Operation Secure Lion

[Emperor Tristar Majestica]

2 days earlier, 1610PM

The screen, which usually displayed incoming information about relevant operational details was uncharacteristically blank. Not even a personal message was displayed. "How the hell do we not have anything on these people?!", growled General Hawkthorne. The room erupted into squalor once more, as each individual attempted to speak at the same time. Hawkthorne glared angrily at HIS Director Dylan Van. "Look", he half heartedly yelled. "When the AMH are planning something, they go completely off the radar. Very few people know what's going on, including the operatives planning the event. We haven't been able to infiltrate that inner circle, and you know it. We cannot risk endangering our own agents, and ruining years of operations just because we haven't found what we're looking for here. Plan Delta is a highly sophisticated event the AHM is planning. We can't afford any screwups. If that means waiting longer for intel, so be it." Director Van put his pen down: "I'm as frustrated as you are, General. But...", he was interrupted by a loud beep on the screen. 

A message had appeared. The room, which was just about to erupt again, went pin drop quiet. "Lieutenant, please open the message", said Hawkthorne, his eyebrows raised in mild curiosity. 

The lieutenant clicked on the message. Hawkthorne read it out loud: "ALERT, ALERT ALERT. Plan Delta initiated. Final operatives meeting at Isles Hill Village, Ivy Green Pub & Bar, in cellar. Pub owner and pub goers AHM affiliated. Advise military response. Advise Emperor. Intelligence suggesting Plan Delta implementation imminent. OVER" 

The room sat in stunned silence. Hawkthorne looked at the group. "Well, what the hell are you waiting for?! Let's move!" roared the General. The group nodded in unison, and simultaneously got up. A scramble of activity was now ushered in to the previously quiet room. "Get me the Emperor"

2 minutes later...

As he walked the halls of the royal palace, he had only one thing on his mind. Food. Yes, the leader of Hungadada was hungry, and he wanted nothing less than a burger, fries, and a shake. The Emperor's aide, walking behind him pulled out the tablet he carried. "Your Majesty", he said. "Code Red alert, you are advised to proceed to the nearest secure telephone line". The Emperor looked at his aide. "Burgers will have to wait, I suppose", he replied. The Emperor broke into a jog, as he entered a meeting room with a secure phone line. Picking the phone up, he said: "It's the Emperor. What's happening?"

 

"Ah, your Majesty. It's General Hawkthorne. We don't have much time. AHM Plan Delta, the plan by the AHM; we have strong intelligence suggesting imminent implementation of said plan, and we have confirmed intelligence of a meeting where operatives part of Plan Delta will be meeting tonight. We need your authorisation to launch our armed counter operation. I've sent a briefing via the tablet.". The Emperor looked at his aide. On the tablet displayed was a quick briefing of the situation. Skimming through the briefing, he nodded. "General", he replied. "Due to the nature of this operation, you have my full authorisation to use reasonable means to ensure that Plan Delta is disrupted. The goal of this operation is to apprehend any and all suspects for further questioning. Please advise your troops to shoot only in self defence. You have full command of the situation. Command this operation via the Crisis Response Room." Hawkthorne replied: "Thank you" and hung up. The plan, then, was in motion. HIS and the DSDH had been for months collecting information about Plan Delta, and an opportunity to arrest various members of the AHM would not be missed. 

The idea now was to act quickly, so that cordons could be placed, lockdowns initiated, and soldiers placed on urgent standby. More incoming intelligence would confirm about 70 AHM members who would meet at approximately 8 PM for their Plan Delta meeting. The AHM worked on a clockwork schedule. All their members were expected to be in for the meeting at 8, not one minute earlier or later. Local police could not be informed about the ongoing operation, as it was to much of a risk with regards to operational security. 

As the pub building itself was standalone, it would be easier to secure the area. Only time would tell how successful the operation would be. 

 

Ivy Green Pub & Bar, Isles Hill Village, Province of Scottish Hungadada, 1950PM

It was deathly quiet. Strange for the time of year. A bird chirped. A good 200 soldiers were all over the small town of about 3000 people. New intelligence had brought up that the pub was actually closed today, meaning that anyone who went in was most certainly an AHM member. And since the pub itself was AHM affiliated, the less civilians, the better. With less than 10 minutes to go, the Crisis Response Room at the Palace was buzzing with activity. The Emperor entered. The room paused, and those seated stood up. "Hello everyone," said the Emperor. He had still not eaten his burger. "What's the situation?". General Hawkthorne replied: "Your Majesty, we're a few minutes away from breaching and carrying out the operation. We've got 257 armed soldiers on the ground at the pub, with a further 300 on standby should anything go amiss." "Good" replied the Emperor. "Let's do a status check?" Hawkthorne nodded:

"Breach team Alpha, status check, over"

"Roger, command, Breach team Alpha is go"

"Breach team Bravo, status check, over"

"Roger, command, Breach team Bravo is ready to go"

"Arrest teams Delta, Echo, and Foxtrot, status?" 

"Roger, command, all arrest teams are go"

"All right, all teams listen up. In less than five minutes, I will give the order to enter and apprehend all individuals in the Ivy Green Bar & Pub. The cellar of this establishment contains our targets. Apprehend targets for further questioning. Shoot only in self defence. All possible exits and escape routes have been sealed off. Be aware that members may be armed. Await my command"

---

"All teams, on alert." In their positions, the armed soldiers cocked their weapons. They pulled down their visors, 

"All teams, prepare to breach". The breach teams brought out their battering rams. The pub door had been locked by the owner just moments ago. There was another silence. 

"All teams, BREACH BREACH BREACH", the command came. Breach team Alpha ran in formation to the front door. Ramming it, the door gave way without much resistance. At the same time, team Bravo breached a side entrance. Having breached the doors, arrest teams ran in. "ARMED SOLDIERS, GET DOWN ON THE GROUND, SHOW ME YOUR HANDS!" "ARMED SOLDIERS, TURN AROUND, GET DOWN ON THE GROUND! NOW!". As the teams moved down toward the unsuspecting AHM members, a shot rang out. Then more shots. "Shots fired, shots fired." It was the pub owner. He had attempted to pull out a gun from the waistband of his pants. Punching the soldier arresting him, he had pulled the gun out. That's when he was shot. 

The soldiers continued their way down the stairs. Breaching the cellar door, all 70 members of the AHM Plan Delta group were caught unawares. "ARMED SOLDIERS NOBODY MOVE!". One by one, the soldiers poured into the room, dragging AHM members out one by one, where they were searched, and arrested. The mission had gone successfully. At least for now AHM Plan Delta was disrupted. And finally, the Emperor could get his burger. 

 

TO BE CONTINUED