Free Enemy Among Us-A Jordan Wright Thriller by Randy Reardon Page A

he being put together. He went in detail about the day Aziz came into their lives and the early years of them becoming a family. He recounted the last year in Iran and their move out of their home country.

Chapter Fourteen

     
    Mahasin and Akmed began to sense their time at the compound they had known for the past seven years was coming to an end. More and more of their days were being spent practicing mock interviews for asylum at the embassies they would be sent, filling out paper work for immigration and customs and, finally, practicing going through passport control at an airport. It was one of the most grueling aspects of the training and the instructors were ruthless in pointing out even the smallest mistake, since it was the most critical part of the mission and if they couldn’t get out of Iraq and to the host country, then the past years had been for nothing. They had to do this and it had to be done right.
    It wasn’t until three days before they were to leave that they were told the initial country where they would be going. For Akmed and his family, it would be Denmark. This had been arranged through bribes paid on their behalf to staffers in the Danish Embassy in Tehran. As expected, their arrival in Denmark was uneventful. The family was taken to a small hostel for the night and was hosted by a local Iranian family for dinner.
    In the morning, they left Copenhagen for the town of Odense, in central Denmark, on the Island of Fyn. It was known for being the childhood home of Hans Christian Andersen. The second floor of a converted home was rented for them at fifty-two Pjentedamsgade. Employment for Mahasin as a housekeeper had been arranged at the Hotel Ansgar near the Odense train station. Akmed would be hired at the port of Odense as an entry-level maintenance laborer. A neighbor who was Iranian would serve as a primary contact for them to their handlers in Iran and would also provide day care for Aziz.
    After the first year, which had been a wonderful time, they received the first indication the mission would soon force them to enter the next chapter in their lives.
    “They hired a new guy at work, today. He’s Iranian. I think it’s him.” Akmed informed his wife over dinner.
    Mahasin didn’t need to hear anything else to know the next phase of their life in Denmark or, more realistically, the end of their life in Denmark was nearly upon them. She reached out to Akmed. “We knew it was only a matter of time. It’s what we must do.”
    “I know. I was just hoping we could enjoy this part of our life a little longer”
    The man, named Shamir, cornered Akmed during a break at work the next day. Loud enough for others to hear and with a finger poking in Akmed’s chest, shouting, “I know who you are and what you did to my people! I’ll get my revenge!”
    “I don’t know what you are talking about. I’m like you. I escaped from those people to live in peace,” Akmed pleaded as he tried to get away.
    Shamir kept his grip on him. “I’ll expose you for what you are. You worked for the Ayatollahs you carried out their wishes. You killed my brothers and uncles.”
    With that, Shamir shoved Akmed against the wall and walked away. Several of Akmed’s co-workers came over to help him. The attacks and verbal insults continued.
    Akmed found himself sitting alone at breaks and lunch. Fewer and fewer of his colleagues would engage him in conversation and some had even refused to acknowledge him when they passed each other. It had begun with the Iranians, but the Danes soon sensed an issue among the Iranians concerning Akmed and knew best to stay clear and not take any side.
    On a cold November morning, Akmed awoke and began his daily routine, starting with unrolling his prayer rug and facing Mecca. Then he made coffee for Mahasin. He cooked a breakfast of fried eggs and fresh fruit, and then he took a quick shower and dressed for work. He came back into the kitchen finding Mahasin drinking her coffee and