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Ahmad Fazari
Formerly senior aide to Terra's spymaster, and now the Deputy Director of Intelligence.
0 · 1,663 views · located in 
The 'RIP'
a character in “The Multiverse”, as played by Ylanne
Description
Photo credit: Eric Lafforgue. If you do not want your photo used here, kindly inform me and I will remove it promptly.
So begins...
Ahmad Fazari's Story
"Intelligence equals information," said Ahmad. "The Bureau's work has nothing to do with, I don't know, IQ or anything banal like that. But the Director is starting a new program. It's one of those reports I'm supposed to be finishing," he added somewhat sheepishly, "but in any case, she's willing to pay tuition fees for people who've never gone to college or high school, who will work for the Bureau after graduating. There are a lot of people around here," Ahmad said, nodding to the windows, and including the city around them, "who've never graduated high school, never mind college, who would do quite well in the Bureau. Drulović wants to tap into those resources."
Ahmad shrugged. "I don't know, but then again, I'm not responsible for the Bureau's hiring and recruiting. Drulović does all that herself. Arianne Drulović, the Bureau's Director. My boss. She interviews everyone personally. She interviewed me, too, even though she already knew me. The new program is supposed to be launched over the next few weeks. My report is about, er, some of the logistics. Parliament plans on increasing the size of the Bureau's budget, which means the Director will have a lot more financial resources on her hands." He chewed on the last of his wrap, using the napkin he had scribbled on to wipe his chin halfway through. "I'd look into it though. Drulović'll talk to just about anyone without appointments, if she's around, which she usually is."
"Busy? Everyone wants a piece of her. But the Director hates paperwork far more than I do, which is why she hired me," said Ahmad. He held out his hand over the table, offering it to Aerilyn. "Ahmad Fazari, Senior Aide to the Director," he said with affected pretentiousness in an attempt at humor.
Ahmad paused a moment, recognizing those names. She had screamed them at him. It was obvious that they had been very close to her. Like family, he thought she had said. "The Director has been looking for some magic-users for the Bureau. You have unique gifts, that I can't even dream of having," said Ahmad. He smiled a little more, reaching for his cup of coffee and drinking the last of it. "If you wanted, I could add you to her schedule." He reached down for his briefcase again, removing a planner, an actual paper planner. Drulović insisted on paper. "But she hates scheduling appointments unless it's one of the Parliament Ministers; they're all into secretaries and appointments and lots of staff and big offices." He nearly chortled at the thought of Drulović's current office. Almost empty, and only enough room for the two of them.
"So far, there's not one Bureau applicant she hasn't interviewed at her house," said Ahmad, barely repressing a grin at the thought of the Director's trinket-filled house. It reminded him of a crazy cat lady's house, except that Drulović didn't have any pets. "She'll insist on seeing you there. Uh, and I hate asking, but what days or times work best for you? If I'm adding it to this agenda... " He tapped his pen against his chin.
"She doesn't have any appointments until late tonight," said Ahmad. His lips turned down in a little frown. "Let me see..." He slipped his phone from his pocket and glanced at the last call. "Oh, she is home. She called from her home number. Drulović has a rotary phone, you know. Not many of those still in use. She refuses to get something newer. I'll call ahead, and I can take you there, but I can't go in with you, not during a meeting."
Ahmad had to roll his eyes at that. "There's not one TIB employee Drulović didn't interview personally, and every single interview is at her house. She refuses to interview people at the office." He closed his phone and returned it to his pocket.
"I'll let the Director answer that," said Ahmad, taking his phone into his hand again. He dialed Drulović's number and lifted it to his ear. "Director? Yes, it's me, Ahmad. I have a young woman with me right now, who -- " Drulović said something on the other end, and Ahmad blanched. "Um, no," he said, and then, "She seems like a good candidate for your new recruiting program, and w -- Yes, that's what we were thinking. Certainly, Director. We'll be there in ten minutes." He disconnected, and then looked over at Aerilyn. "Drulović seems eager to meet you," said Ahmad, shrugging.
Ahmad's cheeks flushed, and his fingers played with the napkin on which he had been scribbling earlier. "Drulović asked if I was flirting with you," he said. "I should probably introduce Anisha to the Director." He nodded. "She lives a few blocks away from the Plaza in a nice neighborhood. Drulović tells me she bought the place for a bargain. It was appraised as the least valuable house on the entire block. But I guess she likes it." He stood, tossing his used napkin and paper from his wrap into the trash can by the door.
"All right, then," said Ahmad, returning to the table. He stooped to retrieve his briefcase from where he had leaned it against the chair, and then headed for the door, opening it for Aerilyn. "Ladies first," Ahmad said with a small smile, waiting for Aerilyn to pass through before following and directing them through the Plaza towards Luna Street.
"Do you like Wing City?" asked Ahmad, in an attempt to make small talk as they headed down Luna. It was a fairly long street, one of several that marked the gridlines defining Wing City. Where Luna intersected with Liber was where they would find the Director's house.
"Well, for one, it's far more dangerous than New Haven or Cambridge ever were," Ahmad said, looking at the ground for a moment, as if he half-expected a random mugger to jump them as they walked down the street. "New Haven was a quieter town than Wing City, a bit more conservative, not particularly diverse. Cambridge was definitely more liberal than anyplace I've ever been, and probably more diverse than even Wing City, in many ways. I was an outsider in New Haven, and welcome in Cambridge. Here, I was an outsider again, until Drulović asked me to work with her."
