A New India
Chapter 153 - 153: Hunting Saeed

The lights in R&AW headquarters flickered slightly as Ajay Singh read the intelligence reports.

Ever since the assassination attempt on K.N. Rao, Ajay had been obsessively tracking Saeed Khan, the ISI operative responsible for the attack.

Saeed was no ordinary agent, he was an experienced assassin, known for his precision and ability to disappear without a trace.

He had slipped out of New Delhi like a ghost after the failed mission, but Ajay knew he was still in the country.

Somewhere

Lurking

Rao had made it clear. Saeed Khan couldn't be allowed to live.

He was too dangerous, and leaving him out there, free, was like a ticking time bomb.

If they didn't take him out now, he'd strike again, maybe even succeed next time.

Ajay's telephone buzzed, breaking his concentration.

It was one of his field agents, Arun, calling from the outskirts of Udaipur.

"Sir, we've got a lead," Arun's voice came through, steady but urgent. "Saeed was spotted in a village near the Rajasthan-Gujarat border. He's been staying low, but we've confirmed it's him."

Ajay's grip on the telephone tightened. "Are you sure it's him?"

"As sure as we can be without getting too close," Arun replied. "He's using an alias, but we've cross-referenced his movements. We're certain."

Ajay didn't hesitate. "Send me the coordinates. I'm heading there now."

He hung up and immediately went to Rao's office.

Rao was sitting behind his desk, calm as ever, but there was a fire in his eyes when Ajay walked in.

For he knew it can only be for one thing.

"We've found him," Ajay said, handing Rao the details.

Rao glanced over the report, his expression hardening. "Good. This ends tonight. Take whoever you need, but make sure he doesn't walk away from this."

Ajay nodded and left the room, already assembling a team in his mind.

There was no room for error now. Saeed had evaded them for too long.

----

Within an hour the team was ready and dropped near the village by the Indian Air Force.

The village was quiet, nestled in the hills, with only a few dirt roads cutting through it.

The locals went about their business, unaware that one of Pakistan's most dangerous operatives was hiding in plain sight among them.

Ajay and his team arrived just after dusk, slipping into the village with the stealth only trained operatives could manage.

They had identified the house Saeed was using, a small, nondescript building on the edge of the village.

From the outside, it looked ordinary, but Ajay knew better. Saeed wasn't careless.

"Arun, you and Sandeep cover the back," Ajay instructed in a whisper. "Rahul, you're with me. We take this slow. He's dangerous, and we can't afford any mistakes."

The men nodded and moved into position, their guns ready, their senses sharp.

Ajay took a deep breath as he approached the front door, feeling the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

"Everyone in position?" Ajay asked quietly as he crouched near a cluster of trees, his eyes locked on the dimly lit house in the distance.

Arun's voice crackled through the earpiece. "Yes, sir. We've got the house surrounded. No one's getting in or out."

Ajay exhaled slowly, gripping his weapon tightly. "Stay sharp. Saeed is dangerous. We can't afford mistakes."

Inside the modest house, Saeed Khan sat in silence. He had known it was only a matter of time before they caught up with him.

He could feel it in the air, the way the night seemed heavier than usual, the way his instincts told him something was coming.

He had been in this game long enough to know when he was being hunted.

He adjusted the knife strapped to his belt and checked the gun under the table.

His escape route was already planned, but this time, something felt different.

There was no way out, not cleanly. If they had found him, they would have him surrounded by now.

His only way out was through them.

Soon Ajay and his team moved in swiftly. The village was quiet.

Ajay approached the door with Rahul, their movements precise and coordinated.

Ajay gave a silent nod, and with a quick motion, the door was breached.

The house was dark, with shadows streching across the floor.

"Careful," Ajay whispered as they stepped inside, the wooden floor creaking under their weight.

The room was quiet, too quiet.

Ajay's heart pounded in his chest as they cleared the first room.

He knew Saeed was here, somewhere. But the silence was unnerving.

He moved toward the back of the house, his eyes scanning every shadow, every possible hiding spot.

And then, without warning, Saeed struck.

He came out of the darkness like a predator, his knife flashing in the dim light.

Ajay barely had time to react, throwing his body backward as the blade sliced through the air, narrowly missing his throat.

Saeed moved with a fluidity that spoke of years of experience.

He wasn't just fast-he was lethal, every movement calculated, every strike aimed to kill.

