A New India
Chapter 147 - 147: Reaction

The early morning call came with a chill that cut deeper than the cool Balochistani air.

General Ayub Khan, Pakistan's military chief, was in his office when the phone rang, the sharp sound breaking the usual quiet of dawn.

He picked it up, expecting a routine briefing, but the panicked voice on the other end instantly set his pulse racing.

"Sir… there's been an explosion. Chagai Hills... the facility... it's gone."

For a moment, Ayub's mind blanked.

His grip tightened around the phone as he processed the words, unable to believe what he was hearing. "What did you say?"

The officer on the other end stammered, "The nuclear facility, sir. It's destroyed. There were... explosions. It's all gone. Completely leveled."

His face tightened as he tried to process the catastrophe that had just been reported to him.

Chagai Hills, the secret lifeblood of Pakistan's nuclear ambitions, was gone.

The door behind him opened, and Khalid Qureshi, the head of ISI, walked in.

His usually calm demeanor was visibly shaken, a rare sight for the man known as the silent mastermind behind Pakistan's intelligence apparatus.

"General," Khalid began, his voice low, careful, "we've lost everything."

Ayub turned slowly, the hard lines on his face deepening as he processed Khalid's words.

His eyes were like steel, but inside, he was barely keeping his fury contained.

"Everything?" he repeated, his voice colder than the air outside.

Khalid nodded, his jaw tight. "The entire facility at Chagai Hills is destroyed. Completely leveled. There was no malfunction, no accident. This was a deliberate attack. Explosives were planted in key locations across the facility.

The whole place went up in flames, and... it's worse."

Ayub's chest tightened further. He knew there was more. He could see it in Khalid's eyes.

"The scientists..." Khalid paused, reluctant to continue. "All ten of our top nuclear scientists were killed last night. Assassinated. The ones responsible knew exactly who they were targeting."

The room fell into an oppressive silence. Ayub's body stiffened.

His hands, still gripping the windowsill, ached from the pressure.

"Are you telling me," he growled, "that in one night, we've lost not only our nuclear facility but also the very people who could've rebuilt it?"

"Yes, General," Khalid said quietly. "India did this."

The name hit the air like a bullet, and the fire in Ayub's eyes flared.

He had known it.

Who else could have had the audacity, the resources, and the motivation to cripple Pakistan's nuclear ambitions?

But the scale of it, the precision... it was beyond anything they had anticipated.

India had struck at the very heart of Pakistan's future, and now there was nothing left.

Ayub slammed his fist onto his desk, the sound echoing through the room.

"How the hell did they pull this off under our noses? We had the tightest security, the best people guarding that site. Who let them slip in like ghosts?"

Khalid exhaled, his frustration barely masked. "We believe they used the mobilization along the border as a distraction. All our focus was on their military buildup, tens of thousands of troops, tanks, and aircraft. We thought they were preparing for an assault on the ground, not this. While we watched the border, they struck where we least expected."

Ayub paced, his mind racing. It made sense, but it didn't ease the crushing weight of failure pressing down on him. "So while we prepared for a conventional war, they took out our nuclear future?"

Khalid nodded. "It appears that way. This wasn't just about crippling our nuclear program. This was meant to send a message, to us, and to the world."

Ayub stopped pacing, his gaze locking onto Khalid. "They want us humiliated."

"Exactly," Khalid replied. "India knew that if they took away our nuclear capability, we'd be forced back into conventional warfare, where they hold the advantage. They've won without even firing a shot across the border."

Ayub gritted his teeth, his mind already moving toward retaliation. "We can't let this go unanswered. Pakistan cannot appear weak, not now."

Khalid was silent for a moment, then spoke carefully. "General, we need to think strategically. Any direct retaliation now will escalate into full-scale war. We aren't ready for that. They've hit us hard, but we still have options. We must be cautious."

Ayub's fists clenched. He knew Khalid was right, but the anger boiling inside him demanded action.

