The dead monk

The fresh trainees of the Special Operations Force sat at attention, their eyes fixed on the front of the room. It was only their second day of training, and the atmosphere was a mix of excitement and nervous anticipation.

At the head of the room stood their instructor, a seasoned operator known as Dolphin.

“Good afternoon everyone.” Dolphin began, his voice steady and commanding.

“For this lesson, I will share with you a story. Listen carefully, because the lesson is as important as any physical training you will undergo.”

The room went silent, the trainees hung on for Dolphin’s words.

“Years ago, we ran Operation Long Arms, but to understand why we carried out this mission, you need to know about Kruger, one of our ex-operatives.”

Dolphin paused.

“About 30 years ago, Kruger was involved in a hostage rescue mission. All four hijackers were killed, and no hostage was harmed.”

Murmurs rippled among the trainees.

Knowing what the chatters were regarding, Dolphin added, “Yes, that mission that earned us the Medal of Valor.”

“Years later, Kruger decided to retire to a life of chai tea and meditation in the Himalayas. But even in quiet solitude, the embers of his past flickered. He decided to give an interview to a journalist. Kruger shared details about his life, the missions he partook, and even allowed his photo to be published.”

The trainees exchanged uneasy glances. A faint remark, “Idiot.” could be heard from one of the trainees.

“The children of the hijackers killed in that mission found out about Kruger from the newspapers. They tracked Kruger down using details from the news article. Kruger’s frequent social media posts aided them in establishing his pattern-of-life.”

“Kruger was tortured, interrogated, and brutally murdered.” Dolphin continued.

“Our HQ believed Kruger might have revealed information that put our former operatives at risk. We could not be sure, but we also could not afford the chance. Intel confirmed four names who were directly involved in Kruger’s death…Assad, Bashir, Faisal, Saida.”

“Operation Long Arms was successful, but it came at a cost. Along with the four targets, seven others who had their muzzles pointed our way, were all taken down.”

Dolphin looked around the room, making eye contact with each trainee. “All these deaths and damages could have been prevented.”

He leaned forward, emphasizing his next words. “What we do is not for public recognition. We operate in the shadows. Keeping a low profile is not just about operational security ; it’s about personal safety and safety of your loved ones.”

“Remember Kruger’s story. Remember what happened when vanity and loose words turned into death sentenceS.”