A New India
Chapter 167 - 167: Operation Mountain Shadow - II

With the charges set, the team retreated to the ridge overlooking the fort.

As they watched from a distance, the explosives detonated in a series of bright flashes, the sound reverberating through the mountains.

The fort crumbled into dust, collapsing inward with a thunderous roar.

The shockwave rippled through the air, scattering debris and smoke.

Major Arun Malhotra stood at the edge of the ridge, watching the destruction unfold with a mix of exhaustion and relief.

"That's it," Captain Vikram said quietly, his breath fogging in the cold night air. "We've buried them. The hub is gone."

Arun gave a slow nod, but his mind was still racing.

They had completed their mission, but it hadn't come without its costs.

They had nearly lost men tonight, and the violence of the fight had reminded them all how fragile their lives were in this game of espionage and war.

"Regroup," Arun ordered, his voice steady but tired. "We still need to get out of here."

They gathered their gear quickly, checking weapons and ammo in case another wave of ISI operatives was on their trail.

The mountain terrain could easily hide an ambush, and Arun wasn't ready to let his guard down yet.

The descent down the Hindu Kush mountains was a brutal reminder of just how dangerous their mission had been.

With the fort destroyed, ISI would be scrambling to figure out what had happened.

Arun knew that it wouldn't take long for their enemies to catch on, especially given the importance of the site.

As they moved down the rocky terrain, Sergeant Shankar stopped for a moment, glancing back at the destruction. "You think that's the end of them?"

Arun shook his head. "ISI doesn't die that easily. But we've set them back. This was their keyhub, their last major foothold. We've hit them where it hurts."

Vikram walked beside Arun, his eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of movement. "We need to move fast. By morning, they'll be looking for us. We have to be gone by then."

Arun nodded in agreement. "No time to waste."

----

Meanwhile, in Peshawar, word had already begun to filter back to ISI headquarters. Colonel Qasim, now one of the top-ranking officers, stared at the reports coming in.

His face was a mask of fury as the details of the destroyed fort and the deaths of the three ISI operatives reached his desk.

"They hit us again," Qasim muttered, slamming his fist down on the table. He looked up at the gathered men in his office, his eyes blazing with anger. "This is the last straw."

Lieutenant Faheem, one of ISI's best field operatives, stepped forward cautiously. "Sir, we still have the other operatives in position across the country. We can rebuild, but—"

"Rebuild?!" Qasim spat, his voice rising. "We've lost 7 best men. R&AW is hitting us right where it hurts. They have dismantled our network one by one. We need to strike back."

There was a moment of silence in the room.

Qasim's gaze swept across his men, and there was a hunger in his eyes, one for revenge.

"Get our best team together. I don't care what it takes. We'll find the R&AW operatives responsible, and we'll make them pay."

----

Back on the mountain, Arun's team moved quickly through the rocky pass.

The adrenaline from the firefight had worn off, leaving them fatigued but determined to make it back to their extraction point before sunrise.

"Stay sharp," Vikram muttered, scanning the area ahead. "I don't trust this quiet."

And he was right not to.

The sudden sound of footsteps, too fast and heavy to be anything but a team of trained men, echoed through the valley. Arun's heart sank.

"Get down!" Arun barked, just as the first crack of gunfire split the air.

The team dropped behind whatever cover they could find, boulders, ridges, anything that would shield them from the bullets that now rained down from the cliff above.

ISI had found them.

"They were ready for us!" Shankar yelled over the gunfire, his rifle barking in response as he fired at the shadowy figures moving above.

"We need to break their line!" Arun shouted, his voice barely audible over the chaos. "Vikram, cover fire! Anil, take the flank!"

The firefight exploded with intensity.

Vikram was methodical, firing controlled shots to suppress the ISI men above them.

The muzzle flashes lit up the night as Arun's team engaged in the battle for their lives.

Anil moved swiftly, trying to get around the enemy's position while Shankar lobbed a grenade to buy them time.

Boom!

The explosion shook the ground, sending rocks and debris cascading down the hillside.

The momentary shock allowed Anil to advance, getting behind a ridge that gave him a clear shot at the enemy's flank.

He opened fire, his bullets tearing through two ISI operatives before they even knew he was there.

"Nice shot!" Arun shouted, signaling for the team to advance.

But the fight wasn't over yet.

More ISI men appeared, seemingly coming from every direction, their movements fast and coordinated.

One of them lunged at Shankar with a knife, forcing him into brutal hand-to-hand combat.

The ISI man was skilled, but Shankar fought with the desperate strength of someone who knew his life was on the line.

He blocked the first strike, countered with an elbow to the gut, and twisted the knife from the man's hand, slashing his throat with a cold, efficient motion.

Another ISI agent charged Arun, who barely dodged the wild swing of a rifle butt aimed at his head.

The man tackled him, and they rolled across the rocks in a flurry of punches and knees. A

Arun's hand found his sidearm, and he fired once, point-blank, the agent's body going limp on top of him.

Panting heavily, Arun shoved the body aside, his hand slick with blood that wasn't his own.

Vikram let out a grunt of pain as a bullet grazed his leg, but he didn't stop firing.

The ISI men were relentless, but Arun's team had the advantage now, they had taken out most of the enemy forces.

"Shankar, take out that last shooter!" Arun yelled.

Shankar didn't hesitate.

He dropped to one knee, his rifle steady as he lined up the shot.

Crack! The last ISI gunman fell, his body crumpling in a heap.

Silence settled over the mountain once more, the only sound the heavy breathing of Arun's team as they regrouped.

"Everyone okay?" Arun asked, his voice low, but urgent.

Vikram winced as he wrapped a cloth around his leg. "I'm good. Just a graze."

"Shankar?"

"All clear, sir."

Arun nodded, scanning the ridges for any remaining enemies. "Let's move before they send reinforcements. We're not out of this yet."

After hours of climbing through the treacherous terrain, the team finally reached the extraction point.

As the sun began to rise over the distant peaks, the faint hum of an approaching chopper cut through the morning air.

Arun stood tall, watching as the helicopter descended to the rocky outcrop.

His team had survived another mission, but the scars, physical and emotional were piling up.

As the team boarded the chopper, the weight of their losses hung heavy in the air.

Shankar sat in silence, staring out at the mountains

While Vikram bandaged his leg, his face set in grim determination.

Arun looked out the side of the helicopter as they lifted off, the wind whipping through the open door.

The fort was nothing but a pile of rubble now, a symbol of the chaos they'd left behind.