Assegaf turned back to Abu Amr as soon as Chiang had left the room. "Now, tell me on whose orders the convoy was sent to Empang," he said.

Abu Amr inhales deeply. His breathing is laboured, as if he is trying to decide what to say next. The tension in his face has mostly abated, but traces of it still remain. "I was ordered to take the convoy to Empang by Ustad Zahid, the Head of Al-Irsyad in Bogor," he said.

"And you were aware of its contents, are you not?" Assegaf asked.

"I..." Abu Amr stops mid-sentence. His eyes dart across room and the ceiling before going back to his interrogator. "Yes. We were tasked with delivering the cargo to Empang."

"By your own admission the cargo was meant for Empang," Assegaf said. "Yet you were seen there loading crates onto the trucks instead of unloading them, which leads me to conclude that Empang is only a stopover as opposed to your final destination."

Abu Amr remains silent. His eyes remain stuck to his interrogator. His facial expression holds dread. The movement in his throat indicates he is trying to hide something. "We were told nothing else, I swear," he finally said.

"Tell me the truth," Assegaf turned his back towards Abu Amr. "Remember, it's me or Governor Harits. I will try my best to ensure the safety of your family and your right to a fair trial. He, on the other hand, will give you no such guarantees."

Abu Amr hissed. "So what?" His voice holds anger and defiance. "Threaten me all you want, I will not speak."

Assegaf looked back at Abu Amr, his face assuming a more serious expression. "There is nothing you possess that I cannot take away," he said. "You will tell me the convoy's intended destination, one way or another."

Abu Amr stares his interrogator in the eye, clearly unfazed by the threat. "You think the convoy's our priority?" he said. His lips curl into a devious smile. "Truly Allah has confounded His enemies once again...."

Assegaf frowned. "Explain yourself."

"The convoy was only a diversion," Abu Amr said. His face contorts further, his expression holding intense hatred underneath a gleeful façade. "Most of the weapons are now in our hands. By Allah, we shall use them to burn your infidel regime to the ground."

"Empty words," Assegaf said. "Nothing but hollow bravado."

"You'll see," Abu Amr said. "The death of the Empire begins today."

No sooner had Abu Amr finished speaking than Assegaf's comlink buzzed inside his coat pocket. Turning on the device, Assegaf saw on screen four words every commander dreads.

"SITUATION ALERT – CODE RED."

Assegaf said nothing as he left the interrogation cell, walking as fast as his feet could carry him.

-----------

The men were gathered together in the prayer hall, watching intently as Zahid Abdat ascended the steps of the pulpit. Like all mosques run by Al-Irsyad, the interior of At-Taqwa mosque was sparsely decorated apart from the Imam's pulpit and the red carpets, unlike the ornate and lavishly decorated An-Nur Mosque which lies just a couple blocks away.

The reason for this difference was as much theological as it was aesthetic. Like many Islamic organisations with a puritan reformist bent, Al-Irsyad strove from its inception to eliminate all forms of bid'ah – religious practices it viewed as innovations contrary to orthodox Islamic belief. These include visiting graves and shrines of pious Muslim saints, celebrating and reflecting upon Prophet Mohammed's birthday, along with showing respect towards the Sayyids. For many Irsyadis and others of alike mind all these were deviant practices, more akin to the idolatry of the pagans and unbelievers than the pure Deen of Islam as taught by the Prophet and His companions.

For Zahid it was his hatred for the Empire and everything it stood for that had brought him to this moment. Not only was the Empire guilty for the tragic fate that had befallen his brother; it had also been responsible for the suppression of like-minded individuals who desire to purify Islam from deviant practices and give it a greater role in running the state. All the Empire's efforts would have been doomed to failure had it not been for the help of Zack Assegaf, the one man most responsible for his brother's misery.

Assegaf was not only seen as an exemplar of the Empire's military might. He'd also become a living symbol of its cause, more so than the Emperor himself. Even the Arabs, long regarded as key constituents of the Islamist voting bloc in the days of the Republic, had slowly but surely capitulated to the personality cult the Empire had built around the Grand-Marshal. As it was with his brother Thalut and Marshal Siregar, Zahid had come to realise that if the Council of the Righteous were to drive a stake into the heart of the Empire, it would have to start by eliminating Assegaf.

By Allah, today the great deceiver of the Arabs shall be slain, along with his allies among the unbelieving leaders of the Empire.

