Chapter 16: Nowhere to run

At 3 a.m., under the cover of darkness, a massive cargo ship commissioned by the assemblyman began its journey toward the Indian Ocean. The ship carried a group of skilled smugglers and expert dealers, each handpicked for the mission. Among them were professionals who had spent years perfecting their craft—people Jin Ho had carefully hired under a false identity. This operation was meticulously planned to ensure no ties could be traced back to the assemblyman.

As the ship neared international waters off the Pakistani coastline, its crew was on high alert. At precisely 4:15 a.m., a medium-sized motorboat approached the ship from the open sea. The crew swiftly halted the vessel, lowering cranes to transfer their illicit cargo—massive crates filled with drugs—onto the smaller boat. The operation was seamless, completed in under five minutes. Once the transfer was complete, the smugglers abandoned the cargo ship and boarded the smaller vessel.

The boat, although compact and discreet, was slower than the larger ship. It would take hours for them to reach their destination, but its inconspicuous size would make it easier to slip past any patrols near the coastline. For the next three hours, the boat sailed steadily through the calm waters of the Indian Ocean. Confidence grew among the crew as they moved farther from the larger vessel and deeper into what they believed to be safe territory.

Then, at 7:30 a.m., their nerves were tested. A high-pitched buzzing sound broke the silence—a sound that sent chills through the smugglers. Looking to the sky, they spotted a small UAV circling above them. Panic rippled through the group. They huddled together, trying to decide their next move.

One of the crewmen, an older smuggler with decades of experience, grabbed a telescope and scanned the horizon. To his horror, he spotted a naval vessel in the distance. It was unmistakably part of the Pakistan Navy, conducting an anti-narcotics operation in the area. A quick glance at the UAV confirmed their worst fears—it was not alone. A second drone hovered farther out, tracking their movement.

The smugglers realized too late that they had sailed directly into a coordinated naval operation. The Pakistan Navy's anti-narcotics efforts were being bolstered by none other than the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, providing aerial surveillance and support. The operation was far larger than anything the smugglers had anticipated, and they were now firmly in its crosshairs.

"Turn the boat around!" the captain barked, his voice trembling. The smugglers scrambled to comply, but their movements were frantic, uncoordinated. They knew they were running out of time.

The UAV circled lower, its buzzing growing louder, more menacing. Another smuggler, younger and more impulsive, grabbed a rocket launcher from their stash of weapons. "I'll take care of it!" he yelled, taking aim. With a deafening roar, the rocket launcher fired. Seconds later, the drone exploded in a bright flash, its pieces raining down into the ocean.

For a brief moment, the boat was silent, and then the crew erupted into cheers. They believed they had won, outsmarting their pursuers. The Pakistan Navy vessel, which had been closing in, slowed down momentarily.

"We did it!" one of the smugglers shouted, a wide grin on his face. "They're backing off!"

But their celebration was short-lived. In their panic and arrogance, they had failed to grasp the scale of the operation they had just disrupted. The loss of a single UAV was a minor setback, not a decisive victory.

At 7:50 a.m., the true might of their pursuers became evident. The PNS Zulfiqar, a state-of-the-art frigate equipped with advanced radar and weaponry, changed course and accelerated toward their position. From the USS Abraham Lincoln, a second UAV was deployed, this one armed and more sophisticated than the first. The smugglers' boat, small and slow, stood no chance against the speed and firepower bearing down on them.

Panic set in again, but this time there was no escape. The smuggler with the rocket launcher readied another shot, but the captain slapped the weapon from his hands. "Are you insane?" he yelled. "They'll destroy us if we keep provoking them!"

The crew's confidence crumbled as the UAV locked onto their position, its red targeting laser visible even in the morning light. Over the radio, a booming voice came through, demanding their immediate surrender. The crew froze, their hands trembling as the gravity of their situation sank in.

Despite their initial resistance, the smugglers knew they were cornered. The PNS Zulfiqar was now within visual range, and its deck was bristling with heavily armed personnel. The second UAV hovered ominously above them, ready to strike if they made any sudden moves.

"Drop your weapons and prepare to be boarded!" the radio command came again, more forcefully this time. The smugglers hesitated, but the sight of a military helicopter circling above them was the final blow to their resolve. Slowly, reluctantly, they raised their hands in surrender.

By 8:30 a.m., the operation was over. The Pakistan Navy seized the boat and its cargo, uncovering a massive haul of drugs worth millions of dollars. The smugglers were apprehended, their weapons confiscated, and the evidence meticulously documented. The coordination between the Pakistan Navy and the USS Abraham Lincoln had been a resounding success.

As the smugglers were led away in handcuffs, their earlier bravado was replaced with fear and despair. They knew they were nothing more than expendable pawns in a larger game. Back in Korea, Si Mok received word of the operation's failure. On the surface, he appeared calm, even unconcerned. But inside, he was calculating his next move. He knew the assemblyman would be furious, and questions would be asked about how such a well-planned operation had gone so disastrously wrong.

Si Mok allowed himself a small, grim smile. The failed operation had achieved more than he could have hoped. The assemblyman's network was weakened, his allies shaken, and the authorities now had more evidence to connect his empire to international drug trafficking. Si Mok knew the risks were mounting, but he was determined to see the assemblyman's downfall—no matter the cost.