"Area secured sir. Awaiting further instructions from HQ."

Bajamal dismissed the Police Sergeant after the latter had presented himself. He was standing inside the perimeter Mobile Brigade had set up around the ambush site shortly upon their arrival. With help from the traffic police, all inbound vehicles were rerouted and remaining civilians quickly shooed away from the area.

Still, a sense of uncertainty hung heavily in the air. Bajamal hadn't left the site since he and his team ambushed the outgoing convoy from Empang. The last time they spoke to each other, Prastio had informed him that an Inspector would be sent here to carry out further investigations. If the pair of Death Troopers standing beside Prastio were any indication, a squad of them would be sent here as well; perhaps to carry out a raid on Empang, where he had first encountered the convoy carrying the firearms shipment.

And speaking of firearms...

He recalled a conversation he'd overheard between his father and two guests a year earlier. As highly respected members of the Arab community, it was not uncommon for the Bajamal household to receive important visitors from time to time. Paying them a visit that day were General Abdat and the Sheikh Omar As-Saiwad. Bajamal was just about to leave for work when he heard the latter mention Marshal Assegaf and a few other names, to which Abdat remarked, "I'm afraid he won't be around much longer." They then continued speaking in hushed tones, but before long his father ordered the two guests to leave, the blood draining from his face as he did so.

Bajamal was unable to make any sense of his father's reaction, nor understood his decision to carry a handgun at all times since that day. Whenever questioned, he steadfastly refused to discuss the matter. It wasn't until a week after the incident that the whole picture started coming together. Five senior Army officers were murdered under mysterious circumstances, followed by Siregar's coup and the subsequent battle of Jakarta. After the coup's failure, both Abdat and As-Saiwad were arrested and charged with the murder of the five officers and partaking in treason. Subsequent investigation revealed that Marshal Assegaf was also targeted for murder, and would've shared the five officers' fate had he not successfully escaped.

"They wanted me to be a part of their scheme," Bajamal recalled his father saying about Abdat and As-Saiwad later on, "but I could never bring myself to commit treason."

Abdat and As-Saiwad may be gone, but they still have significant support among the Irsyadi Arabs in Bogor, a few of whom were complicit in planning out the coup. With most Imperial units in the area still engaged in battle against Siregar's forces, the risk of subversive elements fomenting trouble in the rear was a threat too real to ignore.

Bajamal's comlink signalled moments later. "Falcon here."

"Agent Falcon," the voice said, "This is Inspector Aan of BKN Field Command. Send your coordinates for I'll be arriving shortly."

"Yes sir," Bajamal keyed his comlink, sending Aan his coordinates.

Moments later, a BKN shuttle descended upon the site, its arrival heralded by the unmistakable silhouette of its triangular design. Two police vehicles cleared the site upon the shuttle's approach, giving it room to land in its designated area.

Bajamal watched as the shuttle door opened and Inspector Aan disembarked the landing ramp, followed closely by a squad of Death Troopers. Aan may not have been physically imposing at first sight, but Bajamal knew from one look at his face the Inspector isn't a man to be trifled with.

"You must be Agent Falcon," Aan said, upon meeting Bajamal face-to-face.

"Yes sir," Bajamal replied.

"Show me where you ambushed the convoy."

Bajamal led Aan to the site and told the Inspector everything that had transpired up until he and his team ambushed the convoy. "Siregar is up to something," he ended. "We must act quickly."

"I agree," Aan said, looking briefly at the bodies of the dead rebels lying on the ground. "That's why I brought them along," he pointed to the Death Troopers standing behind.

"What do you plan to do with them?" Bajamal asked.

"That's up to him to decide," a deep mechanical voice spoke. It was a Death Trooper commander. Etched on the right shoulder of his armour suit was a Sergeant's rank insignia. "Name's Sancaka." Unlike other Death Troopers Bajamal had encountered before, Sancaka did not speak with his electronic scramblers turned on.

"Based on preliminary interrogation of the rebel you captured," Aan said, "their operations are largely concentrated around Pekojan in Empang. I need you to go there and clear the area of rebel activity. Take Sancaka and his squad with you. There's no telling what the rebels might do now that we're aware of their presence."

