Langley City, Virginia, USA, CIA Headquarters, Operations Command Center (OCC)
The enormous curved screen is divided into dozens of images: Persian Gulf satellite map, Kuwait base surveillance, infrared scans of suspicious areas in Persia, and scrolling encrypted data streams.
Silent tension like high-voltage electricity.
Vincent paced in front of the command desk like an anxious caged beast, his eyes never leaving the faint light on the main screen—Song Heping's last known position, moving along the mountain road towards the capital.
"Have you contacted 'Poison Needle'?"
Vincent's voice was hoarse as he urgently inquired from an agent.
'Poison Needle', one of the highest-level informants within the Persian Revolutionary Guard.
The agent stared at the encrypted communication terminal, fingers flying: "The secure link is being established, but the other side is very cautious, with multiple proxy verifications, it takes ti."
"There's no ti!"
Vincent slamd his fist on the alloy command desk, the dull thud making the agent shrink his neck.
"Song Heping is as slippery as an eel! Dig! Deploy all resources available within Persia! Every 'mole', 'hidden post', and eyes we can buy! I want to know which road that damned convoy is on, what the next point is, down to the ter!"
The orders sliced through the busy atmosphere like a cold blade.
The encrypted phone light flashed wildly, instructions passed through satellites and fiber optics to activate the intelligence dark web beneath Persian soil.
Money, threats, promises…
The tentacles spread from Langley, attempting to grasp the elusive target.
Ti passed.
The light point on the screen continued moving, its trajectory blurred.
Vincent's expression turned grim, veins bulging at his temple.
He needed a breakthrough.
His gaze swept over the codena at the screen's edge—"Jerusalem."
"Connect to Jerusalem!" Vincent made a swift decision.
'Jerusalem', the CIA's codena for Mossad.
"I want a direct call with their Director Levin. Highest encryption!"
Tel Aviv, Mossad Headquarters, Special Operations Assessnt Room
The atmosphere was equally tense, with an added layer of cold precision.
The wall screen displayed a map of the Middle East, with emphasis on areas within Persia.
Director Levin was holding the phone.
"Director Vincent."
Levin's voice was steady, with a touch of detachnt.
"I understand your urgency. Song Heping is a mutual threat, there's no doubt about that. But his activities within Persia, the risk of direct intervention... we both know it."
"Levin, this is no ti for negotiations!"
Vincent's voice, suppressed with anger, ca over.
"He's just crossed the border, likely to be t by the Revolutionary Guard. This is our last chance! I need you to mobilize your 'assets' within Persia, provide real-ti location of the convoy! Share any electronic signal characteristics!"
Levin was silent for a few seconds, glancing at his assistant beside him.
The assistant brought up the assessnt report, silently shook his head, and mouthed: "Key node... exposure risk... cost too high..."
"Vincent..."
Levin nodded slightly at his assistant.
This implied that if they assisted Vincent, any misstep in the operation could lead to great risk for Mossad's informants placed in Persia over the years.
Although Aricans are the closest allies.
But the ethos of the Daishe Bird Country is always to preserve oneself over risking others.
In any situation, protecting its own interests is the top choice.
So, he said blandly in a formulaic tone, "We've assessed the operation information. First, the target convoy is on high alert, the possibility of active signal source shutdown is very high. Secondly, with the complex mountain terrain, our ground asset coverage is limited, forcibly activating could easily expose key nodes. Thirdly, and most importantly..."
He paused, "With only a vaguely positioned convoy, it's impossible to confirm if he is inside. You know Song Heping's usual style, very cunning. If we use our precious assets in Persia's military and political systems to bet on an unconfird target, and if we fail, the losses would be catastrophic—the exposure risk far outweighs potential gains. It doesn't fit our risk assessnt model."
"To hell with risk assessnt!"
Vincent couldn't help but roar: "Levin! This is a golden opportunity to take him out! If he reaches Tehran, Afan's stronghold, we'll have no chance! Think about his destructive power! Once this guy reaches Persia, he'll definitely aid the Persians against us, which will be more troubleso for us!"