"At the Bureau, a boring day means a day where someone isn't dead or threatened with death," said Ahmad with a small laugh. He shook his head, sobering a little as he continued to stride down Luna, homes and apartments rising on both sides of the street. "Boring days are usually the better ones for that reason."
"A certain criminal organization put out a ten million Credit bounty on Drulović's head. We've all been worried about her ever since the announcement," said Ahmad as Drulović's house came into view farther down the street, on the corner of Luna and Liber. The brownstone was fairly ordinary looking, decorated with azalea bushes by the front steps. The lawn looked as though it hadn't been mowed in a week or two. "There were three attempts on her life last month, all in one day."
"She almost died," Ahmad said, shifting uncomfortably. "She was in the hospital during the second attempt, and being evacuated during the third. Drulović would have died if it weren't for the Tal'dorians. Advances in technology are amazing. Still, the Bureau is taking lots of precautions. That bounty is still active." They approached the house, and Ahmad smiled at the sight of the wildly growing azalea bushes. "She used to do her own gardening. Now, Parliament throws a fit whenever she's outdoors."
Ahmad squinted, following Aerilyn's indications of potential locations. "Well, you'd have to ask the Director about that. She is a bit old-fashioned, although it sounds like you'd enjoy talking to her. She tells me she was once a sniper." They passed the house adjacent to Drulović's, and Ahmad raised his hand above his eyes, looking at the door. "Oh, a warning before you go in," said Ahmad, coming to a pause at the bottom of the steps. "Drulović likes to feed her guests. If you refuse, she'll be quite offended."
Ahmad blinked at the door. "I guess I could do that," he said, and headed up the short flight of steps to the door. He knocked, rapping his knuckles twice against the wood. There was a pause, and then a man with short-cut hair and a well-trimmed goatee appeared. A hallway with a wooden staircase and banister, and several portraits hung along the walls, was just visible behind him. He nodded at Ahmad, calling over his shoulder, "It's Fazari and guest."
"Oh, good," came a female voice from somewhere within. "Send them in, and if you don't mind, don't come back til after dinner." The agent at the door stepped into the street, opening the door for Ahmad and Aerilyn. Ahmad led Aerilyn inside, shutting the door behind them, as a short, dark-haired woman in a black salwar kurta and long, multicolored scarf appeared from one of the doors along the hallway. She scowled at the sight of the departing agent, rolling her eyes. "Mr. Fazari," she said, her frown fading into a neutral expression.
"Director," said Ahmad with an inclination of the head. "This is Aerilyn Rayburn-Jones."
"And Ms. Rayburn-Jones," said Drulović. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Come in, and wipe your feet on the mat there."
"Oh, good," came a female voice from somewhere within. "Send them in, and if you don't mind, don't come back til after dinner." The agent at the door stepped into the street, opening the door for Ahmad and Aerilyn. Ahmad led Aerilyn inside, shutting the door behind them, as a short, dark-haired woman in a black salwar kurta and long, multicolored scarf appeared from one of the doors along the hallway. She scowled at the sight of the departing agent, rolling her eyes. "Mr. Fazari," she said, her frown fading into a neutral expression.
"Director," said Ahmad with an inclination of the head. "This is Aerilyn Rayburn-Jones."
"And Ms. Rayburn-Jones," said Drulović. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Come in, and wipe your feet on the mat there."
Drulović took Aerilyn's hand in her own, calloused one, giving the younger woman a firm shake. "I'm not enough of a bureaucrat to have named the program yet," she said with a small smile, glancing at Ahmad for a moment, "but I'd like to look for a few hundred individuals with the skills and interest in joining the Bureau who haven't been to university. Mr. Fazari tells me you're interested in the program." She gave Ahmad a pointed look, and he stepped toward the door, to leave.
"It was, uh, nice to meet you," said Ahmad, suddenly self-conscious under the eyes of the Director. "I'm sure we'll talk soon." He opened the door and stepped outside.
"Well, dear, come in," said Drulović, stepping back in the hallway to allow Aerilyn to enter. Black and white portraits decorated the walls, two wedding portraits of people who resembled the Director a little, a school portrait, and a group of young men and women among a few other presumably family portraits. The only one that stood out was hung at a slightly crooked angle, a color photograph of two women who shared many features with each other and with the subjects of the other portraits, one in uniform and smiling, and the other beaten and bloodied half-cut from the frame. The unsmiling face, after a careful look, seemed to be Drulović. "I have some food on the stove," she said, motioning toward the dining room on the left.
"It was, uh, nice to meet you," said Ahmad, suddenly self-conscious under the eyes of the Director. "I'm sure we'll talk soon." He opened the door and stepped outside.
"Well, dear, come in," said Drulović, stepping back in the hallway to allow Aerilyn to enter. Black and white portraits decorated the walls, two wedding portraits of people who resembled the Director a little, a school portrait, and a group of young men and women among a few other presumably family portraits. The only one that stood out was hung at a slightly crooked angle, a color photograph of two women who shared many features with each other and with the subjects of the other portraits, one in uniform and smiling, and the other beaten and bloodied half-cut from the frame. The unsmiling face, after a careful look, seemed to be Drulović. "I have some food on the stove," she said, motioning toward the dining room on the left.
It was a good six minutes before the receptionist called, "Marlene Angel," directing Marlene to an older man with graying brown hair and a polyester blue suit. "Ms. Angel," said the official, striding toward her and extending his hand. "I'm Matthew Tobin, Division of Immigration and Citizenship, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Let's head to my office."