Chapter 15: chapter 15

The cantonment was on high alert, and the atmosphere crackled with tension as Major Riya and Major Neha intensified their efforts to unmask the traitor within their ranks. The rescue mission of Colonel Dinesh had provided a valuable details, but the identity of the "mole" remained shrouded in secrecy.Col. Rathore demoted Major Riya from her second command position for her failed mission as per the pressure from General and promoted Major Neha.Riya was shattered not only because she lost her position but her confidence to handle such a national level threat. But she was still determined to help Neha as she knew this was her only chance to redeem her respect.Next day Neha called an urgent meeting with her core trusted team in a secure location within the cantonment. As they gathered around a table covered with maps and intelligence reports, the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on their shoulders.Neha began the meeting. "Our priority is to identify the 'mole' who has been aiding the insurgents. We know they are well-informed and deeply embedded within our ranks."Colonel Rathore nodded, his eyes filled with determination.Col Rathore started saying, "I've shared everything I have got intelligence from Col. Vikram with Major Neha. We need to act swiftly to expose the traitor before they can cause more damage."Neha continued to address the team, Riya taking a back seat now."Our investigation will focus on anyone who had access to classified information, communication networks, or had the opportunity to compromise our defences. We can't afford to overlook anyone."As the team delved into their investigation, they started by narrowing down the list of suspects. They scrutinized the backgrounds, activities, and recent behaviour of all personnel within the cantonment, including officers, soldiers, and support staff.One name that repeatedly came up during their discussions was Lieutenant Aman, a young and ambitious officer who had recently been assigned to the cantonment. He had access to sensitive information and had displayed an unusual level of curiosity about the cantonment's security measures.Riya voiced her concerns. "Lieutenant Aman has been asking a lot of questions about our defences and the location of our surveillance equipment recently during the insurgency security briefings. He might have been probing for weaknesses."Neha added, "We can't jump to conclusions, but we should keep a close eye on him. He could be a person of interest."With the investigation underway, Riya knew that they needed to gather more evidence before taking any action. The traitor had been careful to cover their tracks, and any misstep could alert them.As Neha’s team concentrated on the decrypted messages and communication records, they discovered a pattern. The traitor had been using a secure communication channel to relay information to "Crimson Dagger." It was a sophisticated network that had remained hidden for far too long.One evening, as Neha’s team delved deeper into their findings, a soldier entered the room with a piece of news that sent shockwaves through the team. "Madam Sir Neha, Lieutenant Aman has gone missing. He hasn't been seen for hours."Neha's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "This can't be a coincidence. We need to find him immediately."Neha ordered a search for Lieutenant Aman, and soldiers fanned out across the cantonment. But as the hours passed, there was no sign of him.She couldn't help but wonder if Aman's disappearance was an attempt to evade capture or if he had been taken by the insurgents to prevent him from revealing any information.Just then, they received a message from Colonel Rathore's about a debriefing. He had recalled a conversation he had overheard between two soldiers during his last evening walk. They had mentioned a beautiful house in the nearby forest.Neha's eyes lit up with hope. "That could be our lead. Maybe we should search the whole nearby area for any terrorist activities, the locals may help us!"Riya disagreed. "That will be risky Neha, as you know we have already failed to save Colonel trying to search for these insurgents! I have another idea, what if we track Lieutenant Aman’s phone and see where he is heading to? We need to move fast."Colonel Rathore described the terrain and the landmarks he had overheard, and Neha relayed the information to her team. They set out on a mission to track Aman’s phone and Riya decided to help in narrowing down the search perimeter.Meanwhile, while Neha led her trusted team to find Aman, Riya and Colonel Rathore stayed at the command centre, focusing on the decrypted messages coming over various frequencies of radio, once more searching for any clues that might lead them to the mole.As the hours passed, Neha's team reached the forest area described by Colonel. They moved cautiously following Lt. Aman’s phone signal through the dense undergrowth, their senses on high alert. The forest was shrouded in darkness, broken only by the faint glow of their night-vision goggles.Suddenly, they heard hushed voices and saw a dim light up ahead. They carefully approached the source and witnessed a clandestine meeting between two figures.One of them was Lieutenant Aman and the other was a masked individual. They were deep in conversation, unaware of the approaching soldiers.Neha relayed the information back to Riya, who felt a surge of anticipation. They had a chance to capture both of them red handed and possibly expose the traitor.Neha's team waited for the right moment to strike. Just as masked person handed Lieutenant Aman a package, they moved in, surrounding the two figures.Aman and Masked Man were taken by surprise. Aman's eyes widened with shock, and he stammered, "Madam Sir Neha, I can explain."Neha’s voice was firm. "Lieutenant Aman, you're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent."As the soldiers apprehended Aman, they unmasked the man to reveal a face they never expected to see – Captain Veer.The revelation sent shockwaves through the cantonment. Neha were stunned. They had trusted Veer once, and now he stood before her as a traitor.Neha demanded answers. "Captain Veer, why? Why did you betray the cantonment?"Veer's gaze was filled with regret. "It was never about betraying the cantonment. It was about survival. 'Crimson Dagger' threatened me and Soniya is in his custody. We had information which we had to share else he would kill my Soniya. I had no choice."With Veer in custody, they returned to the cantonment, where he would face a court-martial for his actions. The traitor had finally been unmasked, but the scars of betrayal ran deep.When Riya came to know about Veer, she was shocked as well, how many traitors she had around her, because of whom now she had lost her position too.Still she knew she has to rescue Soniya, her dear friend.~~~~~