A Divided Vision

POV - Shaav Sautereau, Ministry of Development

[Day 1, March 2002, 4pm]

As everyone gathered in the Situation Room, the tension was unimaginable. The top officials sat around a polished mahogany table, surrounded by scattered papers and engaged in heated discussion. Suddenly, Sara burst into the room, her urgency cutting through the atmosphere like a knife.

"We cannot afford to waste any more time!" she exclaimed. "Shaav's father has been missing and every moment counts. We need to mobilize our forces and launch a full-scale search operation immediately."

Jordan, however, remained skeptical. He raised an eyebrow and countered, "And risk causing panic among the populace? No, we must handle this discreetly. We can't afford to have the international media reporting on this, portraying our friends across the sea to be seen as vulnerable to such threats."

Janick interjected, his concern for Shaav's well-being evident in his voice. "But what about Shaav? He's a wreck right now. We need to consider his mental state as well. Losing a parent is traumatic enough, but to have them kidnapped? We need to act swiftly to bring his father back safely."

Meanwhile, the Finance Minister remained quiet, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his temples wearily. "We also need to consider the intelligence we've gathered so far," he added sheepishly. "Any leads on who might be behind this? Any ransom demands?"

The General's phone rang, and he answered it in a hushed tone. "Speak. Yes... Good... Keep up the good work," he murmured before ending the call.

The tension heightened further with Jordan's secretive conversation. Sara shot a pointed glance at him, the air thick with their mutual distrust.

Sara's tone turned cold as she addressed Minister Jordan. "Minister Jordan, perhaps your Ministry has some valuable intel to share?"

Jordan responded with a touch of pettiness. "My Ministry is working diligently on the matter as the information was just told an hour ago, but we're not about to share classified information in this forum."

The tension in the room thickened as the ministers exchanged wary glances, their priorities appearing more self-serving than focused on Shaav's father's well-being.

"Jordan, with all due respect, this is a matter of national security," Sara retorted firmly. "My experience is best equipped to handle it. We need to deploy the UA forces immediately and take decisive action."

Jordan replied defiantly, "Hah! Don't make me laugh. We barely have an Army or Police to do anything about it, and anything would need the approval of The General.

"You may forget, but we are still under military occupation. And, risk escalating the situation? No, girl." He said mockingly. "We can't afford to bulldoze our way through this. We need a more delicate approach, one that doesn't put innocent lives at risk."

Sara's voice tightened. "Delicate approaches won't cut it when we're dealing with terrorists, Jordan. We need to show strength, not weakness."

Jordan rose to his feet. "Strength without strategy or intelligence is nothing but brute force. We can't afford to play into the hands of our enemies by resorting to rash decisions. What if civilians are caught in the crossfire? Then the point of the Grand Plan to stabilize this region is for nothing."

The other ministers exchanged uneasy glances, caught in the crossfire of the escalating confrontation between the Defense and Interior Ministers. It was clear that this dispute ran deeper than just differences in approach—it was a clash of egos and authority.

Lady Nelson's voice cut through the tension like a knife, silencing the room. "Why are you two at odds on this matter? One of your fellow Minister's family members has been kidnapped, and yet all you can focus on is the classification of information?"

She turned to Jordan, her eyes piercing. "What would you have done, Jordan? What if it was Aya that was kidnapped? You would have shared the information immediately with us to do anything to get her back."

Then she faced Sara, her tone unwavering. "Brute force brought this country down and under this military occupation, it brought down the previous regime with ease, less than a month no doubt. Do you think they are able to do this with no intelligence?"

Lady Nelson's gaze shifted to the General. "General, you must know we dislike the UA, the destruction you have caused. I hope you will use the same strength to help rebuild this country and save my husband."

The room fell silent, tension dissipating as a wave of guilt washed over both Ministers. It was palpable, the sense that everyone present was reflecting on their words and actions.

Amidst a collective sigh, spurred by Shaav's mother's heartfelt pleas and criticism, the ministers set aside their personal differences. 

Just as Jordan was gonna share his information. The General's phone rang, he hastily answered, eager for new information. "What do you have for me? Okay good. Send over the information," he instructed briskly.

"It looks like our intelligence agency has identify where you father is." The screen pulls up information of the location

Analyst working hard in the UA brought up the satellite imagery and data feeds to the situation room. With precision, they manipulate the satellite imagery, enhancing the resolution and clarity until the faint outlines of buildings come into focus.

The analyst's voice from the screen "There, found it! That abandoned compound. It matches the descriptions provided by our field operatives."

"Field Operatives?" Jordan shocked learning that the UA have their fingers in all of our society.

The Analyst cross-references the satellite imagery with ground-level intelligence reports, piecing together the puzzle with meticulous attention to detail.

"This could be it.", the Lead Analyst said in the video feed. "The terrorists' hideout. We need to confirm their presence and relay the coordinates to the General's team for immediate action."

Meanwhile, in a separate command center, the General receives the intelligence report, his jaw tightening with grim resolve as he studies the coordinates displayed on the screen before him.

"What's the plan now?" The General inquired, noticing the Governor's prolonged silence.

Without hesitation, I interjected, "Prepare the strike team. We have a target. Move out, and let's bring my father home."

The Governor nods towards The General.

With that, the wheels of operation are set in motion, fueled by the relentless determination to rescue Shaav's father and dismantle the terrorist cell responsible.

As the hours tick by, the tension mounts, each passing moment bringing them one step closer to the crucial confrontation that will determine the fate of Shaav's father and the nation's security. We