''You need not fear anything Mr. Ajay. We will take care if there's any problem,'' said the soldier, denying to lend his sidearm to Ajay.
As they approached the lab, Ajay took out his magnetic ID card from his wallet which allowed him access to the laboratories around the facility and swiped it. The soldiers withdrew their pistols and walked in scanning the ground floor of the lab. Ajay was following them closely watching out for any suspicious tampering with the equipment. They never realised that a figure was approaching them from the shadows. A moment later, they heard a noise behind them. The trio turned around only to see an entire cabinet filled with electronic equipment falling right upon them. The cabinet crashed, taking down all three of them under it. It took a fair amount of struggle, but Ajay managed to slide out from under the cabinet quickly. The two commandos were still attempting to escape their entrapment. As he was about to give a hand to lift the cabinet, Ajay saw a figure step out of the lab into the misty darkness of the night. Ajaysingh picked up a pistol dropped by one of the soldiers and ran off in pursuit of the unknown attacker.
Opening the door, he stepped into the unpleasantly cold night. The entire place was full of activity and the flood lights facing him made it impossible to look for the mystery man in the dark. There were a few scientists and a few of uniformed soldiers in Ajay's vision, but none of them looked like the sharp, tall figure Ajay had seen slipping out of the lab. Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, Ajay saw the exact same figure slither towards the northern gate of the facility through the bushes. Ajay realised that his attacker was tactfully avoiding unwanted attention of the soldiers positioned at the check posts.
Is this the actual spy? Was Jacob really innocent? Questions crossed Ajay's minds like darts. He silently followed the figure further towards the northern gate. He had no time to halt at any nearby, check posts and explain the situation and ask the soldiers to help him out. I shouldn't lose his tail this time, he had decided.
Slowly, they kept on heading north through the shadowy warehouses and silent bushes. The surroundings started to become eerie and quiet. There was almost nobody around within an earshot and Ajay was getting exhausted. Should I pursue him further? Or should I go and get help? Confused and afraid, Ajay moved ahead, nearing the compound of the facility. Far ahead of him around the corner of a warehouse, Ajay could notice that figure hiding in the shadows. Ajay went around the warehouse and quietly approached the man from behind.
''Turn around slowly. I want to see your face, you bastard,'' ordered Ajay.
The figure turned around to face Ajay.
''Shashank!'' exclaimed Ajay in a total shock.
Shashank, with a sly smile on his face, grinned smugly.
''Dear Ajay, Are you surprised? Well, you should be. I did a pretty good job getting you to trust me and pouring your heart out to me. And Jacob- had to kill that poor thing.''
''All this time- you betrayed me... killed Jacob. What had he done to deserve such death?'' Ajay's grip over the pistol was loosening. A wave of mixed emotions- anger, shock and guilt were taking his focus down.
''Don't blame me. I am a spy and I steal secrets- that's my job. Jacob was the diversion I needed to keep you morons busy. So I told you some cooked up stories about him, showed you his steel box with some modifications of my own, hid a suspicious looking map in his cupboard to make you suspect that he is doing something fishy - and you believed it. He was of no use now- so I put an end to his miserable life. Anyways, don't waste my time now. There's a chopper waiting for me just beyond these walls in the desert. My colleagues are very interested in the research of your scientists. So if you want to pull the trigger, just get on with it,'' said Shashank, staring coldly in Ajay's eyes. From the look in his eyes Ajay could tell that the man standing in front of him did not fear death.
''Bastard...'' Ajay was furious. ''You think you will just walk away killing an innocent man, stealing our nation's secrets and sabotaging the entire project.'' Ajay was shouting out loud but there wasn't anyone except the ISI spy to hear it.
''Cut the boring lecture, Ajay. I know you are trying to attract the attention of your soldiers.'' Shashank was slowly getting up. ''You don't have it in you to put a bullet in someone- to kill someone. So you better put down the gun and run to your Major Sinha for help,'' mocked Shashank. Ajay kept his gun levelled on Shashank desperately praying for some patrolling soldiers to pass by.