"Yes sir."

Bajamal and Sancaka gathered their teams and headed towards a clearing where two APCs were parked. As they were leaving, Bajamal turned back to give the site one last look, at which he saw Aan walking back towards his shuttle.

-----------

Dennis Hidayat had been in Bogor many times before. He'd accompanied his father aboard the family bus, which carried passengers from Semarang to Bogor and back every weekend. Bogor was also the place where he'd spent his college years, and where he'd first met a charismatic Imam who taught him all he knew about the Islamic faith.

The Imam had done more than just teach Dennis the Deen. He'd acquainted him with other seekers of the faith, who like him long to escape Bogor's rootless metropolitan life in search of higher purpose. That led him to join a fellowship of like-minded people, who gathered every week at the campus mosque to attend halaqahs taught by various guest preachers. From them, he learnt that becoming a proper Muslim not only requires one to practice the basic obligations of the faith, but also to take control of the commanding heights of society and bring it in line with Islamic law.

And by force if necessary.

For too long the Republic had betrayed the aspirations of Muslims who want Islamic law to be the state's guiding principle. The Civil War had given Dennis and his comrades a chance to bring their vision into reality, and for a time it seemed as if the Republic would crumble under its own weight and a government guided by divine principles established in its stead.

Except it didn't.

It was the Empire that rose instead from the ashes of the Republic. The Empire may have vanquished Zionist Israel, long-time oppressor of Muslim Palestine, on the battlefield. But for all it did the new regime had proved itself to be an even greater oppressor of Muslims, as the military occupation of West Sumatra and dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood showed. When all had seemed lost, Marshal Siregar and his allies took the initiative and tried to reverse the Empire's seemingly inevitable secular turn, only to be defeated by regime forces.

But Dennis won't resign himself to fate anytime soon. For years he'd been forced to keep his contempt for the Empire to himself, unable to act for fear of BKN reprisal. Thus when Ustad Zahid asked him to join his cell he quickly leapt at the offer, knowing he'd finally have the means to exact revenge against the behated regime. Of course, he still wanted to live to see the Empire collapse, but all that indoctrination had taught him you didn't always get what you wanted.

And so Dennis continued his way inside a stolen police van, dressed in a senior patrolman's brown uniforms. He'd tried his best to impersonate the man whose identity he'd assumed, right down to his voice and mannerisms. To the average onlooker, Senior Patrolman Budi would appear to be an ordinary cop doing his daily routine. Meanwhile, two vans in civilian livery followed close behind, each carrying a squad of militiamen. They would be vital for the next stage of his plan.

Soon the convoy passed Merdeka Street and headed downtown. Once more, familiar sights and sounds greeted Dennis as he made his way across the city centre. It was late morning and everyone was busy at work. The only vehicles out here were those carrying food to cafés and restaurants all across Bogor ahead of lunch.

After a while, Dennis noticed a police squad car parked on the roadside among the various food and delivery vehicles. Nearby stood a cop directing the traffic from a roundabout. Two Mobile Brigade patrolmen stood by his side, each carrying AK-101 assault rifles.

Dennis glowered. What he wouldn't give for pumping a magazine full of rounds into their torsos. Of course, he wouldn't want to put himself and the mission at risk, not after what had happened with Abu Amr's convoy earlier this morning.

And especially not when he'd come this far.

Checking the GPS above his steering wheel, Dennis knew he was on the right track. Only a roadway stood between him and his target. On the seat beside him lay an AK-74 and a couple of spare magazines. He might need to do some shooting on the last leg of the trip. Armed cops and soldiers patrolled the streets everywhere, and one can never be too sure if they hadn't been followed.

At last he came up alongside the U-turn between Captain Muslihat and Raya Dramaga Street and turned towards the latter. The Bogor Metropolitan Police Headquarters loomed ahead. On its front yard stood a monument to the Black Panther, mascot of the Bogor Metropolitan Police. A pity the whole thing would soon be reduced to a heap of smoking rubble.

Banking to his left, Dennis instructed the two vans behind him to keep their distance as he prepared make his way into the Police Headquarters. He now had two choices. He could either make his entry as discreet as possible before delivering the fatal blow, or he could just head in and go straight for the kill.

The choice was already made for him. Two armed cops tried to stop his van as it arrived at the main entrance. They wanted to check its contents. But Dennis wasn't having any of that.

In an instant he grabbed his rifle and sprayed a few bullets at the two cops, both of whom were dazed by the sudden turn of events. Not waiting around to see if he'd hit any of them, Dennis took advantage of the momentary confusion and sped towards the main building. Several police personnel rushed to the scene bearing their weapons in an attempt to stop the van. It was too little, too late.

Dennis felt around for the detonator button before finding it on the right side of the steering column. Once again he wished he could witness what was about to happen. It would've been a sight to behold. But as with all things, you can't always get what you want. "Allahu Akbar!" Dennis shouted, pressing the button as hard as he could.

-----------

Major-General Daniel Pradipta was the first to greet Assegaf when the Grand-Marshal arrived at the war room.

"What's going on?" Assegaf asked.

"Sir, you might want to take a look."

Pradipta led Assegaf to the holotable before pressing a button on the right side. Seconds later the table's projector lit up, flashing a holovid of a police van exploding itself at the Bogor Metropolitan Police Headquarters. Shortly afterwards, groups of armed assailants arrived at the scene and shot the survivors before moving further inside the complex.

"We're picking up distress calls all over Bogor," Pradipta said. "The Police district HQs have also been attacked. We tried contacting Siliwangi Command for assistance, but for some reason we haven't received any response."

"Is it?" Assegaf asked. "Patch me through. Perhaps they'll respond."

The comm officer directed Assegaf's call to Siliwangi Command headquarters. But no one answered. There was only static. After that three more attempts were made, each as unsuccessful as the first.

"Ya Rabb," Assegaf sighed in uncharacteristic frustration. "Something's wrong. Where are the rest?"

The doors slid open as Director Chiang came into the room. "Operator," he called out to the comm officer, "Patch me through to Imperial Centre. I need to speak with the Emperor."

Assegaf watched silently as Chiang tried and failed several times to contact the Emperor. "I can't believe it," the latter exclaimed. "First Siliwangi Command and now this?"

"We're being jammed," Assegaf said. "General," he told Pradipta. "Get Captain Bin Sanad."

Pradipta pulled out his comlink. Luckily his signal was still working. "Captain," he said, "Come quickly. Marshal Assegaf needs you."

"Yes sir," the voice at the other end replied.

The doors opened yet again as a young Army Captain of Arab descent entered the room. This was Rifat Bin Sanad, Assegaf's adjutant and personal bodyguard. Despite his short stature and mild appearance, he was a battle-hardened warrior, whose skills had been honed in the deserts of Egypt and Palestine during the Second Mid-East War.

"Captain," Assegaf said, turning to Bin Sanad. "Rebel forces have carried out a series of bombings in Bogor just now. In addition, we're experiencing constant signal disruption which prevents us from contacting both Siliwangi Command and Imperial Centre. I suspect the rebels are jamming our signals, trying to cut us off from both."

"What do you want me to do, sir?"

Assegaf walked away from the holotable towards his adjutant. "Take my shuttle and fly back to Jakarta. Once you arrive, go to Imperial Centre and inform the Emperor and High Command of our situation. Report back to me once you're done, and once communications are re-established."

"Is that all?"

Assegaf leaned closer and whispered in Bin Sanad's ear. "There's more," he said, switching to Arabic. "Something tells me there's a connection between our communications failure and the bomb attacks just now. We may have a traitor in our midst. Find out who it is. Can you do that for me?"

"I can."

"Good," Assegaf said. "Here are the clearance codes for Imperial Centre. Good hunting!"

Bin Sanad left the room shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, Assegaf went back to the holotable, where Chiang and the rest were already waiting.

"Gentlemen," he began. "We have a dangerous situation on our hands. Militias affiliated with Siregar have carried out a series of bomb attacks on Police stations across Bogor. At the same time, we've been prevented from sending messages to both Siliwangi Command and Imperial Centre. Someone within our ranks must be aiding the rebels."

