Cold Love by Amieya Prabhaker Page A

mansion, supporting the operation.
    A hot pursuit follows with
the helicopter above providing aerial support. The jeep drives in through the
thick hillside forests, rendering the aerial support ineffective. Eventually
it’s all down to the Border Security Forces (BSF) to try and intercept the
fleeing commander. Shells from Pakistan tanks are now falling with dangerous
precision close to the mansion. Arjun decides that it’s time to get his team
off the site, and he decides to retreat. to leave the rest of action to the
army and the BSF.
    “All units, retreat with your
prisoners back to headquarters! I repeat, retreat immediately!” Arjun loudly
issues the order on his walkie talkie.
    “Arjun, I’ll take my team to
follow the ISI Commander.” Krish responds.
    “OK Krish, you follow them.
I’ll speak to BSF for further support!” He picks up the radio, “Come in Head
Quarters. Request BSF support to seal border with POK on highway 32 and
neighboring areas. Target is ISI commander, last seen driving west with five
ISI agents in black Mahindra Jeep. All units on red alert. We want the ISI
commander alive! I repeat, we want the ISI commander alive at all costs! So
please do not use heavy mortar to intercept the target! Over and out!”
    Krish and three of his
commandoes board another jeep and continue the chase. Meanwhile Arjun and the
rest of the team race past with the aerial helicopter giving them support as
the core team returns to their headquarters with the captured terrorists. The
operation continues for a few hours more, although Krish retreats to join Arjun
at the base after an hour.
    “Arjun, we gave it our best
shot, but lost the bastard! The BSF boys are still hot on the trail, but it
seems as if Pakistani commandoes crossed the border to provide support. There’s
heavy firing going on in the forests, and I think they must have already
sneaked their commander across the border.”
    “Don’t worry, Krish; we have
captured alive the leaders of five major terrorist outfits! Krish, you were
amazing, buddy! You injured the ISI commander. It’s a pity he escaped else we
could have shown him caught red-handed at this large terrorist outfit meeting.”
    Krish and Arjun anxiously
continue listening on the radio for any further news about the operations. Special
units in pursuit continue to exchange fire, as it seems the jeep has already
crossed the border, backed by heavy shelling from the Pakistani forces. The TV
news channels based in Jammu are already broadcasting the increased shelling
from the border. Phones have already started ringing in the high commissions of
both countries and the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) has already called in the
director of RAW and the commander in chief of the armed services to take stock
of the situation.
    Meanwhile at the Jammu
headquarters, Arjun and Krish catch up on old times. Arjun tries to break the
ice with his friend.
    “I came to know about your
family Krish… I was sorry to hear about it… After our training you always
worked in covert operations… and I never got an opportunity to meet you in
person to say this.”
    “Don’t worry about it buddy!
It’s been a long time now… I have already forgotten everything.”
    Krish and Arjun completed
their training together, though they took separate paths afterwards. Krish
worked in covert operations and immediately went undercover in Pakistan and
Afghanistan. He was instrumental in cracking the narcotics triangle that
operated from Kabul to Karachi and onwards to Mumbai. Daewood Ibrahim was the
mastermind of this drugs cartel and worked closely with the ISI at the time.
However, Krish had to pay a heavy price for the success of his operation. His
pregnant wife took the bullets shot by a mafia hitman and intended for Krish.
After that incident, Krish was transformed into a killing machine; he became a
sharp-shooter for numerous RAW operations across India and abroad.
    “Forget my story Arjun; tell
me about