Chapter 11: chapter 11

"Major Neha, there's something unusual happening at the cantonment's main block. The surveillance cameras are broken."Riya's pulse quickened. The main block was a crucial point of entry, and if it had been compromised, their defences were already breached. She was calling Neha to quickly send a team to investigate the main gate, if there was a breach.The dawn arrived with a sense of foreboding as Major Riya prepared for the impending attack. The tension in the air was intense, aware of the threat she faced. But as the minutes ticked by, there was an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind.Riya's phone buzzed with a message. It was Major Neha, who had been diligently monitoring the surveillance feeds but when Riya stepped outside to see if all was well she saw the cameras broken, her heart sinking as she called Neha.As seconds turned into minutes, Riya's anxiety grew. There was still no sign of the insurgents, and the eerie silence was suffocating. She continued to receive sporadic updates from Neha, who reported that the investigation team had found no trace of the guards at the main gate.Just as Riya was about to call for a full-scale search, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was Captain Sameer, one of her most trusted officers."Madam Sir, I've found something you need to see immediately," Sameer's voice crackled over the phone.Riya and Neha rushed to Sameer's location, where he showed them old footage from the surveillance cameras near the main gate. The video revealed a group of heavily armed insurgents, dressed in camouflage, slipping through the darkness like shadows.Neha's eyes widened as she watched the footage. "They've managed to infiltrate our defences, Major Riya. This is a coordinated attack."Riya's mind raced. "We need to mobilize our forces and intercept them before they attack us."As Riya gave the order to her team to engage the insurgents, the cantonment came alive with activity. Soldiers armed themselves and took positions, ready to defend their homes. But the insurgents had the element of surprise, and their tactics were ruthless.From nowhere, suddenly heavy firing started and few of the soldiers died on the spot, before Riya's team could counter, the attack had been initiated by the insurgents from the narrow alleys of the cantonment. The sound of gunfire echoed through the compound, mingling with shouts and orders. The situation was chaotic, and the insurgents seemed to be well-prepared, pushing Riya's team back.Meanwhile, Riya couldn't help but wonder how the insurgents had managed to breach their defences. She knew they had fortified the cantonment thoroughly, and their intelligence had suggested that the attackers would come from a different direction. This level of infiltration was unexpected.Meanwhile, last night in Colonel Dinesh's office, another sinister plot was unfolding. Unknown to Riya and the rest of the cantonment, Colonel Dinesh had been targeted by the insurgents. They had managed to infiltrate the cantonment's security measures, exploiting weaknesses that had gone unnoticed even by Riya, Major Neha, and Captain Sameer.Colonel Dinesh had received a message late at night, instructing him to come alone to a designated location within the cantonment. The message threatened dire consequences for the cantonment's safety if he refused to comply. Knowing the stakes were high, Colonel Dinesh had decided to heed the message's warning, believing that he could negotiate with the insurgents and protect the cantonment.As Colonel Dinesh arrived at the rendezvous point, a deserted area near the cantonment's perimeter, he saw a group of armed insurgents waiting for him. Their faces were concealed by masks, and their intentions were clear."Mr. Boss," their leader said, his voice masked by a scarf, "You have something we want, and we are prepared to do whatever it takes to get it."Colonel Dinesh, though anxious, tried to maintain his composure. "What is it that you want?"The insurgent leader handed him a small device—a USB drive. "This contains classified information. We need you to decrypt it for us."Colonel Dinesh's mind raced. He realized that the information on the USB drive must be of significant value to the insurgents, and he feared what they might do with it if he refused."I'll need time to decrypt the data," he replied cautiously. "I can't do it here. Give me the drive, and I'll return with the decrypted information."The insurgent leader eyed him sceptically but eventually agreed. "My man will go with you to your office and if you try to act smart he will kill you!"Colonel Dinesh took the USB drive and quickly made his way back to the cantonment with the armed man, the weight of his secret hanging heavily on his shoulders. He knew he couldn't involve anyone else in this dangerous game, not even Major Riya.The moment he decrypted the message in USB, the armed man took him at gunpoint back to his master.As the battle raged on, Riya's phone buzzed again. It was a call from Colonel Dinesh's officer, he had tried to speed dial before he was forcibly taken by the armed insurgent.Riya quickly answered, her voice tense."Colonel Dinesh, we're under attack. The insurgents have breached our defences. We need reinforcements."But there was no response from the other end. Riya's heart sank as she realized that something was wrong. She tried again, but the call went unanswered.Neha, who had been keeping a close eye on the situation, approached Riya with a grave expression. "Major Riya, we're facing a well-coordinated attack, and it seems they knew all our security measures. Our defences have been compromised."Riya's mind raced. "We need to find Colonel Dinesh. He might have crucial information about the insurgents' plans."Together with Neha, Riya led a small team to Colonel Dinesh's office. But when they arrived, they found the office empty, and there was no sign of a struggle. It was as if he had disappeared without a trace.Riya's anxiety deepened. "This doesn't make sense. Where could he have gone at a time like this?"Neha examined the office carefully. "There are no signs of forced entry or struggle. It's as if he left voluntarily, but why would he do that during an attack?"The situation was becoming increasingly perplexing. Riya couldn't afford to be distracted, but the disappearance of Colonel Dinesh was a significant concern. She decided to contact higher command and inform them of the ongoing attack and get external support somehow.As Riya spoke with higher command, she received another message from Neha’s officer that the surveillance cameras had been restored, and the footage revealed Colonel Dinesh leaving the cantonment with an armed man towards the back side of the cantonment while all the troops were positioned at the front side.Neha added, "Major Riya, I found a note on his desk. It reads, 'Don't believe anyone.' looks like CO's handwriting!"Riya's heart sank even further. Kidnapping threats had now escalated to a high-ranking officer, and Colonel Dinesh's disappearance took on a more sinister meaning. She couldn't help but wonder if the insurgents had an insider providing them with critical information and Col. Dinesh was always the target but they had been misguided into some other direction.With a heavy heart, Riya knew that finding Colonel Dinesh and uncovering the truth behind the attack had become imperative. The cantonment's security had been compromised, and the insurgents were one step ahead. How will Major Riya find out about the traitors?~~~~~