''And yeah! I completely forgot to mention that any moment now- a part of your electronic equipment would blow up to ashes. I actually planned on destroying the complete equipment, but you came marching right in with those puppets and I had to alter my sabotaging plans,'' said Shashank.
Ajay was just figuring out his next move when he heard a loud blast behind him. Ajay turned around to see flames rising up from the electronics lab. Shashank got the diversion he needed to escape. He pushed Ajay backwards and started running towards the wall. It took some time for Ajay to regain his balance and pick up the fallen pistol, but then he was back again chasing the ISI spy. Shashank, by then, had reached the wall and was trying desperately to scale it. Ajay knew he would not make in time to the wall and the only choice he had was to shoot down Shashank. Never having fired a gun in his life, shooting accurately at an escaping spy from a distance of hundred metres seemed an impossible task. And yet, Ajay levelled his gun and fired. He missed the first time. Shashank had almost reached the top of the wall when Ajay's second bullet hit him in the lower back. Ajay saw that his target was still not giving up. Shashank had somehow dragged himself up on the wall and prepared to jump on the other side. Ajay fired four shots in a row and three of them tore right through Shashank's left leg. The fourth one hit the wall. Ajay saw Shashank's body topple over the wall to the other side. He ran towards the wall and started climbing it. He needed to confirm that the bastard who had ruined the project was dead. But when he climbed over the wall, there was no sign of anybody on the other side. His spy friend had somehow managed to escape. Behind him, the project site was in absolute chaos; the blast in the lab had left everyone stunned. But above all the sirens and chaos in the facility, Ajay could distinctly hear the rotating blades of a chopper. He looked in the direction of the sound and he could faintly make out some light coming from a chopper. It was fairly dark outside the facility but he was pretty sure he saw a body being dragged into the helicopter by two men. That was the last Ajay saw of Shashank.
Chapter 78
15 May, 1998
Karachi, Pakistan.
His nose suffered a mild irritation owing to the scent of the disinfectant that typically floated around his hospital bed. Slowly his sense of hearing and vision was being restored. He didn't have the slightest idea of how he had landed there. The last thing he remembered was the unbearable pain caused by the bullets pierced in his left leg before he lost his consciousness in the helicopter. Turning his head to the left, he could see his uncle sleeping on the chair beside him. The sound of movement on the bed woke up Aktar Mamu. He was more than delighted to see his nephew had regained consciousness.
A week passed by and Ayaaz was making a steady recovery. He had no visitor except for his uncle who stood by him day and night. About a week later, Ayaaz woke up from a deep afternoon nap only to find himself facing the man who had assigned him the mission- the deputy chief of the I.S.I. Ayaaz tried to make an effort to sit up in his bed, but the man sitting in front of him gestured him to be relaxed.
''I know you gave everything you could to the mission. I know that you recovered some valuable data from that project, but this operation is seen as a failure by my boss. The main objective was to sabotage their project, which you failed to do. Last week India successfully carried out 2 nuclear tests and therefore joined the list of the countries possessing a nuclear arsenal. Your data and collected experiment results have been forwarded to our scientists at the Ras Koh Hills. The stolen data has indeed accelerated our research efforts.'' The deputy chief took a brief pause to remove his spectacles and a
djust them back. ''We may also be soon testing our nuclear devices and I can only hope that they turn out to be successful experiments. You cannot be a part of the project now, since your cover was blown during the operation. If the word gets out that the spy fleeing from India is working on Pakistan's nuclear research, it will trigger utter chaos. It is best for you to lay low for a while''. Taking Ayaaz's hand into his, the deputy chief continued,'' Your efforts won't go overlooked. I will arrange for you to be given a desk job and a proper salary as soon as you recover and are ready to join us. You did a great job, Ayaaz. Alas! History will never know that it was you who made the Pakistan's nuclear program successful.''