"Find out everything," Ayub ordered. "I want names. I want to know who carried out this attack, who gave the orders, who pulled the triggers. And then... we will deal with them."

Washington, D.C. - Pentagon

Across the world, General Robert Phillips, head of the Pentagon, sat in stunned silence as his aide relayed the latest intelligence report.

The destruction of Pakistan's nuclear facility had not only caught Pakistan off guard but had sent shockwaves through Washington as well.

The U.S. was supporting Pakistan's secret nuclear programhell, quietly backing it in hopes of countering India's growing strength.

But now, with one strike, India had turned the tables.

"This can't be right," Phillips muttered, his eyes scanning the report for the third time. His brain struggled to keep up with the implications.

"They hit Chagai? Destroyed the whole damn facility?"

His aide nodded, sweat beading on his brow. "Yes, sir. And it wasn't just the facility. Ten of Pakistan's top nuclear scientists are dead. Assassinated in their homes or safehouses. It was a coordinated strike."

Phillips let out a slow breath, feeling the weight of it all crashing down.

This wasn't just a setback for Pakistan, this was a disaster for U.S. interests in the region.

India had not only demonstrated their capability to hit targets deep inside Pakistan but had also sent a clear message to the world, they were in control.

"Get me the CIA, now," Phillips ordered, his voice thick with urgency.

Within minutes, Richard Meyer, the head of the CIA, was on the line, his voice tense. "I've already seen the report, Robert. This is bigger than we thought."

Phillips gripped the phone tightly. "How the hell did India pull this off without us knowing? We had eyes on that facility!"

"We were looking at the wrong thing," Meyer replied, frustration evident in his voice. "India's military mobilization along the border, it was all a distraction. While we were watching for a conventional war, they were planning this. Surgical strikes, coordinated assassinations... this wasn't just a random attack. They planned this for months."

Phillips sat back in his chair, the enormity of the situation settling into his bones. "And we missed it."

"Completely," Meyer admitted, his tone bitter. "And now, Pakistan's nuclear program is in ruins, and India is sitting comfortably with a hell of a strategic advantage."

"Do we know how they did it?" Phillips asked, his voice low, filled with frustration.

"Not yet," Meyer answered. "But it's clear this wasn't just a military operation. R&AW was involved, and it was clean, too clean. No leaks, no loose ends. This wasn't India's first rodeo. They knew exactly what they were doing."

Phillips exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. "So what now? Pakistan will be out for blood, and the balance we've been trying to maintain in the region is gone."

"We'll need to walk carefully," Meyer replied. "India's made their move, but we can't afford to let this escalate into a full-blown conflict. If Pakistan retaliates, this whole thing could spiral out of control."

Phillips was quiet for a long moment. "And the world?"

"They'll know soon enough. Once the media gets a hold of this... well, there's no going back."

Islamabad - Prime Minister's Office

Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan stood with his back to the room, staring out of the window at the city below.

He hadn't spoken in several minutes, not since General Ayub and Khalid Qureshi had finished delivering the report.

"This is worse than a disaster," Liaquat finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's humiliation."

Ayub stepped forward, his face hard and unreadable. "We must respond. We cannot let India get away with this."

Liaquat turned to face the room, his eyes filled with anger and something deeper, betrayal.

"India didn't just attack a facility. They attacked our future. They crippled us. And they did it while the world watched the wrong side of the chessboard."

Khalid nodded. "We will find out who was responsible for the execution. And when we do, they will pay."

Liaquat's fists tightened at his sides.

"No. This is bigger than just revenge, Khalid. This is about showing the world that Pakistan will not be cowed by India. We will rebuild, but first, we will make sure they feel our pain."

Ayub nodded, his expression resolute. "I agree and support you Prime Minister."

Liaquat held his gaze for a moment, then turned back to the window. His reflection stared back at him, angry, defiant. "We'll make them bleed for this," he whispered.

This time Pakistan needed to respond otherwise people will revolt once this news is made public.