A New India
Chapter 150 - 150: Attack the Head

Raghav Kapoor narrowly escaped ISI's grasp, and the stakes had risen.

Pakistan's military was livid, and pressure had intensified on Khalid Qureshi, the head of ISI, to strike back hard against India.

But the problem was bigger than that. Both ISI and R&AW now suspected internal leaks, moles feeding vital information to their enemies.

In Islamabad, Khalid paced back and forth in his office, the dark wood-paneled room dimly lit by the evening light filtering through the blinds.

The constant sound of the wall clock ticking only added to the tension that had been brewing for weeks.

Across from him sat Abdul Rashid.

The failure of last mission wasn't entirely Abdul's fault, and Khalid knew it.

The truth was, R&AW had been too prepared. They knew too much.

That was the crux of the problem. How had they known?

"There's a leak," Abdul muttered, breaking the silence. "Someone in our ranks fed them our plans. There's no other explanation."

Khalid's eyes were dark as he nodded, his mind already racing. "We have our suspicions, but we can't make a move until we're sure. Right now, the priority is hitting back before the military loses faith in us."

Abdul looked up, frowning. "We've gone after Raghav and failed. If we push harder and miss again, it will only make us look weaker."

"We won't go after Raghav again," Khalid said coldly. "We're going after someone bigger. K.N. Rao."

Abdul's eyes widened in disbelief. "Rao? The head of R&AW? That's a suicide mission. His security is airtight."

Khalid's voice was icy. "I know. But the military wants results. They want a victory after Chagai Hills. They don't care how it happens, and they're getting impatient. Rao is the architect behind our humiliation.

Taking him out is the only thing that will satisfy them."

Abdul hesitated. "We've always known that going after Rao directly is risky. Why now?"

Khalid's expression hardened. "Because there's no choice. There's too much pressure on us, Abdul. The generals are breathing down my neck, and the failure to kill Raghav has made us look weak. Rao is the symbol of their strength. If we take him down, it will shake India's confidence in their intelligence network."

The room was silent for a moment, Khalid's words settling like a dark cloud in Abdul ears

Abdul finally spoke, his voice quiet but firm. "It'll be hard. But if we're going to do this, we'll need to act fast. We can't afford another misstep."

Khalid nodded. "I know. That's why we need to find a crack in his security. Every man has a vulnerability. We need to figure out what Rao's is."

New Delhi - R&AW Headquarters

The mood inside R&AW headquarters was just as tense.

The escape of Raghav Kapoor had been a close call, and both Ajay Singh and K.N. Rao were on high alert.

They knew ISI would retaliate, but they didn't know how or when.

Rao stood by the window of his office, staring out at the bustling streets of New Delhi.

His instincts told him that something was coming.

After all, ISI couldn't afford to remain silent after the Chagai Hills operation and their failure with Raghav.

The question was, what would their next move be?

Ajay walked into the room, his face tight with concern. "Sir, we've intercepted some new chatter from our sources in Islamabad. ISI is planning something big. They've been unusually quiet since Raghav's escape, but our intel suggests they're going after a high-value target."

Rao turned, his sharp eyes meeting Ajay's. "Do we know who?"

Ajay hesitated. "Not yet. But... there are signs that it might be you, sir."

Rao didn't flinch. He had expected this. "I see."

Ajay stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Sir, we've already tightened your security, but I think we should consider scaling back your public appearances for a while. They'll look for a moment when you're vulnerable."

Rao's face remained calm, but inside, he knew Ajay was right.

ISI was desperate, and a desperate enemy was always the most dangerous.

But Rao wasn't one to be easily intimidated.

"They're under pressure," Rao said thoughtfully. "After the Chagai disaster, the military must be demanding results. If they're targeting me, it's because they're being pushed to make a statement."

Ajay nodded. "Exactly. That's why we need to be prepared. They won't just go for a quick hit. They'll want to make it public, to shake our confidence."

Rao walked back to his desk, his mind already racing through the possibilities. "We'll keep this quiet for now. Increase the surveillance on known ISI assets, but don't draw attention. We need to catch them before they strike."

Ajay nodded, but his concern was clear. "And the mole, sir? We've seen signs that there's someone feeding ISI information. If they've infiltrated us, they could be using that to plan the attack."

Rao's face darkened. "We'll deal with that too. No one is above suspicion. But right now, our focus is on ISI's next move. We need to stay one step ahead."

Back in Islamabad, Khalid sat in his dimly lit office, staring at a map of New Delhi. His mind was made up, but the pressure from Pakistan's military weighed heavily on him.

They wanted success, and they wanted it fast.

Sitting across from him was Saeed Khan, ISI's most experienced assassin. Saeed was a man of few words, but his reputation spoke volumes.

He had completed countless missions, each one more dangerous than the last. Khalid trusted him completely.

"The target is K.N. Rao," Khalid said, his voice low. "The head of India's intelligence. This won't be easy, but it's the only way to salvage our position after Chagai Hills."

Saeed nodded, his expression unreadable. "I understand."

Khalid handed him a file, detailing Rao's security arrangements, his daily movements, and potential vulnerabilities.

"You'll have one shot at this. There's no room for error. We need to hit him where he least expects it."

Saeed glanced through the file, his eyes scanning the details.

He had studied Rao before, but this was different.

The stakes were higher, and the margin for error was smaller.

"When?" Saeed asked simply.

"In three days," Khalid replied. "There's a private event in New Delhi that Rao will be attending. Security will be high, but that's our best chance."

Saeed closed the file and stood. "It will be done."

New Delhi - The Event

Three days later, the streets of New Delhi were bustling with activity, unaware of the storm brewing beneath the surface.

Inside a grand venue, diplomats and high-ranking officials from several nations mingled, discussing everything from trade agreements to regional security.

K.N. Rao was among them, moving through the crowd with practiced ease.

His security detail, as always, was discreet but present.

His movements were careful, but he knew the game well enough to sense that tonight wasn't just another event.

What he didn't know was that Saeed Khan was already there, watching him.

Blending into the crowd, Saeed moved with the precision of a predator stalking its prey.

His eyes never left Rao, and he waited for the perfect moment to strike.

Rao approached the windows, stepping slightly away from his guards as he engaged in conversation with a diplomat.

It was the opening Saeed had been waiting for.

In one swift motion, Saeed moved through the crowd, his hand already reaching for the concealed weapon under his jacket. He was almost there, just a few feet away from his target.

But at the last second, something caught Rao's eye.

He turned, locking eyes with Saeed for just a brief moment.

The assassin's cold gaze was enough for Rao to realize what was about to happen.

In an instant, Rao's instincts kicked in. He ducked, just as Saeed reached for his gun.

Chaos erupted as Rao's security detail moved in, guns drawn.

Saeed didn't hesitate.

He fought back with deadly precision, taking down two guards in the blink of an eye.

But Rao was already being pulled to safety.

The mission had failed.