It’s a long long day – Action Continues… Step One...

A spy spends lot more time in keeping his eyes and ears open than the time he spends in using any weapons. All he ends up doing is to sit and wait for the right moment. Until then all a spy can do is try, taciturnly, to drive the situation towards the right moment.

This is what we had been doing since the last twenty minutes. Sitting at a table with the owner and enacting of having a conversation with him. Our right moment came in when one of the cooks called for the owner and he had to walk into the kitchen.

Praveen grabbed the opportunity without leaving another second and yelled, rather calmly, “Sir, can we have a look at your kitchen?”

There was no response from the owner for few seconds and then he peeped out of the doorless kitchen entrance and smiled calling us in. We both sprang out of our chairs and walked quickly into the kitchen. There was nothing much to explain about the kitchen as it resembled any kitchen of an ordinary small hotel – small, clumsy, noisy, smoky, sweaty but smelled of spices!

There was clearly no chance of mixing the morphine sedative in the food in that small kitchen filled with two cooks and the owner himself. We quickly switched to our Plan B and continued the conversation.

“So this where the magical bhajjis get prepared” I said.

“Yes sir. Small but tasty” he said with a hint of proudness in his voice.

“Nice. So the food is getting ready?” Praveen asked.

“Yes, the roti’s are almost ready. And here, we just started preparing daal” the owner said pointing at the gas located in the corner of the kitchen.

“We will prepare hot daal in few minutes and serve you hot. Have your food here itself” he continued looking at us.

“Yes now I got the aroma of spices, my mouth has started watering” I said and then turned to Praveen and continued, “but what if he comes back. We will have to go back with him. Shall we take parcel?”

“Yes parcel would be better” Praveen said.

“It would be good if you had hot food here itself. But if you will have to go then we can pack the food” he said. Then he turned to the cook and ordered him to increase the quantity of the daal.

“How will you pack the daal? We don’t have anything to carry it” Praveen said.

“Do not worry sir; we will pack it in plastics. We pack everything neatly. You need not worry about anything”

“We were thinking of taking more daal. We have few men of our team back in Honnavar. We want to take food for all them. Will you pack for all?” Praveen asked.

“Yes. Why not? You just tell how many people and we will pack it perfectly” he replied back without even looking at us.

“Do you pack in the same way for those people also?” Praveen asked and the owner suddenly turned at us with his eyes open. A sudden jolt struck us and a current passed through our body making the hair on the back of our neck stand straight. “I mean all 20 plates in plastic bags?” Praveen continued hesitantly.

It was a relief for us when the owner blinked and nodded and then said, “No no. For them we have separate container which we use that for the daal and they return it back every morning.”

We finally got the information what we wanted but the next shot was a dangerous one. Though it was dangerous and could lead to anything, from getting the expected answer to getting our cover blown, this shot had to be taken no matter what. The chance had to be taken and the question was to be asked. We both looked at each other for a fraction of a second and then looked at the owner; he was busy watching the cook. We again turned to ourselves and exchanged a glance.

With a small ignorable nod from Praveen I cleared my throat as silently as possible and bringing out a smile on my face I said, turning towards Praveen, “Shall we also take 20 plates from here? Anyhow we will go back to Honnavar for dinner. We can take the food from here itself for all of us”

Praveen quickly replied, “Yes we can take but not in plastics. That too hot daal” and frowned his face as though he has smelled rotten garbage.

“Why plastic? We won’t take plastic. Sir only told he can pack in a vessel container and moreover we also need daal that suffices twenty persons. So obviously we will get the food packed neatly in a container” I said and then turned to the owner who was already looking at us and said, “Right Sir? Can we get twenty plates food packed in a container not in plastics as we need to carry it till Honnavar? We will return the container tomorrow noon when we come back for more work.”

If spies would have spent eight hours a day with arms and weapons and handling them during their training days, they would have spent nine hours learning the remaining spy tricks. And all of these tricks come to use when the arms cannot be used.