Levin's gaze remained unshaken: "It is precisely because of his great destructiveness that caution is needed. A wrong move not only sacrifices our people but could also trigger unbearable diplomatic or even military conflict. The Persians are on edge. We can't take that gamble."
"So just watch?"
Vincent's voice was frustrated and angry.
"Watch him slip away right under our noses?"
"As allies, we can provide peripheral support."
Levin's tone was calm.
"We are open to sharing partial regional, low-sensitivity electronic monitoring station data streams for your analysis, including public radio and civilian signals. Also, sharing the past 24-hour summary report of suspicious moving targets in that area for cross-comparison. But direct intervention to activate key assets... refused. Risk-reward is severely imbalanced. Good luck."
With that, he decisively cut off the call.
Levin put down the phone and told his assistant: "Pack the peripheral data and send it over. Mark it: Unverified, for reference only."
He rubbed his brow, muttering to himself, "The Aricans are too impatient... after the reckless attempt in Tehran last ti, we lost an entire station of people... wasn't that bloody lesson enough?"
Langley, Operations Command Center
Listening to the busy signal, Vincent's face turned ashen.
He slamd the encrypted communicator onto the table.
"Damn it!"
"Sir!"
The agent who was previously responsible for contacting the dark line within Persia spoke with a hint of excitent.
"'Poison Needle' replied! Highest priority!"
Vincent stood up, quickly walked to the computer.
The screen scrolled with decrypted information:
[Target confird: Current convoy coordinates: N 34°45'12.3", E 48°30'18.7", moving southeast along Route 7, average speed 60 km/h. Core target located in the second vehicle. Status: injured, highly alert. Estimated to reach 'Eagle's Beak Gorge' in two hours. Convoy communication silence. Escort commander: Kafvan. Information reliability: A . Warning: Target extrely dangerous, extraordinarily perceptive. End.]
Coordinates!
Precise coordinates!
Song Heping's location status!
Like a lighthouse in the darkness!
"YES!"
Vincent punched the air fiercely, eyes filled with wild ecstasy.
"Imdiately send the coordinates to the Air Force! Request the 'Reaper' drone from Kuwait Ali Salim base to take off imdiately! Full load of Hellfire missiles! Authorized to penetrate Persian airspace for 'elimination'! Target: Destroy the convoy and ensure the core target disappears!"
Orders fired out like bullets.
90 minutes later.
Kuwait, Ali Salim Air Force Base, Ground Control Station (GCS)
The air conditioner humd lowly, and keyboards clattered intensively.
In front of two consoles, operators wore headsets and held control sticks.
A giant screen showed the high-altitude footage transmitted by the "Reaper" drone (MQ-9): A barren Northwest Persian mountain region, winding roads like thin gray lines.
"Control Center, Reaper 01 calling, reached target airspace, altitude 7000, circling and awaiting orders."
"Reaper 02 calling, in position, weapons pre-heated, sensors locked on target area."
Langley instructions ca through the data link: "Reaper 01, 02. Target update: coordinates synchronized. Bullet-proof Toyota Land Cruiser, desert camouflage, moving southeast along Highway 7. Core target in the co-driver seat of the second vehicle. Authorized use of Hellfire Missile (AGM-114R9X) for precision elimination. Repeat: Confirm core target elimination. Over."
"Reaper 01 received, coordinates confird, scanning target characteristics..."
The main operator's fingers slid over the touch screen, zooming in on the image, adjusting the electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) turret angle.
The high-power lens penetrated thin clouds, revealing the scene below on the road clearly.
It was a tunnel.
In infrared mode, several bright heat sources erged from the tunnel entrance, moving along the road.
"Identified target vehicles, three, matching description. Heat signals match. Movent direction confird." The assistant operator and weapons officer reported.
"Lock onto the second vehicle. Laser range... mark the target point."
The main operator remained calm as he spoke.
The crosshairs locked onto the front end of the second Toyota's engine hood.
