelligence.

'How did Valarie find out about this? This matter was destroyed along with the person who handled the assessment. There is no way she would have got her hands on it.' The man wondered and Valarie observed the change in his emotions. It was as clear as bay, he was not even making an attempt to hide his true thoughts.

"I am waiting for the answer." Valarie prompted him when she did not receive anything from him.

Her voice brought him out of his stupor and he noticed Valarie's keen gaze on him. He thought for a while and realized what was happening. Valarie was only feeding him lies while trying to find out the truth. 'I must not fall for it. She is only trying to manipulate me.'

Suddenly, the man smiled, his eyes running over the three people who were once his juniors. "You are just spouting nonsense. I am not going to fall for that." Frederick leaned back and crossed his legs. Out of nowhere, his nervousness had vanished and his confidence had returned.

"If you say so." Valarie shrugged as though she did not care about how Frederick felt. "I have proof with me and that will say for itself." And this time, she placed the paper right before Frederick for him to read. At first, the man assumed her to be faking it. But his expressions changed when he noticed that it was actually his assessment report his superior had written before it was changed in his favor.

"What do you have to say now, Frederick Clarke?" Valarie smirked and her eyes fell on Preston who gave her an appreciative nod.

"How did you get this?" The man blurted out without thinking and the next instant, he cursed himself for his slip of tongue. 'Why did I do that?'

"So, you do agree that this is your assessment report. I was doubtful about it at first. But you confirmed it yourself. So, let's return to our main question. Who helped you to get inside the Intelligence?"