The man patted Ayaaz on his shoulder, picked up his cane and walked towards the door. As he turned the knob on the door, he partially turned around once. ''If you need any help Ayaaz, don't forget that the I.S.I is with you''. Saying so, the man disappeared into the busy corridor just as Aktar Mamu came in his room with a fresh batch of fruits.
''Who was that guy with the cane?'' asked Aktar Mamu, placing the basket of fruits right next to the bed.
''Oh! That gentleman entered the wrong room. He must have come to visit someone else,'' replied Ayaaz without even looking up.
Chapter 79
December 2000,
Dharmarajika Stupa,
Taxila, Pakistan
''So tell me. What is your true purpose here?'' the monk asked with an expression of awe on his face. The story narrated by the man sitting in a wheelchair was not an ordinary one. For several years, the monk had listened to people's confessions, their darkest secrets, their blunders and even their crimes. But this tale resembled no other.
''I don't know. I even don't know why I am telling this to you. Maybe there is no purpose to my life now. I am an aimless traveller unaware of his destination. Whatever purpose I had set my eyes on, has been snatched away from me. Every time.'' Ayaaz's frustration and anger were evident from his body language.
''What made you come here?'' The monk asked with a distinguished calm.
Ayaaz looked at the ceiling of the stupa for a long time before answering the question. ''I have told you. I was sent here by my uncle.''
''And do you know why? You had forsaken the will to live. You had let go of all the good things you still have in your life.'' The monk was trying to make his point, but Ayaaz's abrupt fit of temper threw him off his guard.
''WHAT GOOD THINGS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? My lost ability to walk? Or my failure to carry out an espionage mission for my country? Tell me what wrong did I do? Did I ask for too much? Did I dream too big? Or was I wrong to work for the sake of my country?'' Ayaaz was seething in anger, screeching. His voice had lost control.
An angry and shrill shout echoed inside the peaceful monastery. Within a few seconds, a dozen monks had surrounded the man in the wheelchair who was on the verge of bursting into tears.
The monk in front of him asked everyone to leave them alone. Placing his hands on Ayaaz's shoulder, he said, ''I know there is a lot of anger inside you. You are not free of vengeance. You are disappointed because you think that you have been wronged and you have accepted defeat just because you have lost your ability to walk. No Ayaaz- you are not a failure. A guy who has gone through so much, been defeated so many times and still has that spark of struggle in his eyes can never be a failure. You are a warrior, Ayaaz. Maybe the destiny hasn't been your friend until now. But believe me- you have a higher purpose to achieve, lad,'' said the monk, driving Ayaaz's wheelchair towards a corner of the stupa bearing an inscription on a big slab of stone.
''This inscription bears a story of a monk who went through a lot of agony to discover his true purpose in life. One day you will know that there was a reason for everything that happened. You will evolve yourself into something totally new,'' said the monk, staring right into Ayaaz's eyes.'' Your uncle told me that you believe in all the religions but do not favour any. I am not asking you to adopt Buddhism. I am just saying that you will find your answers in the teachings of Lord Buddha''. The monk left without saying another word and Ayaaz was left all alone in the silent stupa. He kept questioning his inner self about his intentions of staying at the monastery. He was confused, angry, frustrated, depressed and clueless about what to do next. But he had started to believe that there had to be a reason for all this to happen.
Chapter 80
From the scope of his sniper rifle, David had a clear view of the airstrip where the President was having a conversation with the man who was at the top of David's 'to kill' list. He had specifically instructed Ajaysingh Chauhan to maintain a distance from the psychopath so that David's team could open fire if things went bad. The hidden microphone inside Ajaysingh's vest enabled David to listen to every bit of conversation. Slowly, he was learning why Ajaysingh Chauhan was trapped in the middle of this vicious tornado.
''And yet again you managed to ruin my plans. You are a hard man to kill, I'll give you that, Dr. Ajaysingh,'' said the man in the wheelchair.
''I can see you are still in the state of shock. Not so happy seeing me alive, Shashank?'' replied Ajay.
''Shashank?'' The man on the wheelchair grinned. ''You still believe that was my real name? Let me tell you a small version of my story. I have changed my identities so many times that sometimes it takes me a moment to remember that my real name is Ayaaz. After being offered a chance by the ISI to enter in the field of nuclear espionage, I did not look back. I knew that it was my chance to turn the tables.'' The sly smile turned into a wicked one as Ayaaz continued his story staring into nothingness. ''They decided to turn me into an asset. They gave me a new identity. A new job- Espionage. They sent me to the middle-east research facilities in Iran for my initial assignments. My job took me many places, I was called by many names- the new job was exciting... It rushed adrenaline through my veins. Then one day they called me in for my biggest assignment. My cover ID was Shashank. But everything went wrong- thanks to you. You crippled me forever, bastard! You robbed me of my only purpose in my life,'' shouted the man in the wheelchair. Ajay could see the anger build up on his face.
''That was one of my good deeds. Should have put a bullet in your head when I had the chance. Were you even a real scientist?'' asked Ajay, trying to stall for time.
''Of course! I began as a thermo-physicist and tried to enter Pakistan's nuclear research program for 3 years. But they gave me a better job. Do you think it was mere coincidence that just 15 days after India successfully conducted nuclear tests that we carried out operation Chagai-1 and successfully detonated five nuclear devices in the Ras Koh Hills? Your tests completed on 13th May 1998 and on 28th May 1998, Pakistan became the 7th country in the world to successfully test and develop nuclear weapons. My colleagues got a lot of help from the data I stole from A.K. Das's office - the test results, the errors...''
David was quietly listening to Ayaaz's story when there was an incoming message on his radio. It was Sameer. ''Sir,'' he sounded confident, ''That artefact has been retrieved. We are on the way to the airbase now. Will stay in contact''.
''Good job, Sameer. You and Shonali have done a really good job. I have got no news from Pratap yet. So our best shot is to give up that artefact. Bring it here as fast as possible.'' David tried to remain brief. He was missing out on the conversation happening at the middle of the airstrip.
''... Even though our nuclear program started in 1972 and we were as close to success as you were by 1998, it would not be appropriate if I don't mention that your data and research helped us in racing things up.'' Ayaaz continued with his story and Ajay popped up another question just in time to keep him occupied.
''And why does a spy like you suddenly develop an interest in this ancient artefact?'' asked Ajay.
There was a silence. Abrupt and complete silence. Ayaaz just stared quietly at the ground. David suspected something shady going on. He tightened his grip on the concealed weapon. Ayaaz's face was completely blank. Almost a minute went by and a silent tension mounted up.
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And then, breaking the silence, Ayaaz asked Ajay a question.
''What do you live for?'' He was looking directly in Ajay's eyes.
Ajay was taken aback by the question. He kept guessing why the man in front of him switched to such an odd subject.
Seeing the puzzled look on Ajay's face, Ayaaz bit into his lower lip and continued, ''What is it that held your life together? What kept you going for all these years?''
Ajay had no answer to that. There was an abrupt silence in the air and he needed to break it. So he decided to play along.
''Um... my job, my research, my responsibility as the President,'' said Ajay, making up the answer in a confused state.
Ayaaz was now staring at him with a fire in his eyes. A rage like an erupting volcano. ''You had something to cling to'' The words were almost inaudible the first time. But the next words came flying out of his mouth like poisonous darts.
''YOU HAD SOMETHING THAT DEFINED YOU...'' The voice was piercing. Ajay could see the stretched veins on Ayaaz's lower neck as he shouted in Ajay's face, ''... I did not have that for a prolonged period in my life. Orphaned, alone and helpless I tried to work for my country. And finally when I got something I could cling to- a job which was something I could treasure, you took that away from me.''
Operation Chaos: A Gripping Action Thriller Page 22
