Poll Question:

If this was the beginning of a short story, how interested would you be in continuing to read the story?
Read the following and then vote in the poll.
If you want to give more feedback, please review.


Wednesday, July 13, 2005, 12:13 pm – Detroit, MI Field Office
          “We have essentially surrounded Khaliq Murr with a 'wall.' We have for some time been intercepting all of his incoming and outgoing communications with this group. We've even had access to messages to and from Hasim Zahedi himself, though none of them have yet contained relevant information.
          “Through this access, we discovered one of their key members was deported about a month ago, creating a dire need for someone to replace them. Their plan can't continue without a replacement.”
          Shu'la interrupted. “It sounds like you're in a good place, then. You've got direct access to their orders, and their plan is stalled. Honestly, I'm not seeing the problem.”
          Mark, the case agent, sighed. “There's no problem. In fact, things are looking up.”
          “I apologize for being so frank, Mark, but what do you need me here for, then? I'm sure DC could use me back.”
          “Khaliq sent this email to his associate, Massoud Ovasi – who we haven't heard much about until recently – and specifically requested he find an old associate of his from 1998, Sharara Nakhoda. Do you remember her?”
          “No, Mark, I won't do it.” She started to stand up, but fell back to her seat with a surge of pain. “I'm not doing undercover work anymore.”
          “Apparently you made a good impression on them, Shu'la. They've requested an undercover FBI agent. It's like being invited to bring them down!”
          “That's why you were so vague, isn't it, because you knew if you told me before I came, I wouldn't help you.”
          “It's nothing big, Shu'la. We just need you to introduce our guy, and you'll be done.”
          “Mark, I can't.”
          “Khaliq specifically requested you. We have to take this opportunity.”
          “Mark - ”
          “This is Azar Gharami,” he said, and the scrawny young agent waved. “He's an actual microbiologist. All you have to do is meet with whoever Khaliq wants you to, introduce him, and he'll do the rest. We just need your 'recommendation.'”
          “He looks like he's twenty.”
          “I'm twenty-nine.”
          “When I was undercover with Khaliq's group seven years ago, I was the youngest person there, and I was thirty-eight.”
          “I assure you, Shu'la, he's an experienced undercover - ”
          “I know you wouldn't even consider using him if he wasn't. But what makes you think they'll accept him, when he looks like he's just a kid?”
          “Because you gave your recommendation.”
          She sighed. “I'm really in no condition to be doing undercover work, Mark, and you know that.”
          “You'll do fine.”

 Poll Options: