Amaliya Mirage (Operation Mirage)

Above the echoing sounds of the collapsed mines, Farid's voice broke through the comms. "So far, so good. Let's move, and move fast."

Nearby, Hffyl shivered subtly, gripping his extra white phosphorus grenades tightly. "Cold," he muttered under his breath, still feeling a bit lightheaded.

Asif approached, noticing his discomfort. "Keep it together, alright? We're almost there."

"I know. It's just the cold, gets to me," Hffyl murmured back.

Karim, his attention focused on the prepared escape vehicles, whispered to Kadir, "How's the mesh network holding up?"

"Stable. We'll get a heads-up if anything approaches our perimeter."

Liv, perched in an elevated vantage point, radioed in. "Seismic sensors are picking up movement, northeast. Small patrol, but they're coming this way."

Sophie quickly responded, "Let's give them a bit of light and sound. On your mark."

Hffyl, pushing past his discomfort, primed one of his flashbangs. "Ready when you are."

As the enemy patrol drew closer, the deafening sound of a flashbang echoed, temporarily blinding and disorienting them. 

Hamzah, with his RF-92, quickly advanced on the confused soldiers. "Now's our chance. Push forward!"

Farid signaled to the others, his KZ-87 in hand, "Plant the ANNM charges. Remember, no collateral."

Karim glanced at his advance GPS, noting the enemy positions. "Quick heads up, we've got a convoy two clicks out, heading our way."

As they pressed on, Dollah and Tank took the front, expertly leading the team past defenses and ensuring safe passage for the explosives to be placed. The ANNM charges, with their distinct blue glow, were being carefully set up at crucial points.

Emma, a demolitions expert from Juliet-1, worked alongside Kadir, placing the charges. "We've only got one shot at this," she whispered.

"I know," Kadir replied. "It'll work."

Arash, watching their six, suddenly shouted in Urdu, "حملہ!" (Attack!) pointing to a wave of oncoming soldiers.

From a side alley, Tank leaned out, his weapon churning out suppression fire, providing cover. "Shift left! We need better cover!"

A sharp sting ran up Asif's arm as a bullet grazed him. Gritting his teeth, he moved back, taking cover behind an abandoned car. He shouted out to Hffyl in Pashto, "خداي دې ژوندون وکړې!" (God keep you safe!) noticing how he was struggling to keep up.

Dollah, while retreating, chucked a white phosphorus grenade. Its blinding light momentarily stalled the enemy's advance, the smoke acting as an impromptu smokescreen.

Farid and the rest regrouped in the building. "They'll storm this place in minutes."

Kadir, setting up a sensor, remarked, "Seems like our diversion wasn't enough. They're throwing everything they've got."

From the second floor, Liv radioed in, "We've got some AASOC elites advancing. We need to hold them off."

The air grew thick with tension, each second feeling like an eternity. The sound of gunfire grew louder, echoing off the distant walls of Zarabad. The AASOC units weren't backing down, and more reinforcements poured in, pushing the team to their limits.

"Second defense point, 300 meters," Liv whispered, her focus unyielding, taking calculated shots.

Farid grunted as a stray bullet grazed his arm. "A bit more resistance than anticipated," he admitted, using a nearby stone for cover.

Hffyl, fatigue setting in, made a dash for another defense point. Halfway there, he stumbled, his vision blurring. Asif, spotting his momentary falter, swiftly pulled him behind a barricade, shouting, "Stay down!"

In the distance, the rumble of armored vehicles grew clearer, their menacing silhouettes approaching fast. "Got a couple of armored trucks heading this way," warned Sam, a bead of sweat running down his temple.

Tank, taking advantage of his strength, swung his weapon to the left, taking down a few opposing forces. "This ain't a walk in the park."

Electronic jammers came to life, disrupting enemy communications temporarily. Jeremy, alias Spectacles, tried to keep a constant jamming frequency, but it was evident the AASOC had countermeasures. "Can't keep this up for long, they're adapting."

In between the chaos, Dollah managed to push forward, using a white phosphorus grenade to create a smokescreen. Under its cover, several of the team made their way to the third defense point. Em, with nimble fingers, worked fast to set up another ANNM charge. "Two down, two to go," she panted, her gaze darting around.

Sophie took a hit on her leg, grimacing in pain but determined not to show weakness. "Could use some help here," she whispered into her comms, her voice steady.

Liam quickly moved to her side, his medical training evident. "Gotta get you patched up."

By the fourth defense point, the team was visibly worn. The constant influx of AASOC reinforcements was relentless. Yet, amidst the challenges, the team's determination and skill shone.

Karim, alongside Mike, rigged a truck near the eastern tunnel, preparing for a speedy extraction. "When this is over, drinks on me," he quipped, trying to lift the somber mood.

Suddenly, a voice buzzed through the comms, "Alpha here, we've got your six. Diverting some of their attention." A distant explosion confirmed Captain Walker's statement, giving the team a brief respite.

"Last ANNM set," Dollah signaled, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

"Now, we get out," Farid commanded, gesturing toward the prepped trucks. "Make it fast. Make it count."

As the charges were set, the reality of their situation began to settle in. 

"The blast radius from the ANNM... we won't have the advantage of retaking this ground if we destroy it entirely," Liv pointed out, glancing around. 

Dollah, keeping an eye on the advancing troops, remarked, "If we detonate this now, we'll have no fallback position later."

Karim nodded, "He's right. We come back after the explosion. Grab what we need from the cave and reclaim this ground."

The team quickly began their retreat to the trucks. But as they started to roll out, the thundering roars of an enemy IFV cannon sounded in the distance. 

"That's our exit," Sophie gestured towards the sound, eyes widening as she realized their path was blocked by the armored monstrosity. 

Farid quickly assessed the situation, "We need a plan, fast."

From the corner of his eye, Asif noticed Hffyl moving towards a truck. "Hey! What's he doing?" he exclaimed.

Hffyl, using a crate as a booster, climbed into the driver's seat of a nearby truck. Struggling to peer over the dashboard, his idea was clear but crazy. "Need a distraction, right?" He shouted over, starting up the engine.

Liam yelled, "Are you out of your mind? Get outta there!"

But Hffyl, with an explosive strapped to the vehicle, gunned the engine. The gears grinded horribly, showing his lack of driving experience, but the truck slowly gained momentum.

Liv, grabbing Liam's arm as he tried to run after the young boy, whispered fiercely in English, "He's going to kill himself!"

The IFV, sensing the oncoming threat, tried to shift its position, its heavy turret turning towards the accelerating truck.

As the gap between the truck and the IFV narrowed, Hffyl, with a deep breath and using every ounce of his remaining strength, threw himself out of the moving vehicle and into a ditch.

The explosion was deafening.

The shockwave knocked back those who weren't in cover, and as the smoke cleared, the IFV was a smoldering wreck, blocking the exit but no longer a threat.

Hffyl, ears ringing, felt a pair of hands pull him up. Liam's face was a mix of relief and anger. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Hffyl, panting and with his head throbbing, managed a small grin, "Got us an opening, didn't I?"

The team regrouped, heading back to the caves to gather their gear and reinforcements. Their mission was far from over.

As they reached the caves, the sense of urgency was palpable. The air was thick with dust and adrenaline.

"Hurry! Call the rest," Karim barked, working on a transmitter.

Asif, feeling the weight of the situation, rushed to send word to the PAF and Hizb al-Thabat al-Shari'ah. They needed their firepower and support.

Emily quickly patched the call through. The raspy voice of Mustafa Al-Farouq filled the air, "What's your status?"

"Bumped into a bit of trouble, but we've got a plan. Need you to rally the troops," Asif replied.

There was a brief pause, then, "We're on our way. Jalaluddin Khyberi is with us. We'll bring war to their doorstep."

While awaiting their reinforcements, Karim and Emma quickly rigged a telephone for the ANNM charges. The explosions would be their signal to strike back and reclaim the defenses.

Hffyl, still fatigued, muttered under his breath, "Here goes nothing," as he leaned against a rock, catching his breath.

Farid glanced over, noticing his state, "You good?"

Hffyl nodded but his face spoke volumes. "Just need a moment."

Karim held up the detonator, glancing around, "Ready?"

Liv, taking a deep breath, nodded, "On your mark."

The ground rumbled as the ANNM charges detonated. Plumes of smoke rose into the horizon, momentarily shadowing the sun. The aftershocks could be felt even from their distance.

Sophie murmured a quick prayer in Arabic under her breath, before taking command, "Let's move. They'll be disoriented, but not for long."

The combined forces of the PAF and Hizb al-Thabat al-Shari'ah soon arrived, turning the tide. Their sheer numbers and ferocity were palpable.

Yet, as they advanced, the technological superiority of the AASOC began to show. Their drone surveillance spotted troop movements, and their advanced weaponry created challenges. But it wasn't just the tech; their tactical formations, efficient communication, and rapid deployment made them a formidable foe.

Mike, crouched behind a makeshift barrier, yelled over the noise, "We need to get closer! They are quick to respond!"

Karim, adjusting his NVGs, whispered to Asif, "See that tower? Their comms relay. If we jam it, we have an edge."

Asif nodded, looking over at Dollah, "We need to take that out. You up for it?"

Dollah, eyes fixed on the tower, nodded, "Lead the way."