Missing Home

Prologue

17th December 2023
Unknown Location, Jammu and Kashmir

"Beta to Alpha, all clear", an unclear voice on the radio informed.

"Alpha to beta, stay in position", the man who was hiding behind a pillar ordered. He glanced at his subordinate and showed him two fingers, telling him that it was time to move.
A quick rearrangement of soldiers took place with their eyes as sharp as a hawk, all ready to catch a single intrusion. The whole team was ready to break through the door behind which their target stood.

"This is the Indian Army, we command you to surrender, there is no where you can go", the man roared through the microphone when he sensed that there was no movement of the enemy. He looked at his men and nodded, asking them to spread around the small ill constructed wooden house.

Sensing no response, he came out of his hiding, taking slow gentle steps making sure to not make a single sound. At the same time, someone emerged from the door but was pointing a dagger at a young girl's neck.

"Leave her and we won't let any harm come your way", the man shouted and dropped his gun on the floor. He raised his arms in surrender and looked back at his team , his eyes doing the conversation. It was the minister's daughter who was held captive. She had been kidnapped when she was returning back from her college. And like shrewd these terrorists are, they put forward a condition. A condition to spare the minister's daughter's life if their partner was released from the jail. The same old condition. However, instead of complying, a perfect plan was put in place.

"Release Abdul or this girl will die", the young boy said, his voice shivering. The young officer took a deep breath and nodded, not because he had agreed to release his friend but because he had signalled his comrade to take an aim. All they needed was the aim.

When he saw a red spot on his head, he took the opportunity and said, "Last chance, release the girl". The boy shook his head vigorously, his hold tightening on the girl's hands. She tried to run, she tried to escape but he only tightened his grip on her. She looked at the soldier in front of her, begging him to save her.

"Okay then, we will do it my way", the soldier said, giving the last order to his team. He hadn't even moved an inch when a gunshot was heard. The next second, the boy was lying still on the ground with blood seeping through his clothes. The girl on the other hand, started crying when she saw blood lying on the wooden floor.

"Take her out", the man ordered his subordinates. Like instructed, she was safely taken out of the small cabin.

"It can't be this simple, there must be something else", the man whispered to himself.

"Roy, stop doubting it. It's over now", his comrade said, taking a quick review of the place. The man replied, "No, such a big threat and only one boy? Mihir, it's not that simple, there is something else".

"Ani-
His comrade started when they heard a glass breaking. Like deers caught in the headlights, the two of them exchanged looks and scurried back to hiding.

"One shooter at nine O' clock", a soldier yelled, warning others about the upcoming threat. Mihir looked at Ani and nodded, informing him that he was right. Rolling out of his hiding, he hid behind a door.

"Alpha to all stations, report", Ani roared through the microphone.

"Sierra 1 to Alpha, Ambush on the way, we are surrounded", his team member informed through the microphone. Both Mihir and Ani looked at each other, understanding how they were trapped. Killing the minister's daughter wasn't their aim, it was them. They were taking revenge, revenge from the Indian Army. They killed those terrorists and now they want to kill them.