Khalid Qureshi, the head of ISI, paced the length of his office, frustration evident in every movement.
His eyes switched between the intelligence reports scattered on his desk, but his thoughts kept returning to one thing,India.
Now everyone was looking to him for answers.
Retaliation was inevitable, but the response couldn't be reckless.
They needed precision.
They needed vengeance.
"Sir, it's time to move forward," whispered Abdul Rashid, one of ISI's top field commanders, who stood quietly by the door, waiting for his orders.
Khalid nodded slowly. His anger hadn't dulled, but his approach had become colder, more calculated.
Targeting K.N. Rao, the head of India's R&AW, would have been the most satisfying blow.
But Rao was too well-protected, too clever to be caught in a straightforward attack.
Khalid needed to send a message, to rattle the system, but to do so strategically.