Zahid stepped into the pulpit and began to speak. "As-salamu aleykum, May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be with you. In the name of Allah the Most Merciful and Most Compassionate, let us begin our meeting with the Forty-Fifth verse from Surah An-Nisa of the Qur'an: But Allah hath full knowledge of your enemies: Allah is enough for a protector, and Allah is enough for a Helper. Though the urgency of the situation has compelled me to speak, I intend to give the floor to Emir Abdurrokhim Ba'asyir, who I believe has much more to say regarding our present situation."

Behind Zahid sat Abdurrokhim Ba'asyir, leader and self-declared Emir of the Islamic State of Indonesia, a terrorist group already active since the days of the Republic. Also present was Ba'asyir's second-in-command, Hidayat Akbar, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Shamil Al-Bugisi. Both were present as holographic projections, broadcast from their headquarters somewhere in the Eastern Islands.

Zahid stepped down as Ba'asyir took over the pulpit. "Praise be to Allah, Most Merciful and Most Compassionate, Who created humanity for His worship and commanded them to be just," Ba'asyir began. "Today the forces of the Muslims have once again faced the forces of the infidels in combat. As I speak, Marshal Siregar and his forces are now besieged by soldiers of the infidel regime. As comrades in arms in the cause of Allah, we have an obligation to assist Siregar and his forces, especially when he himself had made the request."

Most of the hundred or so congregants were young men who looked like they had just graduated from high school. Some were dressed in thawbs and salwar kameez, long robes which covered their bodies down to their ankles, while others were dressed in combat uniforms of various shapes and sizes. They all listened with rapt attention as Ba'asyir denounced the Indonesian Empire as the latest in a line of infidel regimes who have oppressed the Muslim faithful, and how Allah will grant His paradise to those who died while taking up arms against the Empire and its leaders.

"Know that Allah shall also punish gravely those among the faithful who knowingly conspire with the armies of the infidel regime, even one claiming to be a descendant of our Holy Prophet, Peace be upon Him," Ba'asyir continued. "I speak of Zack Assegaf, whose blood we are permitted to spill, for in working with the infidel regime he has made himself an apostate and an enemy of the Muslim ummah.

"We have thousands of mujahideen already mobilised for our upcoming operation, including all of you gathered here. You will take the fight to the enemy by striking the Aerodrome and killing Assegaf. Though the Aerodrome is well guarded, you'll find your task easier to accomplish since the infidel forces are spread thin in their attempts to destroy Siregar and his forces. Eliminating Assegaf will not only rob the Empire of their top commander, but also show them that they can be defeated.

"Lastly, we have an ally among the Imperial ranks, without whose assistance we would've been unable to muster our forces. He will join us shortly."

Another hologram joined Ba'asyir and Abu Shamil at the speaker's corner. It was Colonel Dwieka Indrawan, commander of Siliwangi Command's Bogor District. "My Emir, we are ready to commence attack," he said, "but I fear there've been complications."

Ba'asyir turned back around to face Indrawan. "What is it?"

"One of our convoys have been ambushed along Raden Bustaman Street," Indrawan said. "The BKN have also captured one of the mujahideen in the process. It's only a matter of time before they close in on us."

"We must act while we still enjoy the advantage of surprise," Ba'asyir said. "Zahid. Dwieka. Gather your forces and commence attack on key targets immediately. Abu Shamil and I will do our part in Poso."

"As you say, Emir," Indrawan said, ending his transmission.

Zahid activated his comlink and dialled several frequencies simultaneously. "Mujahideen," he said, "the time for our attack has come. Allah willing, we will take down the infidel regime and its leaders. Takbir!"

Shouts of agreement echoed throughout the prayer hall as the congregation replied in chorus. One by one, the men rose from the floor and rushed towards the makeshift armoury behind the mosque building, shouts of Allahu Akbar accompanying their each and every step.

-----------

Dwieka Indrawan had no sooner ended the call than there was a knock on his office door. "Come in," he called.

The door opened to reveal a BKN officer standing in the doorway. "Sir, I am Lieutenant Ilham of the Biro Keamanan Negara," he said. "We need you to come in for questioning."

Indrawan remained seated. Beckoning Ilham to come closer, he moved his chair forward and reached for the handgun hidden under his desk. "Please tell me what this is all about," he said.

"BKN intercepted a convoy of trucks belonging to rebel sympathisers just this morning," Ilham said. "The convoy was caught carrying weapons and munitions from one of our ammo dumps in Bogor. According to the records, the order to release those weapons and munitions came from your office."

"I didn't know that," Indrawan said. "That said, have you brought in any of my aides for questioning?"

"No," Ilham replied. "As District Commander, you know better than anyone else regarding the transfer and delivery of weapons and munitions in Bogor."

"Is that so?" Indrawan said. "Then in that case I won't be going."

"Excuse me?"

Before Ilham knew it he was already lying on the floor, mere seconds after he heard a loud bang which sounded like a gunshot. In his last moment of consciousness he saw Indrawan standing over his soon-to-be lifeless body, his right hand holding a smoking gun.

"No, Ilham," Indrawan said at last. "Looks like I won't be going after all."

Stepping over Ilham's lifeless body Indrawan nonchalantly strode back to his desk and pressed the intercom button. "This is Colonel Indrawan to all units," he said. "Commence Operation Resolve immediately. Go to your assigned targets and assist the mujahideen."

Indrawan pressed another button shortly afterwards. "Ridho," he called his aide. "Come to my office immediately. There's a dead body I need you to get rid of."

"Yes sir."

-----------

"I'm compromised! Need Assistance!"

"Hold your position! I'm coming!"

Sounds of gunfire echoed through the hallway as Rama and his squad engaged Kusnanda's Special Forces at the intersection connecting the entrance hall and the north side of Tiger's Nest. The squad was just about to head upstairs to Siregar's office when they were ambushed. Though none of the squad members had died so far, they remained stuck on the first floor – pinned down by superior enemy numbers and firepower.

"Sir, there's too many of them," Sidarto said. "We can't slip through their fire."

"Call friendlies for backup," Rama said. "We'll hold on until they arrive."

Seto pulled out his comlink and dialled for help, only to find the signal unresponsive. "I can't. The rebels have jammed all our frequencies."

Dammit, Rama cursed under his breath. To think that moments earlier, they were already so close to reaching Siregar and ending his reign of terror. Now the squad was pinned down by the enemy's best forces with no way out. The longer they remain stuck here, the slimmer their chances of capturing Siregar and ending the war become.

Still, this is hardly the time to give up.

Rama inched forward to get a better look. A window lies just a few metres away to his left. Though there were a few rebels blocking the path, he decided that attempting to reach it was worth the risk. If Rama could just scatter or dispatch the enemy soldiers, he and the rest of the squad would get to the window and make their getaway before signalling for help.

"Arseno," Rama said, "I need a frag and two smokes."

"Yes sir," Arseno replied. "Coming your way."

Arseno handed Rama three grenades before returning to his firing position. Rama then unpinned the fragmentation grenade and threw it at the direction of the rebels. The grenade exploded immediately upon hitting the ground, killing a large number of enemy soldiers. Those who survived the blast were taken out by Rama and his squad, who headed over to the window afterwards.

"Quick!" Rama shouted. "Let's get out before more of them arrive."

More rebels appeared from the other end of the hallway. Rama threw his smoke grenades at them upon breaking open the window. Arseno and Hadid stayed behind to hold off the advancing rebel troops, while Sidarto led the rest of the squad out of the building through the window. Arseno then threw a grenade at the approaching rebels just as he was about to leave, killing a few more enemy soldiers. After a tense moment of exchanging fire with the enemy, the whole squad was finally out of the building.

Once outside Rama and his squad fled to the nearby forest, at which he fired his flare and sent it flying into the sky in a streak of bright orange. It was less a signal marking their location than a call for help.

"We were so close," Seto said. "Now we'll never get another chance to nail the bastard."

Sidarto spoke before Rama could reply. "May I suggest calling in an airstrike? Let the Air Force bomb the rebel base to bits and call it a day."

"No," Rama said. "Our orders are to capture Siregar. Director Chiang wants him alive."

Seto stared at him crossly. "How? The fortress is crawling with enemy troops. There's no way we're going back in."

"Believe me. I'd prefer to eliminate Siregar and his lackeys in an airstrike. But the last time we did that, he still escaped to fight another day."

"So what do we do now?" Sidarto asked.

"We wait," Rama said. "It's only a matter of time before friendlies see our distress signal. Once they reach us we'll go back in with extra support. Our trap has been sprung. The rebels aren't going anywhere."

Sidarto looked at Rama for a moment. Rama was five years his junior, but the younger man had proven himself to be an excellent squad leader, capable of holding his own even in the most challenging of missions. Shaking off any lingering doubts, Sidarto decided he could trust Rama's assessment of the situation, as always.

"Alright," he said at last. "We wait."