“You must be new around here,” she said still shyly looking downward into her drink. “His name is Tom,” pointing to the bartender. “And what is your name?” He asked. “Ann,” she said in almost a mumble.
His charm worked for him again. He was able to keep the conversation going and soon they moved from the bar to a cocktail table of their own. He discovered that she worked in the building, but he gave very vague statements about himself other than that he was new in the city. Soon they made arrangements to meet the following day for a quick tour of the city and dinner. After a slow two drinks, they left the bar together. He kissed her gently on the cheek, and smiled as they separated - until tomorrow he thought! Happily he walked back to his apartment, had a snack for dinner, and emailed his father. Turning on the television for the noise, he took a shower and went to bed.
The weekend went well for him. Ann had nothing to do with the University, therefore Miguel could feel free to spend time with her. He had learned a lot about the city in their short tour, and she was very accepting of him. By the time they had dinner on Saturday evening, he knew that he would soon have his way with her. After a few glasses of wine at dinner, she agreed to go to his apartment. Yes- things went very well! She was not reticent about giving him her cell phone number in the morning before they went to the cafe for Sunday brunch. She would be a very needed diversion from his studies. When they left the cafe they agreed to say goodbye for now. She left in one direction and he walked in the other. She turned around and blew him a kiss and waved. He smiled and waved in return.
CHAPTER 10
He woke up to a beautiful fall day and his first day at the University. His first class was at 9:00AM which gave him plenty of time to ready himself for the day. At his father’s suggestion he had asked the University to allow him to take six classes this semester, although on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday he only had three. The rest were longer classes that were only on Tuesday and Thursday. The University had a program to allow a successful student to take classes in his fourth year that would apply towards a Master’s Degree. If he did well this semester it would help his chances to get into this fast track program. That would definitely please him and his father!
He didn’t want to get to his first class too early because he did not want to spend any time with his fellow students. He left the apartment, and arrived at the building where the class was to be held with just a couple of minutes to spare. He opened the door and went upstairs in the midst of a throng of other students, and found his way to the classroom. He took a seat strategically in the middle of the large room and opened his briefcase. He took out his small digital recorder and a notebook. The professor entered and began to speak.
After the class had concluded, he quickly left the room and the campus. He had decided that he would await his second class elsewhere than on the campus. He needed some alternatives to spending time between classes at the University. He could go back to his apartment if necessary, but then it would be a rush to make it back in time for his second class. There was more time between the second and third class allowing him time to go home. Of course if the weather was bad, he would have to make contingency plans. For today he decided to try a small coffee shop that he had seen a few short blocks from the school.
CHAPTER 11
Miguel had just gotten back to the apartment after his first day of classes. Everything had gone just as he had planned. Now that he knew what to expect, tomorrow should be less stressful. The classes should be relatively easy for him, but the difficult part would be to remain an invisible fixture in the classroom and therefore unrecognizable by the other students. His father had decided that although he should be cautious at school with his identity, he should interact with the professors casually but only as necessary. Miguel agreed that would be the most comfortable situation for him, as long as he remained vigilant. His identity had been masked by his Hispanic name, and that provided him some semblance of cover in itself.
He made himself a meal, and ate with his class notes on the table surrounding his food. Once he cleaned up his dishes, he filled the coffee pot enjoying the strong aroma as it brewed. As he sipped the coffee, he studied.
This would become a pattern for Miguel as the semester continued - classes during the days and studying in the evenings. Weekends became his time to look forward to, so that he could clear his mind for the following week of studying. He would spend time with Ann and Carole and occasionally some other women that he would meet outside of the University. He was always careful not to leave any school materials visible when the women were visiting. He never told the women that he was a student at the University, and he never planned to.
He would email his father as was required, never forgetting to inform his father of how well he was performing in his classes. He strived to be best, but was always in fear that because of his excellence he would stand out in the classroom. For the most part that wasn’t really a concern. Most grades were received through the University internet. Essays and papers were left in several outboxes near the doors of each classroom with corrections and suggestions marked, although the grades were reserved for the internet.
CHAPTER 12
The weeks and months went by, with Miguel following the same patterns as he had planned for himself that first week. He told women that he had a job on the other side of town and frequently travelled during the week. This gave him the ability to keep them at a distance as he chose, yet keep the women available to him as he needed them. If this was not suitable for a particular woman, then she could leave the relationship - but she rarely did. The hardest parts were the vacations from school when he would be alone. He would try to schedule some time with a woman or two, but usually they had arrangements to go home for the holidays. He took summer classes where he could, so again he had only weekend time for frolicking with women. Fortunately Carole and Ann were very reliable and usually available when he needed them.
Each semester seemed to rush by, with his studies going well. His grades were excellent which of course pleased his father. The first year his classes were rather standard and relatively boring to him. He and his father had decided that he would study chemical engineering once his core subjects were completed. His father suggested that this background would be of immense value to him as he prepared for jihad. As usual he agreed with his father without finding total comprehension necessary.
He was able to accelerate his progress through the chemical engineering program because he and his father had decided to continue his classes throughout each summer. He was on schedule to graduate in three years and that would leave his fourth year for the master’s degree that he would need for a good job. He was pleased with his progress, and his interest in his education grew as the courses became more difficult. He suggested to his father that he take additional courses in medical science and pharmacology and his father agreed.
Fortunately his interests aligned with those of his father most of the time. The pursuit of a specialty in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing is what interested him, and his father thought that this specialty would be of great value to the cause. He couldn’t quite figure out yet why his father was also interested in this course of study for him. He already knew that his father’s plans for him and his own plans for himself were starting to diverge, but at this point he didn’t care.
He did receive his diploma as he had planned after the third year of classes, and was accepted into the graduate