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

This would be the end.
    On the Monday after the fire, the three of them traveled from the Hotel Ansgar, which had graciously given them a room, to City Hall, to meet with Elizabeth Hansen.
    Lise was waiting for them at the reception desk as they entered. She greeted them and led them to her office.
    “I was so shocked to hear what had happened to your home. The Fire Brigade has confirmed it was arson. The Politi also found writing on the walls in the stairway, similar to what had been written on your door. It is definitely a hate crime and will be treated as such. The Politi have interviewed Mr. Shamir and have validated his alibi. At the present time, they have no further suspects and the investigation remains open.”
    “What is going to happen to us? We have no home, no where to go.” Mahasin began to sob, her head lowered.
    “I believe you will no longer be safe in Odense, and I question the ability for you to find a safe place to live anywhere else in Denmark. Our history with these incidents in the past has been that the Iranian community is well connected throughout our country and word tends to quickly spread and catch up with anyone we try to relocate within our borders.”
    Akmed interrupted. “So, what does that mean for us? You aren’t going to send us back to Iran are you? We can’t go back.”
    Lise raised her hand to calm Akmed. “No. No, we won’t send you back to Iran. That is not even an option. We will need to work with another government that would provide sanctuary. What I need to ask you is if you have any relatives in any country you think might accept you?”
    Akmed hid his feeling of relief. “I have an uncle and two brothers who have immigrated to the United States in the past three years.”
    While this wasn’t anywhere close to the truth, any sort of records check would show these people were related and they had, indeed, entered and were living in the United States. Only a blood test would show that, in reality, they were not family.
    “That could be helpful. Let me get you a form to fill out. Do you know their addresses, or at least what city they are in?”
    “Yes. Philadelphia.”
    We will need to petition the U.S. Embassy here in the Denmark. Fortunately, I know the ICE Attaché at the Embassy in Copenhagen, so I can probably get the decision expedited. Akmed, I feel really good about this. I think it will happen. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything else.”
    “Thank you Lise. You’ve been more than helpful.”
    As they left City Hall, Akmed leaned into Mahasin. “It is happening just like the instructors said it would,” he told Mahasin.
    Six weeks had gone by when a letter arrived at the hotel. Akmed waited until he got back to the room and was with Mahasin to open it. It was from Lise and it stated that the U.S. Government had completed its review of the request to immigrate to the United States and had issued its approval. They would need to present themselves to the Embassy in Copenhagen with this letter within the next ten days. Their travel documents and visa would be available to them at that time and they would have thirty days to arrive in the United States.
    That evening, Akmed called the phone of Uncle Mustafa.
    “Uncle, we have received all of our paperwork! We can come and be with you.”
    “That is excellent news! I’ll wire you funds tomorrow, to cover your travel expenses. Two of your cousins have also recently been granted permission to come here. It seems soon the whole family will be back together.”
    “That is good news.” A knot tightened in Akmed’s stomach. Hearing others were arriving meant the mission was going forward. In the back of his mind, he’d hoped maybe the others would not be as successful and the mission would be called off. Then, they could just live in the United States as a family and put all of this behind them. It seemed such would not be the case.
    ”Did you hear what I said?” barked an impatient