Ajay barely managed to parry the next swipe, blocking with his forearm as Saeed drove forward, relentless in his assault.

The fight was immediate and brutal.

Saeed's knife glinted in the low light as he pressed the attack, slashing and stabbing with precision.

Ajay fought to keep up, his training kicking in as he countered with quick strikes of his own, trying to create distance between them. But Saeed was unrelenting.

In the chaos, Rahul lunged forward, trying to catch Saeed off guard.

But Saeed spun with inhuman speed, delivering a vicious elbow to Rahul's jaw, sending him crashing into the wall.

Rahul hit the ground hard, disoriented.

Ajay took the opening, swinging his fist at Saeed's side, landing a solid punch.

Saeed grunted but didn't slow down. He twisted his body, slamming his shoulder into Ajay's chest, knocking him back into a table.

The force sent the table crashing to the ground, splinters flying in every direction.

Ajay groaned as pain shot through his ribs. He scrambled to his feet, but Saeed was already moving again, closing the distance between them with a deadly efficiency.

This wasn't just a fight-it was survival. Saeed fought like a man who had killed more times than he could count, and Ajay knew he had to match that intensity or he'd be dead within minutes.

Saeed's knife flashed again, this time catching Ajay's forearm.

A sharp pain shot through him as blood began to flow, but Ajay didn't have time to think about it.

He grabbed a chair and swung it towards Saeed, forcing him to duck.

"Come on!" Ajay growled, adrenaline pushing him forward. He kicked the chair aside and charged, throwing a punch at Saeed's face.

Saeed dodged, but not quickly enough. Ajay's fist caught him on the chin, snapping his head back.

Saeed stumbled for a second, but it was all the opening Ajay needed.

He threw a knee into Saeed's gut, followed by an elbow to his temple.

Saeed hit the floor, groaning in pain, but he wasn't finished yet.

Before Ajay could press the attack, Saeed kicked out, sweeping Ajay's legs from under him.

Ajay hit the ground hard, his head smacking against the floor, dazing him for a moment.

Saeed was already back on his feet, his knife raised high.

Ajay rolled just as the knife plunged into the floor where his head had been moments before.

Saeed snarled in frustration, ripping the blade free and swinging again. This time, Ajay caught his wrist mid-strike.

The two men struggled, their faces inches apart, muscles straining as they fought for control of the knife.

Saeed pushed down with all his strength, but Ajay held firm, refusing to let the blade reach him.

Sweat dripped from their faces, both men grunting with effort.

With a burst of strength, Ajay twisted Saeed's wrist, sending the knife flying across the room.

Saeed cursed and swung a wild punch, but Ajay ducked, driving his fist into Saeed's ribs with all the force he could muster.

Saeed gasped in pain, but he wasn't finished. He grabbed Ajay by the collar, slamming him against the wall.

Ajay's vision blurred for a moment, the impact rattling his skull, but he didn't let go of Saeed.

He grabbed the assassin's wrist, twisting it behind his back.

Saeed screamed in pain as Ajay forced him to his knees, pressing his arm up until it was on the verge of snapping.

"I told you," Ajay growled, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "You're not getting out of this one."

Saeed spat blood on the floor, his face twisted in rage, but his strength was failing.

Ajay didn't waste any more time. He grabbed a shard of broken wood from the fallen table and, with a swift motion, drove it into Saeed's chest.

Saeed's body jerked as the makeshift weapon pierced his heart. His eyes widened in shock, then slowly, the light faded from them.

His body slumped forward, lifeless.

Ajay stood over him, his chest heaving, blood dripping from his wounded arm.

The fight was over.

Finally, after days of hunting, Saeed Khan was dead.

The night air was cool as Ajay stepped outside, his body aching from the brutal fight.

Arun and the rest of the team were securing the area, making sure no one in the village had seen or heard what had happened.

It had to look like a quiet, clean operation.

Arun approached, his face a mix of concern and relief. "Are you okay?"

Ajay wiped the blood from his arm, wincing slightly. "I'll live. But Saeed won't."

Arun nodded, glancing back toward the house. "It's over then."

"Not yet," Ajay said, his voice low. "Saeed was just one piece of the puzzle. ISI won't let this go. They'll want revenge."

Arun frowned, but didn't argue. He knew Ajay was right.

This wasn't just about Saeed. The war between R&AW and ISI was far from over.