**Location:** ISI Safehouse Gamma → Karachi Docks → Persian Gulf
---
**SCENE 1: THE IRAQI GAMBIT**
**Location:** Briefing Room, Safehouse Gamma
Colonel Hamza stabbed a laser pointer at a satellite image of a sprawling industrial complex.
**Hamza:**
*"Sophie Bruce is here—*Al-Zubair Oil Refinery*, Basra, Iraq. RAW's favorite offshore black site. Heavy security: Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) mercenaries, RAW handlers, drone surveillance."*
**Zayan (leaning forward):**
*"Why Iraq? Why a refinery?"*
**Emad (tapping the image):**
*"No extradition treaties. Easy 'accidents.' And the noise covers screams. Also…"** He zoomed in on pipelines. *"Smuggling routes to Iran. If things go hot, they vanish her east."*
A red alert flashed on Hamza's monitor. **ENCRYPTED BURST SIGNAL RECEIVED.**
> **"SOPHIE CONFIRMED SECTOR 7-C. PUMPHOUSE TOP FLOOR. 8 GUARDS. MOVE BEFORE DAWN TOMORROW. — BENNY"**
**Ubaid (coldly):**
*"Benny's inside RAW's comms?"*
**Hamza:**
*"She's inside *everyone's* comms. Trust the intel."*
Aliza overlaid refinery blueprints.
**Aliza:**
*"Sector 7-C is isolated. Only one stairwell. Windows barred. Rooftop helipad—likely exfil route."*
**Aaliya:**
*"Thermals show heat signatures: eight hostiles, one restrained figure… Sophie."*
Hamza's phone rang. He listened, then snapped:
*"Rizwan's sub is docked at Karachi. Wheels up in 90 minutes. Salman—get them there."*
---
### **SCENE 2: MIDNIGHT EXPRESS TO KARACHI**
**Location:** Mi-17 Helicopter, En Route to Karachi
**Time:** 00:15 Hours
The Phantom Seven crammed into the vibrating belly of the Mi-17. Below, the Indus River glinted under night-vision goggles. Salman pushed the chopper to its limits, skimming treetops to avoid radar.
**Emad (shouting over rotors):**
*"Basra's 1,200 miles! How long in the sub?"*
**Zayan:**
*"PNS *Hangor* is a *Khalid*-class. 20 knots submerged. 60 hours. Sleep when you can."*
**Azan (checking med-kit):**
*"Sophie's file says asthma. If they've gassed her…"*
**Ubaid (loading mags):**
*"Then we make RAW breathe it first."*
Salman banked sharply. Karachi's skyline blazed ahead.
**Salman:**
*"Docks in 5! Rizwan better have coffee ready!"*
---
### **SCENE 3: STEEL WHALE**
**Location:** Karachi Naval Dockyard, Berth 9
The PNS *Hangor* lay like a black leviathan in the moonless harbor. **Captain Rizwan** waited at the gangway, steaming mugs in hand.
**Rizwan (grinning):**
*"Black, no sugar—just like your souls. Welcome aboard."*
**Zayan (gripping his arm):**
*"Benny's intel solid?"*
**Rizwan (sobering):**
*"Down to the guard's cigarette brand. *Gold Flake*. Only sold in Chennai. RAW's calling card."*
They descended into the sub's pressurized belly. Hissing hydraulics sealed the hatch. Rizwan led them past torpedo racks to the command center.
**Rizwan:**
*"Course set: Persian Gulf. ETA Basra—03:00 Thursday. We surface here—"** He pointed to a map. *"—2 klicks offshore. Rubber boats to the refinery."*
**Emad (eyeing cramped bunks):**
*"60 hours in this tin can? Hope Sophie's worth it."*
**Zayan (quietly):**
*"Bruce's daughter is the key to dismantling Basilisk. Valkyrie's data had her fingerprints in the code. She's not a victim—she's an *architect*."*
A stunned silence fell. The sub's engines thrummed deeper as it slipped beneath the waves.
---
### **SCENE 4: DEPTH CHARGES & DECEPTIONS**
**Location:** Arabian Sea, 100m Depth
Aliza hunched over a sonar display. Sudden *pings* echoed through the hull.
**Aliza:**
*"Contact! Frigate—Indian *Talwar*-class! Bearing 270! Active sonar!"*
**Rizwan (barking orders):**
*"Silent running! Depth 200 meters! Launch countermeasures!"*
The sub angled steeply downward. Crewmen froze. Emad gripped a pipe as water groaned outside.
**Aaliya (whispering):**
*"They're painting us… Why?"*
**Rizwan (eyes glued to periscope):**
*"Benny's signal was intercepted. RAW knows we're coming."*
*WHOOM.* A depth charge detonated portside. Lights flickered.
**Zayan (to Rizwan):**
*"Options?"*
**Rizwan (grim):**
*"We crawl. Or we fight."*
**Ubaid (checking his rifle):**
*"Fighting a frigate with a sub is suicide."*
**Rizwan (smiling coldly):**
*"Who said *we're* fighting?"*
He grabbed the comm:
*"Fire Tube 3—*SUT Decoy*! Make it loud!"*
A mechanical *thunk* reverberated. On sonar, a false signature streaked toward the frigate.
**Aliza:**
*"They're turning! Chasing the decoy!"*
**Rizwan:**
*"All ahead full. Get us to Iraqi waters."*
As the frigate vanished from scopes, Zayan met Rizwan's eyes.
**Zayan:**
*"You knew they'd come."*
**Rizwan (pouring coffee):**
*"Benny warned me. RAW always sends a welcome party."*
The *Hangor* slid deeper into darkness, its course set for a refinery of fire and lies.
---
End of the chapter