The owner was still looking at us blankly. He was probably thinking on why we were suddenly requesting for so much of food and was definitely calculating his profits and losses.

Meanwhile Praveen said, “But we have to go till Honnavar, what if we get late? The food will turn cold. It’s better if we go to Honnavar and have our food”

“But what if we reach late and don’t get food there? Let us get our food packed here itself. It will be easier and I am sure this is much tastier. I am already getting the spicy smell of daal. Let’s get it packed; we will get it in a container so that it will remain hot”

“But still…” Praveen continued and I cut him and said, “You don’t worry, we will get our food ready in half hour. Hot and tasty packed air tight in a container” and then turning to the owner I asked, “Right?”

The owner was now already a bit confused amidst the decision he was going to take and the profit he had already calculated for the order we were giving. Finally the calculation done by his business mind won over all the other doubts and uncertainties and he agreed to pack our dinner in a container. The moment he walked out of his doubt on providing us the container, Praveen put in more doubts and stressed on taking a look at the container. This provided us the right opportunity in confirming that the container being provided to us was exactly similar to the one that was being provided to the group.

Come back next week for more action and to find out how the container and the drug are used…

Vishal…

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It’s a long long day – Time for Action

Spies come across many situations wherein their worst enemy is neither a bunch of terrorists aiming the most sophisticated arms at them nor the worst cold blooded criminals they are chasing; it is just being stuck in a situation with hands tied up by themselves. Many a times they end up in the most uncommon situations among common people wherein it is not only difficult to clear or escape the situation but one wrong move will blow up the whole mission along with their cover. All they can do is to keep their nerves calm and keep waiting for the right moment to act without disturbing the situation.

We both were stuck in the exact situation. The owner of the hotel had sat opposite to us and had continued the chat we had started and was enjoying to his fullest. We had the plan, we had the things required, we had almost everything ready expect the right moment and one wrong move or wrong word from us would not only raise his suspicions but would have spoiled the entire plan. Our hands were tied up by ourselves!

More than me, it was Praveen who was getting impatient and I knew the exact reason for that. It was not because he was the one who was going to execute the plan but it was because this was the first time we had come up with such a plan and were going to execute it without actually testing it. It was dangerous and scared me too but it was the best option now and I had told Praveen and even myself (multiple times) that if done in the right way this would be totally safe.

It was 7:50 PM exactly half hour back, I had noted the time, when we had reached the hotel. We were already running out of time and now we had run out of options and also light and hence noting time was most important for any of our further plans and actions. As we stood a bit far from the hotel while the light from the bulb lighted up above the main door of the hotel threw some light on us as though it was showing some courtesy towards us.

Praveen had held my hand and said, “Atleast now tell me what’s running in your mind. What’s our plan?”

“Yes I will explain you what I have in my mind, in detail, now before going into that hotel. We must come up with the right plan to execute it”

“Why hotel? What is this plan?” he asked impatiently.

“Do you remember I gave you a container two days back to keep it in the secret vault of your car?”

“Yes, and I have never moved it”

“Yes, that is our plan now. You know what is inside that container?”

“No I do not know”

“It has a morphine based sedative”

“And how is that helpful now?” he asked cutting me in between.

“Let me complete dude” I said and as I saw him smile, I continued, “The container contains a morphine based analgesic drug. It is medically used in reducing intractable pain. I suddenly took some interest last week after that seminar on the medical application in our field and started participating on some testing in the lab along with our Doctor who then explained me more about its medical application and then upon more research and some of my spy mind I kept with me a very little sample of it to continue with more testing.”

“And how are we using it now?”

“This drug can be used as a sedative as well in giving sedation. We can mix it with food and give them this drug. With proper medication they should go unconscious. Now they are getting the food from this hotel and if we manage to mix this in their food we can turn them unconscious”

“Awesome. The plan is brilliant and even looks simple upon hearing but how do we manage to mix it in their food?” Praveen responded.