Chiang folded his arms behind his back and circled the table. "I should be asking you first: What did Abu Amr tell you back at the interrogation room?"

"He told me the convoy at Empang was only a diversion, and most of the weapons have already reached the rebels in Bogor," Assegaf replied. "No doubt he's involved in the bombings as well."

"I recall you saying something about Al-Irsyad to him before I left," Chiang continued. "I was hoping you'd tell me more."

Assegaf fell silent. "I apologise," he finally said. "It's not something I can explain at the moment. All you need to know is that they're involved, which means we must finish our mission before it gets compromised any further."

Chiang glowered. One does not speak to the Emperor's chief spy that way. Not even if one is a high-ranking officer, a Grand-Marshal, or the Emperor's in-law. Perhaps the Arab needed some reminding as to who's truly in charge.

"I answer directly to the Emperor himself, and it's my job to update him about the mission's progress," Chiang said. "Refusing to share information with me means you're refusing to follow his directives."

"I will explain everything later," Assegaf said. "For now, I can only ask that you trust me."

"Trust has to be earned before it can be given, Grand Marshal," Chiang said harshly. "So far, your behaviour does not inspire trust."

"Then allow me to dispel that thought, Director," Assegaf said. "Give me one more hour."

Chiang eyed Assegaf for what seemed like an eternity. "One hour," he agreed. "After that, you will explain to me everything. Is that understood?"

"The Emperor placed me in command of this mission," Assegaf said, not answering Chiang directly. "I will show you that I am worthy of his trust.

"Now," he turned to the comm officers, "reboot all communications systems and find secure channels the enemy hasn't yet compromised. Tell Colonel Zulfan to put all combat pilots and support personnel on standby. General Pradipta, have the troops take up defensive positions around the Aerodrome Complex within a two-mile radius."

"Yes sir," the officers replied in unison.

-----------

"You did what?"

Prawiro raised his voice, loud enough for everyone inside the room to hear. The commander of Siregar's armoured corps stood facing his leader and the live holo-footage in between, eyes wide with horror at the sight of cars exploding in government buildings across Bogor.

"I just struck back at the regime forces with the help of our allies," Siregar said. "Soon they'll face the dilemma of choosing between safeguarding Bogor or attacking us."

"At what cost?" Prawiro asked. "The loss of innocent lives and property at the hands of your jihadis?"

Siregar rose from his desk chair. "There are no innocents in war. Remember West Sumatra? Remember Al-Ikhwanul Muslimin? We're simply paying back the Empire for years of oppression against the Muslim ummah."

Prawiro drew his breath, feeling the weight of each word he uttered. "You just squandered our last chance of victory. All you did was turn the public even more against us."

"Consider yourself lucky I'm in a good mood today, Prawiro," Siregar growled. "Otherwise I'd have put you at the mercy of the jihadis."

The intercom buzzed before either of them could say anything else. "Come in," Siregar said.

It was Kusnanda. "Sir, my men report making contact with enemy spies. The ones who blew up our munitions depot."

"Tell your men to scour the base for those spies. I want them dead."

"Right away, sir."

-----------

Bajamal and his combined team of Death Troopers and BKN Special Ops agents had no sooner arrived at Empang than they heard several explosions coming from across the river.

"What was that?" Kuncoro asked.

Bajamal did not reply right away. He took out his binoculars and looked across the bridge. From here he could see columns of smoke rising into the air in the distance. Next came a cacophony of police sirens and gunfire, the latter he identified as coming from Kalashnikov rifles.

Something definitely wasn't right.

"Falcon to Thor," Bajamal called through his comlink. "Contact the Inspector. I need to speak with him."

"Yes, Agent Falcon," Sancaka said. "Patching you through now."

"Inspector," Bajamal said to Aan's holoimage. "Task Force Beta has arrived in Empang. What's the situation?"

"Rebels are attacking government buildings all across Bogor," Aan replied. "So far they've managed to hit the Police HQ and City Hall. Mobile Brigade personnel are being deployed to stop them."

"What about our objective?"

"Your objective remains the same. Go to Pekojan and eliminate the rebels."

"Yes sir," Aan said. "I'll contact you once we're finished."