by Kumar L
“Oh. A step ahead and a step behind. That's good. A few thousand souls less to worry about. That gives us some breathing space. How long before we reach Marine Drive?”
“Three minutes,” replied her pilot.
“Change flight path. Let's get to the city directly. Divert half the squad to the beach. Tell them to search the beach and the water with the ‘bots'. The rest will come with us. Call ACP Shinde and ask him to meet us with additional commandos at the city gates.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Abhiram rapidly fired off the instructions and relayed the request. By this time they'd reached their destination, and their copter lost altitude to land in front of the causeway leading to the underwater city. A second chopper with a section of commandos landed right beside them. The third copter with half their commando squad had peeled off earlier and headed for Chowpatty beach.
The Force One commandos exited the craft swiftly and ran ahead. Tej and her team were right behind them. Another craft landed softly and ACP Shinde joined them with a few more troops.
The gates of the city were blocked by two armoured cars, along with a couple of platoons of the army and an equal number of local police. Tej had a rapid exchange with the DCP in charge at the entrance of the underwater city and the gates were opened to allow them inside.
********
“Years and years of preparation – wasted. You are sure the warning did not reach him?” ‘5’ was furious with his intelligence team.
“No sir, it did not. By the time we got the details from the NIA and tried to reach him, the communication network had collapsed. We do not know what happened but it is unlikely he has received our message.”
“Very well, he may have been condemned by his fate but we still have our task to complete. We must move up the schedule for the launch. If the device is still undamaged then we can still secure it. We cannot fail again.”
T minus 2 hours – the escape
J ur was trapped and knew it. A mild headache was now slowly transforming into a pounding in its head. The strength seemed to be leaving its body slowly. “Why don't we just go back to the beach? We can explode the bomb there.” There were enough people on the beach.
“That's not good enough; the place will be swarming with men looking for us. We can't go back. I won't get enough time to set it up.”
“You can set off the device underwater.”
“No, I can't. It will not be effective. The explosion will be dampened by the water. Now keep quiet and let me think.”
“Don't order me around. I am not your slave!”
“No, you are not. You are just a fool.” Biw couldn't help goading it further. This stupid oaf had spoiled plans that had been carefully laid out.
Jur snapped again. With a roar of rage it sprang forward, and in a trice, its fingers were closing on Biw’s neck. Biw tried to resist the grip, but Jur was too strong. Everything went black. One hand came down and fingered the weapon on the waist. With nothing left to lose, the gun came out, and a single shot was fired. It entered Jur’s leg just above the knee. It howled in pain and released the pressure on Biw’s neck. Biw staggered back, taking deep gasps of air, still holding the gun.
“Don't EVER do that again; otherwise I swear I will kill you,” Biw gasped out. “And take away your hands from that rifle.”
Jur, who had just started reaching for its weapon, stopped moving. The pain in its leg threatened to overcome its anger. There was no mistaking the malevolent look in its eyes.
“You will get us killed, Jur. Earth security will be here any moment. We need to leave now. There is nothing we more we an do here.” Time to bring out the final bait. Aloud he said, “We have to find Joe and Lucy. Nish said they were at a hospital somewhere nearby. He gave me the coordinates.”
Jur just glared back at him. “You have disregarded every order given by the Chairman. The hospital is not our primary objective.”
“It is now, Jur and we need to leave immediately. Someone will have heard the shot. They will come to investigate. We’ll figure out the route on the way. It is going to be a long swim. ”
********
They entered the deep cavern on foot. The ATS team followed Tej and turned left on the causeway. The local police team from the barricade turned right. Anara ran to keep up with her group lead by Tej. It was deathly quiet inside and they heard the sound clearly.
“That was a gunshot. Someone’s here. Go! Go! Go!”
The soldiers broke their ranks into multiple two-member teams, running into the bylanes while other continued down the main road at a fast jog. Anara and Ryan were left far behind, but Rawat was able to keep up with the troopers. As he ran ahead, a handgun appeared in his right hand.
Panting for breath, Anara finally caught up with them a kilometer ahead. She found Rawat and ACP Shinde standing together examining the ground. Rawat held an alien helmet in his hand and showed it to Anara.
“They were definitely here,” said Rawat. “We must’ve missed them by minutes. The soldiers have gone around looking for them. I don't know what happened here or who was shooting at who but we found some blood stains here.”
Signals of ‘all clear' came through their headpieces as the troops cleared the buildings. This did not take too much time as most of them were locked. Finally, all the teams checked in with the ACP with negative sightings. It seemed that the aliens were gone.
“We've lost them again. It was so close this time. The soldiers are still checking the whole city, but that'll take time,” said Tej as she came back. “They couldn't have gotten away too far.” She sipped water from a bottle borrowed from a serviceman while looking around to find Abhiram.
The ACP finished his conversation and joined her. “They are no longer here. I think they've slipped off into the sea through one of the emergency escape routes. I've called the navy and coast guard for help. They have some ships around. Let's get back to the quadcopter. I need to start the search and coordinate with the navy.”