“That’s where you come in. Somehow we have to manage to talk to that owner and make some excuse to get into the kitchen and add this”

“That can be managed. We can talk to him and make some way into the kitchen. But the tough part is mixing in the food in front of so many eyes in the kitchen”

“There is just one little risk”

“What is that? And why are you looking at me like that? I know this look. This is not little but some big risk”

“The risk is, this has never been tested in real”

“Whatttt?” Praveen yelled.

“Just listen. This has never been tested in real scenario but this is a medically tested and approved sample. Second risk is the medication, we have to make sure they intake the right medication. Lesser intake won’t work on them and a little higher intake can prove fatal to life”

“Whattt?” Praveen yelled again.

“Will you listen fully?”

“Yes go ahead”

I could see a tensed look on Praveen’s face but I continued, “Don’t worry about that because the quantity we have is not enough to be affective on twenty people.”

I took a deep breath waiting for another yell from Praveen but this time he was quietly looking at me so I continued, “Ok now we can take care of that as well. But the biggest challenge is to make sure they intake this. We can mix this in food but how can we be sure when they eat their food and if all them will eat it and if they eat also, when will they eat it”

“Time, we can wait but how will you be sure of the medication? And how will you be sure that it has worked rightly and has done its work on all them inside that house? Something about this is giving me cold feet. For some reason this plan and this morphine approach doesn’t seem like a normal one. Firstly it was never done; secondly both of us do not know how this is going to work out.”

“I know, but we have to try this. This is the best possible way. Atleast we will be sure that we will be facing ten people instead of twenty”

“Okay. Fine with me. But how will you control the medication?”

“The quantity is enough for ten people but this will make sure to atleast slow them down if not turn them unconscious. We can enhance its effect and I can take care of that but even if this slows them down that will be enough for us right? So, first let’s get in and talk to the owner and get the details. If needed we will enhance the effect.”

Now the time was 8:20 PM and we were sitting at a table in the hotel talking to the owner and waiting for a chance to get into the kitchen.

More Action to follow…

Vishal…

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It’s a long long day – At Hotel

As we reached the hotel, the owner greeted us warmly and with a wide smile. Leaving no time, he started asking us all sorts of questions about our walk in the town and what we studied about the water supply. We took seat at the first table and answered most of his questions as casually as we could.

In many scenarios the easiest way to get information you need is to just give away all the information the other person wants and make them happier and once you know they are happy and ask them what you need as calmly and friendly as you can.

After he was content with the information he had gathered from us, the information that would help him with gaining hold on the local chit chats and gathering in the village for the next few days, he asked us for our dinner. When we turned down his offer he said, “Sir, just have dinner here once, you will forget the taste of all your city hotels.”

“Yes we are sure of that” Praveen said.

“The taste of coastal cuisine. Wow” I exclaimed and continued, “By the way, what do you have for dinner today?”

“Normally we cook the local coastal items for dinner. But these days we have started cooking daal and roti for those new people. They take only selected items for lunch and dinner and they do not prefer the local menu”

“Yeah that’s true, many people prefer their local food in case they need to eat daily” Praveen said.

“So today you are cooking daal and roti for them?” I asked.

“Yes sir. We just got the order”

“Oh, so normally you wait for their order to start cooking? Do we need to order before if more food is required? And do we need to order for specific food? Just asking in case we bring in our people next week” I asked.

“Anything Sir. This hotel will be at your service. Just order whatever you want and you will get it” he said with a pride.

“But still. If we get more people like ten or twenty then when do we need to give order?” I asked.

“You can tell me just few hours before you need the food ready. Like those people gave me the order just few minutes back when they came into village and we started cooking. It will be ready for them in just one hour. Some person will come in at 9 PM and collect the food”

“How many plates did they order today?” Praveen asked.

“We have got order for twenty persons”

“And that much food will be ready in just one hour?” I asked trying to show in a lot of curiosity.

“Why not? I have got the best cooks with me. I just need one hour to prepare all this”

“Great! So now we don’t have any issues for our food” I said turning to Praveen.