"Laser lock stable. Target speed: approximately 60 kiloters per hour. Wind direction northwest, wind speed 15 knots. Trajectory calculations complete. Reaper 01 ready."
"Reaper 02 ready, in charge of supplentary strike and damage assessnt."
"Control Center, authorize launch. Repeat: execute elimination."
"Reaper 01 received, weapon release authorization confird. Hellfire missile... launch!"
The operator lightly tapped the virtual button.
Above the sky.
Two MQ-9 "Reaper" drones hovered silently at high altitude, a flash of fire beneath their wings!
Two slender AGM-114R9X "Hellfire" missiles, their tails spraying blazing white flas, unleashed from their mounts like the whips of sky-reaping grim reapers!
The warhead carries six high-speed rotating titanium blades, designed to penetrate shelters and annihilate targets.
Missile detached and descending under inertia, its tail rocket engine ignited fiercely!
Boom!
The fiery tail fla elongated, powerful thrust madly accelerating the missile! Like an enraged poison snake, the missile tore through the thin air, with a sonic shriek, diving at supersonic speeds toward the three bright heat sources on the road below!
From launch to hit, it was rely seconds.
Ground seed frozen.
The first Toyota's wheels had just ground onto the gravel road leading into the tunnel.
In the second Toyota, a Lieutenant repeated into the communicator, "Tail car, I can't see you."
"Keep going, don't worry about us, be ready for combat preparedness."
Kafvan's voice crackled through the radio.
The Lieutenant paused for a mont, then imdiately responded, "Understood, all Guards mbers increase alertness..."
Suddenly, his gaze accidentally swept upward into the sky.
Several bright spots, at an altitude of about 200 ters above him, were rapidly closing in...
"Speed up!!!"
He roared, his voice torn in fright.
Too late.
Ti seed to stretch.
The first Hellfire missile, carrying destructive precision, ripped through the air barrier!
Its target: the second Toyota carrying the core target!
Like a lightning bolt, it sliced through the darkness at high speed, penetrated the lead-gray firmant, leaving a fleeting burning trail in the Lieutenant's widened pupils!
No earth-shattering explosion.
Just a muffled impact that made the heart skip a beat!
Thud—!
Like a giant hamr crashing into a wet mud pocket!
The roof of the second bullet-proof modified Toyota Land Cruiser looked as if it were hit head-on by an invisible giant hamr!
Missile precisely struck the front end of the engine hood, front of co-driver's seat, and backseat!
The terrifying kinetic energy of the R9X warhead unleashed!
Six high-speed rotating titanium blades, within milliseconds, shred bullet-proof engine hood, reinforced steel plates, bulletproof glass as if heated knives cutting through butter!
Boom—!
Following the dull impact ca the belated crisp sound of tal fragnts violently exploding.
The entire front half of the vehicle seed to have been instantly squeezed and shattered by an invisible giant hand! Steel twisted and tore, mixed with shards of bulletproof glass fragnts and plastic debris spraying wildly...
The imnse impact instantly lost control of the heavy vehicle, its front sharply fell, rear wheels lifted off the ground, the entire vehicle like a whipped spinning top rolled, twisted, and violently slamd into the steep hillside beside the road!
tal and rock rubbed fiercely, the screech was piercingly sharp, sparks scattered everywhere!
The driver of the trailing third Toyota saw only a flash of fire ahead; he didn't even have ti to react before the rolling wreckage of the second car, like a runaway battering ram, crashed into his front!
Boom—!!
The violent collision ignited the fuel tank, munitions detonating!
A mushroom cloud of black-red flas soared into the sky!
Hot waves carrying sharp tal fragnts and body parts scattered skyward!
The third Toyota was instantly engulfed, ripped apart, and tossed by explosive flas.
anwhile, the driver of the first Toyota slamd on the brakes instinctively seeing the cars behind hit and catch fire.
At that mont, another R9X Hellfire missile accurately penetrated the roof.
The people inside didn't even have ti to scream before being sliced into pieces...
The vehicle instantly lost control, barreling out of the road, rolling down the slope.
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