It was a dispirited group that walked back outside.
“What do you think happened here?” asked Anara.
Tej was thinking furiously precisely along these lines as she walked. They'd observed two aliens at the beach in the surveillance videos. Nish had accompanied them. But Nish was dead. Was that an accident or was he murdered?
“I think Nish's utility for the aliens was over and they got rid of him. They could not know that Shivaji Nagar had been evacuated. They were most probably surprised and spooked at the same time. They might've had a falling out. The problem is that with Nish's death we've now lost our only method of tracking them. They could be anywhere in the city by now. The good news is that Operation Moksh is being extended. They'll be clearing the city block by block now but we need to give them more time. If we can pin the location of the aliens or just keep them moving, that will keep them from exploding the bomb or whatever they have planned to do.”
But this was easier said than done. They needed another break. It was now a race against time.
********
Keith had almost six hundred people so far, walking down the road nonchalantly. They looked just like groups of tourists enjoying the holy day, trying not to attract much attention. He was annoyed that the crowd was smaller than he had anticipated. There seemed to be some trouble in the city and roads were being blocked, trapping the rest of his team just a couple of miles away. It doesn’t matter; he had enough for his plan to work.
The peaceful nature of the crowd would change once the group grew more compact. Hopefully, they'd be at the hospital gates by then. His core team was dispersed in the crowd and would swing into action the moment he gave the signal. It was kind of the police to have cooperated with him. They were moving ahead with practically no surveillance.
Keith increased his pace as he sought to reach the front of the assembly. He had to be inside the moment his team broke through. Finding the exact room would not be difficult since he knew the rough location by heart. Aisha had told him
that the security was light. The guards would be prepared for a limited engagement but certainly not for a mob attack. Anyway, she'd promised to meet him in the corridor outside and guide him if required. He had never been inside the hospital but knew how easy it would be to get lost inside a large unknown facility. He needed the nurse’s assistance.
A few more minutes and they'd be near their objective. He did not anticipate getting stopped anymore since the military restrictions around the area had been lifted many years back. But precautions were necessary for success.
He bent his head against the strong wind and heavy rain and plodded onward.
********
In another part of the city, with definite data in hand, the ATS was backtracking Nish’s movements. The large transfer of money from his account to another had showed up. From that point it was a simple matter to put two and two together. The nearest police station and Force One teams were alerted. They needed to take down a suspect.
Karam had pulled down the shutters early like the rest of the city on visarjan day. No one was going to go out shopping today, and he did not see any point in keeping up appearances. He sat in his chair behind the counter and poured himself a drink. He needed it today. The assignment with Nish had netted him a tidy profit, and he'd already checked out the betting odds for the upcoming one-day cricket matches in September.
His peaceful reverie was shattered when the shutter of his shop was suddenly blown apart. Multiple hooded and black-clad figures clambered in through the now splintered entrance. He jumped out of his chair and fell on the floor, covering his head with his hands. He did not even get to look up as the cold barrel of a gun was placed on his temple.
“Well, well, Karam.” The voice was familiar. “Remember, I had warned you that one day you'd go too far. What have you done this time to get the NIA interested in your piddly operation?”
“Inspector Kale? Is it you? I don't know what you mean! I've not done anything!”
“Is that so? Then you won't mind me looking through your internal surveillance footage, would you?”
“Surveillance footage? I don't have any video cameras, sir. I'm a poor man.”
“Shut it. I'll come to the point. We're looking for Nish. He came here two days ago. I need that video. I also need to know what you sold him - guns, drugs, explosives?” The inspector kept his hand on Karam's head and grabbed a handful of hair. “Will you talk here or do you want to go the NIA centre?” The threat of the NIA was enough to drain the blood from his face. Oh shit, Nish. What've you gotten me into this time?
Karam started talking, and he did not stop for a full ten minutes. That was enough for the inspector to find and check the surveillance tapes. He gestured to his team, and Karam was unceremoniously hauled to his feet and taken away in handcuffs.
The inspector called up Abhiram. “His story checks out. Nish was here. I'm sending the footage. It seems Karam helped him convert some money. But I think he was also telling the truth when he said he wasn’t aware what Nish was up to.”
“Ok, Inspector. I'm also sending you the details of the transport pod we found in Panvel. Records indicate it was last given for overhaul in your general area. I suggest you follow up the lead and see what you can find. Report back as soon as possible.”
“I think we can safely say that we've got positive identification of the man for what ever it is worth, now that he is dead,” Abhiram reported grimly to his boss.
T minus 0 - INHS Asvini
D r. Khan sat on the bed looking down on Lucy. She was sleeping peacefully. This has gone off better than I expected, he thought. The reports were still coming in, but it seemed the baby was strong and healthy. He would be starting her off on a strict regimen of vaccines to build up her immunity to diseases on Earth. That would take time, but he was confident that baby Anara would adapt and grow up to become an active and healthy woman.
Joe also stood to one side watching the nurse fuss over the sleeping form. Aisha is full of nervous energy today, he thought, having watched her move around non-stop. Must be something to do with the birth of a celebrity.