“Yes Sir. You don’t need to worry at all for your food. I will take care of everything” the owner said.

We now needed just one more information from him but it was critical information that we needed to set in our plan. Both of us were neither sure on how to gather it nor on how to ask more direct questions to the owner without raising his doubts. The clock was now ticking faster than ever shortening our window in the long long day.

To Be Contd…

Vishal…

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It’s a long long day – Change of Plans

All of the nine people who got down from the jeeps looked just like factory workers in uniforms and in no angle looked dangerous. It was already getting dark and I had to strain my eyes to focus on as many details I could get. For sure they were some organized group which could be clearly deduced from the way they came in, got down, took a clear look around, and walked to the door, unlocked it, entered carefully with two of them staying out making sure if everything was normal. They both even took a slow and heedful walk around the house and then went in. If it was not for the highly advanced military grade binoculars, I could have got only the count of them and would never have seen the submachine the last two guys held out when they scouted around the house for dangers.

“What did they need those submachines for if they were just a group of workers setting up a factory? Even in case they were security guys and even if they had some heavy costing equipments also, a simple arm in the hands would have been enough; and if we consider the risk of roaming in the forest at unwanted timings, a double barrel gun should have sufficed the requirement” I asked myself. But the sight of submachine had alarmed me and if on one side had raised many concerns and questions; it had by now confirmed a wrongdoing about the group and almost confirmed the presence of the kidnapped agent in the house.

Suddenly I turned at Praveen. Though I could see the image of his body, nothing was clear in the dark and the bushes around him had made it more difficult. His image was still and that was fine as he was in clear view of those two men roaming around the home and he could take no risk in that short range. The time was running out of our hands and we had to meet to come up with a concrete plan and setup the right ambush and attack. But for all this, Praveen had to come out safe.

My eyes and the focus of the binoculars kept shifting between Praveen and the house. Finally, after a few minutes, those two guys went inside the house and closed the door behind them. The lights were still off in the front side of the house and the windows were still locked down tight. When turned again to Praveen I saw a small light from his mobile. That was the signal! I too unlocked my mobile and waved up at him and quickly packing up the sniper and picking up the bags, I came down the house and sneaked out into the road and walked out to the open end of the road with a pace that was safe enough to be justified if something or someone turned up.

As I reached the tree that we had departed from two hours back, I could see Praveen walking down towards me.

What makes a great team is knowing each other working in the team and making sure your every move and every act are like notes in a musical. A stand alone note often ruins the music but the notes picked up keeping the whole musical in mind makes a master piece. Team work is nothing different. Every act of every member working for the team keeps building the work and one wrong or bad act spoils everything. This was the best part of working with Praveen since years. We both knew how our minds thought and how we both reacted to a certain action. There was no time wasted in explaining each other or discussing any points.

Our small signal of waving mobile to confirm on proceeding with a pre-discussed plan had helped us today in avoiding any confusion and helping each other in confirming the road to be clear and safe.

“What’s happening?” Praveen asked.

“They both were carrying subamchines. This has to be something serious and now suddenly I am getting a strong feeling that our kidnapped agent is being held hostage in that house”

“I too have the same feeling. But with nine more people? Or if they are a part of that twenty person group?”

“Something is not right here. The door was locked until now. If there are other eleven of them then they are not in house or may be in the house but then why was it locked from outside. And if they had locked it from outside and have people guarding this heavily then it must be something serious”

“Right. Just imagine that many more people carrying the same arms and attacking us. We do not even know their count and the grounds they can put up an attack on us”

“Moreover we do not want to disturb the peace of the village and alarm any villager or even put any villager in danger”

The tables had suddenly turned now and we were left with almost zero options. We had to think seriously about those people and their arms and had to come up with the right plan. Else, the whole mission would be in danger and there was a life hanging.

We stood their discussing about the situation and all the probabilities and possibilities with no much fruit. Unsatisfied with everything we discussed, we finally stood blank looking at each other.

