Resisting the urge to groan, he checked the caller. It was the General. In a hurry, Ishar kept his cup down and received the call.
"Jai Hind, sir. What happened? Did you find anything new?" Ishar asked eagerly.
"Jai Hind Ishar. Actually I called to tell you that there is no need to continue this mission. Our scientists have found out that there was just a problem with our computer system, due to which we saw CB-1."
Ishar stood there dumbstruck. A problem? What was the General even talking about?
"I'm sorry sir, but wasn't there absolute evidence about the object? Hadn't we observed-"
"- Ishar, I am your superior and you will listen to what I say. Abandon your mission, it is worthless. I have already made a decision to transfer Officers Pratap, Aniket and Karan back to your secret platform in Kashmir. Anjani and Gargi are here, helping our scientists with the ancient items you sent us. I must say that they are quite invaluable for our country's archaeological committee. You and Naren can stay there and finish up whatever mess you have made. YOU WILL NOT DISOBEY MY ORDERS. Is that clear?"
Ishar stood silent, anger rushing through his veins at the signs of oppression.
"IS THAT CLEAR?!" Aarush's voice rang again.
"Yes sir."
Ishar replied as calmly as he could. The call ended abruptly. Now, there was no doubt in it.
Something had gone terribly wrong here.
Ishar had known the General, ever since he was a little child, and the General had never dismissed a mission so easily, based on just a 'computer problem'.
There was a reason behind this, Ishar didn't know what it was, but there certainly had to be a reason. There was no way Ishar was going to let this matter go so easily.
After all, he was an Indian soldier- the care and love for his country couldn't be trampled so quickly.
He emerged outside the room. All the team members were sitting silently, looking at Ishar expectedly.
"So, you received the message?" Ishar asked.
They nodded.
Karan, who was sitting solemnly on a chair, said, "You don't believe this right? Because I, for one, think there's something fishy going on here. They can't just attempt to divide us on such a pathetic excuse."
"I agree." Said Aniket, "There is a problem here. And we won't go until we fix it. We are here for you Ishar."
Pratap rose from his chair.
"But that's what the General wants, doesn't he? He wants us to resist him, and then he'll look for a chance to sue us for something. I can't believe that we trusted him…or maybe…he isn't who he seems to be! Maybe he just used us to get information about the aliens and now he's going to help them!" He finished dramatically.
Naren spoke, "I don't believe that our General can do such a thing. From my point of view, he has been compromised…in a way that we don't know."
Everybody sat in silence. They seemed to be doing that a lot those days.
Then Ishar got a clever idea, like the genius man he was. "I know! Pratap, Aniket, Karan- you guys got back to Kashmir. Collect all the information you can from there, and help me find a way to get to know why the spaceship is here. I will call Tanik and tell him to somehow continue his research. Naren, you and I should stay here, at the birthplace of these secrets, and we will find a way to bring the aliens down. I will also inform Anjani and Gargi to NEVER, under any circumstances, hand over the weapons to the archaeological committee, and also find out what's going on at the facility."
"That's a good idea." Naren said, "I think you've finally decided to use your brain for once in your life."
Ishar rolled his eyes and suppressed a retaliation.
"Okay, guys. Come on. We can solve this problem."
Everyone agreed in an unspoken understanding. As they left to pack their bags, Ishar called Tanik.
After a minute, he picked up the call.
"Tanik listen-", Ishar said, "-please, do NOT leave the work you are doing. I think that the General has been compromised. Give an excuse to stay at the singular spot, but please don't leave."
He stood shocked as he heard Tanik laughing from the other end.