A New India
Chapter 162 - 162: Striking While the Iron is Hot

News of Khalid Qureshi's downfall had reached New Delhi, and while no one was naïve enough to believe that ISI had crumbled entirely, this was a rare opportunity.

Ajay sat at the head of the table in the operations room, scanning the latest intelligence reports.

The room felt emptier than usual. The loss of Amit, Ravi, and Iqbal still crushed heavily on everyone.

Their sacrifice had led to the capture of Colonel Tariq, but the cost had been too high. Ajay could feel the absence of his fallen comrades like a physical weight on his shoulders.

Every decision he made now had to count.

K.N. Rao, the head of R&AW, entered the room quietly.

His usual calm demeanor was intact, but Ajay could sense the pressure that Rao, too, was under.

With Khalid out of the way, it wasn't a matter of if ISI would regroup, it was a matter of when.

"Ajay," Rao began, taking his seat, "we're on the clock now. ISI's chaos won't last forever. We need to take full advantage of this window."

Ajay nodded, flipping through the reports in front of him. "I've been thinking the same thing. This is the first time ISI's been on the back foot in years. We need to strike again, hard."

The capture of Colonel Tariq had given R&AW access to a trove of valuable information, but one name stood out above the rest: Major Farhan Ali. A top ISI handler, Farhan had gone dark just before the purge.

With Khalid distracted by the chaos he'd unleashed, it was time to finish what they'd started.

"I've got a lead on Farhan Ali's location," Ajay said, pushing a file toward Rao. "He's hiding somewhere near Peshawar. He's one of ISI's last remaining key operatives in the field. If we take him out, we'll deal another serious blow to their network."

Rao leaned back in his chair, scanning the information. "How solid is this intel?"

Ajay's eyes darkened. "It's solid. We've got a contact close to him. It took some time, but we've finally pinned him down."

Rao nodded, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. "Then we move. But you know what this means. Farhan is dangerous. He's smarter than the others we've dealt with. He'll be expecting something."

"I know," Ajay replied. "But if we wait any longer, he'll disappear. We won't get another shot."

Rao stood, walking to the large map that covered the back wall of the room.

His eyes traced the route from New Delhi to Peshawar. "Take your team, Ajay. And this time, come back with everyone alive."

-----

The preparations for the mission began immediately.

Rajesh, who had survived the raid on Colonel Tariq's compound, was at the heart of it, though the losses of their comrades still hurted him a lot.

He hadn't spoken much since the mission in Karachi.

He was a quieter man now, hardened by what he'd seen.

But he was still one of the best.

As Ajay and Rajesh went over the details of the mission, the tension between them was thick but unspoken.

"We can't lose anyone else," Ajay said, breaking the silence as he looked over the images of Peshawar.

The terrain was rough, the mountains surrounding the city making it difficult to extract quickly once they moved in on Farhan.

Rajesh nodded. His jaw was clenched, eyes sharp. "We go in fast, hit hard, and get out. Farhan's expecting something, but he doesn't know when. That's our advantage."

Ajay exhaled deeply. "We need to be smarter this time. We won't have the element of surprise for long. ISI will pull itself together eventually."

"How long do you think we have?" Rajesh asked, flipping through the photos of the compound where Farhan was believed to be hiding.

"Days, maybe," Ajay replied. "ISI's distracted by Khalid's purge. That gives us some breathing room, but not much."

Rajesh looked at the images, noting the fortified position. "They've got him tucked away tight."

"He's paranoid. And for good reason," Ajay said. "He knows we're coming."

As they poured over the details, Rajesh hesitated for a moment before speaking again, this time quieter.

"Ajay... about last time. Amit, Ravi, Iqbal... I still think about what happened every day."

Ajay paused feeling the unspoken guilt. He looked up at Rajesh and nodded slowly. "So do I. But we can't let it paralyze us. We knew the risks going in."

Rajesh clenched his fists, his knuckles white against the table. "We won't let them down. Not this time."

Ajay placed a hand on his shoulder. "We won't."

----

The full team was assembled later that evening for the mission briefing.

The loss of their comrades had left scars on all of them, but they were professionals. Each one of them knew what was at stake.

"Farhan Ali is our primary target," Ajay began, addressing the team as they stood around a large table littered with maps, photos, and intelligence reports. "We know he's holed up in a compound near Peshawar. He's likely heavily guarded, and the terrain around the compound is difficult. We're going in light, no heavy firepower. We can't afford to alert ISI until we're already inside."

Rajesh spoke next, walking the team through the tactical plan. "We've mapped out two possible routes into the compound, but both are risky. There's no easy way in, and we're expecting resistance. The key will be speed. We get in, neutralize Farhan, and get out before they know what hit them."

The team was silent as they took in the details.

This mission wasn't just about Farhan Ali, it was about finishing what they had started.

After the briefing, Rao pulled Ajay aside. The older man's face was as calm as ever, but there was something in his eyes, a deep understanding of the risks ahead.

"Ajay, you're walking into a hornet's nest. You know that, right?"

Ajay nodded. "We've handled worse."

Rao's lips twitched into the faintest of smiles. "True. But this time, ISI's more dangerous than ever. Farhan won't go down without a fight, and ISI will come looking for answers the moment they realize he's gone."

"That's why we're going in fast. We won't give them the chance," Ajay replied.

Rao looked at him carefully before speaking again. "Be careful, Ajay. I've lost too many good men recently. I don't intend to lose more."

Ajay met his gaze and nodded. "We'll bring him in. Or we'll finish him there."

As the hours ticked by, the team began their final preparations.

Weapons were checked and double-checked.

Routes were memorized.

Contingency plans were made.

Rajesh sat quietly in the corner, loading his pistol with methodical precision.

His face was set, his mind focused on the mission ahead.

But there was a shadow in his eyes, a ghost from the last mission that wouldn't leave him alone.

Ajay walked over, sitting down beside him. "You ready?"

Rajesh nodded without looking up. "Yeah."

Ajay studied him for a moment before speaking. "We'll get through this. We'll bring Farhan down, and we'll do it together."

Rajesh glanced at him, his face hard. "This is for them," he said, referring to their fallen comrades. "Amit, Ravi, Iqbal. We owe them this."

Ajay nodded. "Yeah. We do."

---

As the night deepened, the team gathered one last time before departure.

There was a unspoken knowledge that not all of them might make it back this time.

The stakes were too high, and the enemy too dangerous.

"Listen up," Ajay said, addressing the team with calm authority. "We know what's at stake. We know what we're walking into. But we've faced worse, and we've come out on top."

He paused, letting his words sink in.

"We've lost good men, good friends. This time, we're going to finish what we started. Farhan Ali is our last big target, and we won't let him slip away."

The team remained silent, their expressions grim but determined.

They had each made their peace with the mission, knowing full well what it could cost them.

"Let's move out," Ajay said quietly, his voice filled with resolve.

The team stood, gathering their gear. Weapons were slung over shoulders, radios were secured, and final checks were made.

The mission was set. The team was ready.