The spy business is always tagged with uncertainties and surprises. The situation can change anytime, the possibilities can either grow or fade out anytime, a well prepared plan can fail or suddenly a new plan can come up which may succeed.

“We can get the right count from that hotel when someone from that group come in with the food order. That might help us” Praveen said, awakening me from my thoughts.

“You are awesome!” I exclaimed loudly.

“I know that. But why the unexpected appreciation now?” he asked, a bit confused.

“That’s because I have a new plan” I smiled

“What’s that?”

“First let’s go to the hotel and have a nice heavy dinner” I said.

“We are in middle of a critical mission trying to save the life an agent and you want to have dinner? Are you mad?” he yelled.

“Yes I am mad” I said, and continued, “about my new plan. Let’s go and have dinner. I will tell you my plan there”

“And leave this house without keeping an eye on these people?”

“Yes. Just come with me. No more questions!”

I could see the curiosity building up in his eyes, but I wanted him to wait a bit longer on this really long long day…

To be Contd…

Vishal…

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It’s a long long day – No Bait, Long Wait, Distressed Strait, Tough Fate

It had been not more than half hour after setting up myself on the roof of the second last house in the row opposite to the one that we had to attack. I had already got a clear view of the house and I could also watch Praveen from where I had been lying low.

When looked from the binoculars I was pretty much confidant that the windows were closed, in fact sealed. There were no points of attack from the windows or the terrace but still at no point we could underestimate them, atleast with a head count of 20 people they could prove a lot more damaging than expected even with simple arms. But with the terrace clear I was happy of one thing, I had a higher attacking ground and had to deal with targets only at the ground level, lower from me, easy to aim, easy to keep the target in vision and easy to attack and mainly no need to bother counter attack from different positions. If one thing was less of a worry there was another thing that had started bothering me since the time I had setup myself on that terrace and from there I was assured that even Praveen was bothered by the same thing. It was neither the enemy nor their strength nor their arms but it was that which is enemy of everyone. It was the attack of mosquitoes and we both were not at all prepared ourselves for this attack and were left with just two options – keep saving ourselves from as many possible bites and keep itching wherever we had already been attacked!

Spies are seldom faced with situations that are not only difficult to deal with but that wherein they should not deal with anything until and unless the mission is being affected by it. They are trained to endure days and months and years and ignore each and everything except the mission.

This means, we had to bear the mosquito bites less for missing a chance of target. Its irritating, it’s painful and its many more but nothing is more satisfying than realizing the number of such pains that put together in all pave way for a successful mission.

There was nothing else I could expect to keep my eyes open on the house and my fingers ready on the trigger of the sniper. In between every 10 minutes I had been taking a look at Praveen to check if he was doing fine and if he was giving out any signals.

Another long hour had passed with the conditions worsened and the sky darkened. Just when I took a turn at Praveen thinking it was almost time for us to meet back and decide on the next actions, I heard the sound of vehicles. The sound increased with every passing second and within a minute a jeep took a turn into the road towards us. Even before the dust raised by it had settled down, another jeep came in. Both the jeeps drove from the main road, into the road that led to us and the house and stopped in front of the house that was our target.  The first thought that came to my mind was Praveen’s position being exposed due to the headlights of the jeeps and suddenly turned towards him. He had moved a bit inner into the forest and was now standing behind a tree saving himself from the headlights. Contended with him being safe, I now turned towards the jeep.

If there one word that was deleterious to Spies and their missions, it would have been the word PANIC! Spies never get an option of panicking; instead they should get smarter and busier in tackling down the freshly drifted situation.

The first thing I needed to do was to keep watch on what would happen next and what happened next alarmed me. Five persons from the first jeep and four persons from the second jeep got down, all wearing green T-Shirts, and walked straight towards the house.

Something deep inside me said, “Yes this is the group the RAW Agent was linked to and this is something serious. This house is the mission!” and continued, “This long long day will be longer than ever!”

Comments, suggestions, feedbacks welcome… To be Contd…

Vishal…

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