October 9th, 2023, 16:30 (Iran Standard Time 11:00)

  Iran, Alborz, 37km east from Qazvin (Qazvin highway)

  When the NIS agents took out all the bodyguards, SVR agents, and the soldiers, the ADD (Agency for Defense Development) technicians got aboard the trucks. Then, they started to swiftly open the wooden boxes holding the nukes. An aluminum case emerged from the boxes. These were the casings housing the tactical nukes.

  The ADD technicians opened up the case with laser cutters. There were different types of tactical nukes inside the cases.

  “Two AP-2111 types! Four HG-231 types! Four PP-865Q types!”


  Dr. Oh Gil-joon, the lead technician, started to notify his fellow technicians of the models. His team started to remove the detonation device from each model. If they made a mistake, then the surrounding area in a radius of a few kilometers could be vaporized, but they took them down one by one quickly like professionals.

  “Doctor Oh! I’m sorry, but we don’t have much time. Please hurry,” Team Leader Park Gi-oong, who had been guarding the transport truck, begged Dr. Oh Gil-joon.

  “Yes, I understand. We will try to work faster.”


  The Qazvin highway had turned into chaos from the sudden attacks, so the Corean NIS agents attempted to control the flow of traffic from both sides of the road. The ADD technicians in the trucks all busily moved to disarm the bombs.

  It wasn’t easy for the technicians to remove the detonation device due to the time pressure and the possibility of a mistake leading to disastrous results.

  “Ah, sir, two choppers are flying toward us from 42km away at our two o’clock,” Chief Kang Won-il, who had been controlling the SI-Q super eye drone, shouted while looking at the console’s display.

  The Iranian military must have called for backup after the trucks were ambushed. If they were from the two o’clock direction the choppers must be from the Rashud base where the Iranian air force was.

  “What’s the choppers’ model?”


  “Mi-28UB Havoc, Russian attack choppers, sir.”


  The Mi-28UB Havoc choppers were equipped with a 2700-horsepower engine and developed to face off against America’s AH-64 Apache attack choppers. The chopper was tested in 2013 and went into production in 2017. There were now 600 units placed in Russia’s field.

  “Mi-28UB? Does Iran have those? What’s their ETA?”


  “They are flying toward us at 270km/h, sir. They will arrive in 9 minutes.”


  “We’re too short on time.”


  Excluding the time to pack up and leave, they only had five minutes to remove the detonation devices. Manager Lee Ja-sung called for Team Leader Park Gi-oong through the communication line.

  “Team Leader Park! What’s your status?”
-

  12 out of 32 bombs have been disarmed, sir.

  “There are Russian attack choppers headed our way! We only have five minutes left. Please tell the technicians to hurry!”
-

  Yes, sir.

  Manager Lee Ja-sung finished speaking on the radio and glanced at the skies. His lips were getting dry, and there were butterflies in his stomach.

  If the Russian attack choppers arrived before they could remove all the detonation devices, then him and every agent here were good as dead. Manager Lee Ja-sung called Team Leader Park Gi-oong again out of anxiety.

  “Team Leader Park! How many are remaining?”
-

  11 out of 17 from the first trucks are done! 10 out of 15 from the second truck are finished, sir.

  “All right. We have two minutes left.”


  Each minute felt like an hour while the four ADD technicians did their best to remove the detonation devices as quickly as possible, but they ended up going past the five-minute mark.

  “How long will it take? It’s time for us to go.” Manager Lee Ja-sung’s voice was full of anxiety-

  We’re almost done, sir. We have two more to go.

  “Are the bombs installed?”
-

  Yes, they’re all installed, sir!

  “Great! We follow the plan after the bombs have been neutralized. Manager Ahn!”


  “Yes! This is Ahn Bong-tae from Unit 3,” Manager Ahn Bong-tae from Unit 3 answered him.

  “Prepare to leave as we planned!”


  “All right.”


  The agents from Unit 3 were the ones controlling the flow of traffic on the highway. When they finished communicating on the radio, they prepared to make their escape. The CS7 laser Vulcan was broken down and hauled off into the getaway vehicles.

  The heavy sound of chopper rotors could be heard, and it was getting closer.

  “Chief Kang! How far are the choppers away from us?”


  “10.2km, sir.”


  “All right.”


  Team Leader Park Gi-oong’s urgent voice came through the radio-

  Sir! We’re finished.

  “All right. Everyone, let’s get out of here!”


  When Manager Lee Ja-sung gave the order to pull out, the ADD technicians and the agents all got on their designated getaway vehicles and left.

  Vrooooooom!

  Thanks to the 15 minutes of traffic control, the highway was clear. The five black vans all sped up and rushed through the highway. Soon after, the remote bomb detonated and blew up the trucks that carried the nukes, causing a 20m fireball to shoot up into the sky. The two trucks were blown to bits and turned the surrounding areas into a burning wreck.

  Dudududududududududu~

  Two Mi-28UB Havoc choppers emerged above the smoke coming from the burning wreckage. One of the choppers started to fly forward to give chase to the five black vans 5km away from them.