“You can take a break if you want, Nurse,” said Dr. Khan. “I am sure they'll be fine.”
Aisha gave him a nervous smile. “It's all right, Doctor. I will be off-duty in a couple of hours. Besides, I'm used to this.”
Dr. Khan nodded and went back to his ruminations.
********
It had been a hard swim for Jur and Biw. They had kept away from the shallows and therefore did not get an opportunity to rest. Fortunately, the familiarity they had with water back on KifrWyss had helped them make the trip with relative ease. The heavy pack on the back had given Biw some trouble. With Jur sulking, injured and refusing to help, Biw struggled to manage the swim.
Somehow, after an hour, crossing the reef and turning left, they were in sight of the hospital. The open ground next to the seashore looked deserted. Only a low metal fence guarded it and the rocky beach would provide them easy access inside. They moved forward cautiously and came to rest at the edge of the shoreline. They observed the building silently, keeping their heads just underwater.
It was an imposing multi-story building with two wings from what they could see. They were sure Lucy and Joe would be in one of the main sections. Conversing in a low voice, they decided to split up. Biw would take the building on the left while Jur would search the one on the right. With any luck, they'd be able to locate the two people and be ready to escape back to their mother ship. Jur pulled on the body armour while Biw watched, not bothering to don his own suit.
It was dark, and the heavy rain masked their approach to the fence. Both of them gripped the heavy rods and swung themselves up slowly, stepping onto the wet grass. They weren’t aware that an intruder alarm went off in the hospital control room.
********
Keith’s people were all in position, and it was time for action. The gates of the hospital were wide open, and he could only see one unarmed guard standing beside them. Keith raised his hand and gave the signal to the core team.
Looking entirely benign, two members of his group walked up to the gate and engaged the guard in conversation. We're tourists, you see. We seem to have lost our way in the crowds and we need to get back to our hotel near the Gateway. Can you guide us?
As the guard answered the queries, one man reached from behind and grabbed his arms while the second punched him straight in the face. The guard went down like a ton of bricks, and they eased him to a side. The next few events happened rapidly.
Keith ran across the road and entered the path leading to the hospital flanked by two people on each side. His target was in the wing on the left. Behind him a horde of demonstrators broke out of the shadows and shouting slogans, the mob entered the perimeter en masse.
The Sub-Lieutenant on duty in the security room was startled by the perimeter breach alarm and the sudden appearance of seemingly thousands of people at the main gate. His training kicked in immediately, and he pushed the master alarm that would signal personnel across the compound to go for a lock-down while simultaneously alerting the force guarding the complex. He did not know what this was all about, but it was his duty to protect everyone on campus. He then left the room in the hands of the Chief Petty Officer, telling her to ensure the door was locked behind him and rushed off to the main entrance. The mob had to be tackled first. The perimeter alarm was evidently false. Must be one of those birds or maybe even a coconut falling from a tree.
********
Jur and Biw had just reached the rear portico when the blaring sirens broke through the howling of the wind and rain. They needed to move fast. The first resistance they met was in the form of two armed guards at the rear entrance. But even as the guards overcame their surprise at the sight of a four-handed ‘demon' and started to reach for their weapons, Jur opened fire with the rifle. The powerful rounds blew a hole through one of the guards who died instantly. The other guard turned and tried to run for cover. The sec
ond round caught him in the back of his head, which exploded from the impact. Biw turned around at this sight and fell, retching loudly. So much blood.
“Get up, you kychol!” shouted Jur in contempt and pulled Biw to his feet with two free hands. “We have much more killing to do.”
Somehow finding strength and wiping vomit, Biw staggered behind Jur. Each took the pre-planned route and disappeared down the corridors. They pushed open doors at random, sending startled staff and civilians running for cover.
This is the enemy. They are the ones who came to KifrWyss and humiliated me. This is my time for revenge. With this thought in mind, Jur went into autopilot mode. The rifle barked again and again. Bodies fell in its path.
Biw, on the other hand, ran from door to door, not bothering with killing anyone. Where were Lucy and Joe?
********
They'd spent the last couple of hours waiting in the quadcopter, circling the sea and assisting the naval armada in their search for the aliens. Visibility was extremely poor and a visual search was nearly impossible. Even the sonar and infrared were being hampered by the rough sea and the falling rain. Nevertheless, they had persisted. The incoming message from Naval Command had broken through their routine.
“Copy that. I'll get back to you. Hope riot control is on the way?” said the ACP. “There is a break-in at INHS Asvini. A perimeter breach and some reports of a mob storming the complex. They're dispatching forces.”
“Coincidence, do you think?" asked Tej.
ACP Shinde shook his head. “Not in our business, DG Madam. That hospital is housing two ‘new' humans and that area is scheduled for evacuation. How did the mob get there? There has to be some connection. What if the aliens have managed to reach there. It has been more than an hour since we lost them in the underwater city. Recommend we get there ASAP. The navy can continue the search here.”