  Manager Ahn Bong-tae from unit 3 at the rear came on the radio. “Manager Lee! This is Manager Ahn from Unit 3. I think we are being tailed.”


  “I guess we have no choice! We must run away using the TCS mode. All vehicles, use the TCS mode to go invisible and join up at the next rendezvous point. Over.”


  After Manager Lee Ja-sung gave the order, the five black vans all turned on their TCS modes and vanished. The five invisible black vans continued to speed through the highway. Meanwhile, the Mi-28UB Havoc choppers attempted to fire the air-to-land missiles at the five vans, but couldn’t after they vanished from the monitor. When the unbelievable happened, the Iranian pilots were all in shock and started to talk to each other on the radio loudly-

  This is Alin A! The targets have vanished. Volley A, do you have eyes on the target?-

  This is Volley A, the targets have vanished for us as well.

  The two Mi-28UB Havoc attack choppers attempted to chase after the targets that had vanished from the radar and their line of sight and continued to fly along the road.

  * * *

  October 9th, 2023, 18:30 (Russian Standard Time 12:30)

  Moscow Russia, the SVR (Foreign Intelligence Department) Building

  When Director Evgeny Lebedev from the SVR (Foreign Intelligence Agency) received the report that the tactical nukes that were being handed off to the Iranian revolutionary guard in secret were neutralized by an unknown terrorist group two hours ago, he called for a meeting.

  “Who were these terrorists that took out the bombs?”


  Director Ruslan Nigmatullin from the Middle Eastern branch was on the screen with a distraught look on his face. “So sorry, sir. We are working to find out now.”


  “Put your life on the line and figure out who they were! Understood?”


  “Yes, sir. I understand.”


  Department Head Alexei Smertin of the SVR’s foreign cooperation department made a guess. “Wouldn’t it be the Coreans, sir?”


  “The Coreans?” Director Evgeny Lebedev asked with his eyebrow raised.

  “Yes, sir. Judging by the situation, it’s most likely them.”


  “Is that just a hunch?”


  “We don’t have proof, but which nation would be most sensitive about our nation providing weapons to Iran, sir? I would have suspected America in the past, but now I think it is Corea. The nation’s intelligence agency also went through rapid development, so they might have already identified the tactical nukes, as well,” Department Head Alexei Smertin, who had worked as an agent for decades, made an accurate deduction.

  “Now that you said that, I find Corea suspicious as well!”


  Director Evgeny Lebedev took a moment to think before standing up with his hands behind him to walk around the room.

  “If the Coreans are going to interfere with our plans, I guess it’s time for us to take matters into our own hands.”


  Director Evgeny Lebedev looked at the screen with the video call streaming.

  “Ruslan Nigmatullin!”


  “Yes, Director!”


  “How many of our agents are in Iran, right now?”


  “Excluding the six who died in the line of duty, there are 13 in total, sir.”


  “Hmm, 13 men, that should be enough.”


  “Enough for what, sir……?”


  “Keep investigating the matter from today, and I need you and your men to conduct a high-priority mission.”


  “Yes, sir. Whatever it is, we will get it done.”


  “Let’s talk about it after we get approval from the president.”


  “Yes, sir. I understand.”


  * * *

  October 9th, 2023, 22:00 (Russia Standard Time 16:00)

  Moscow, Russia, the Kremlin (President’s office)

  Slam!

  President Putin kicked the table out of anger after hearing from Director Evgeny Lebedev about how the neutralization of the tactical nukes in Iran might be related to Corea, despite the diplomatic tensions between the two nations still high from the handoff of Hokkaido.

  “Use every means necessary to gather evidence that the Coreans were behind this.”


  “Yes, I have already ordered the agents in Iran to do so, sir.”


  “There is one thing. If it was the Coreans, then why didn’t they alert the world about our nation providing tactical nukes to Iran?”


  “This is just my assumption, but I believe Corea does not want to cause any further diplomatic conflict since we are already on a bad footing with the Hokkaido issue, sir,” Minister Valeri Karpin from the foreign affairs ministry answered President Putin.

  Director Evgeny Lebedev added to the minister’s answer, “I also agree with Minister Karpin, sir. If they intended to notify the international community, why destroy the tactical nukes?”


  “It is suspicious. If the Coreans are aware of our intentions, then I suppose it would not be wise to send more tactical nukes, would it?”


  “I believe we shouldn’t provide any more tactical nukes, sir,” Minister of Defense, Mikhail Ivanov, who was Minister Valeri Karpin’s rival, answered the president.

  President Putin stood up from his seat and spoke to the government officials. “I guess operation desert sandstorm was a failure before it could even begin.”


  Director Evgeny Lebedev carefully suggested to President Putin who was sighing in disappointment. “Mr. President, sir!”


  “What is it? Speak.”


  “I want to suggest something related to Iran, sir. I was hoping to get your approval after you hear it through.”


  “I suppose you have a plan? Tell me.”


  “Yes, sir. So, I have planned to……”