...Just as Mikhail returned with a bag full of groceries another vehicle arrived. He slipped into the car with the other individuals and while quickly sipping on his slurpee said "I see the plot thickens…slurp…do you know who they are? Slurrrppp. AAHHH." A man and a woman stepped out of the car and headed for the Church.

"Chicken?" Saed asked.

"Wrong my friend. They are not chickens. That is Sarah Fields and Eric Reeves. They worked with Liza Snow on the project," Mikhail answered with his mouth full.

"No," replied Saed, "What I mean…"

"Yes, they are! They were at Liza's office at the school when we went to talk to her," Mikhail mumbled with spurts of chicken out of his mouth.

"You two spoke with Liza?!" Judy hastily interrupted. She put down the diary and asked again, but this time she first hit Saed on the arm to get his attention. "You two spoke with Liza?!"

"No, where's my chicken breast?" Saed asked as he stared directly at Judy.

"You didn't speak with Liza?" Pat asked.

"Yes we did, but the store didn't have any chicken breast. I got you another leg," answered Mikhail.

"Damn, if you want to call it speaking and legs are not as good," Saed responded.

"So what if legs have a little more fat than the breast. Why do you have to be so picky? Just enjoy!" Mikhail pronounced.

"Then she was killed. Have you tried these potatoes?" Saed asked Judy and Pat.

"Wait a minute. I don't think we got all the details worked out as to who is who and what you two are doing here," Pat questioned the two men.

Mikhail looked at Saed, who was licking his fingers and glanced over at Pat then asked, "Did you want some chicken too?"

"No, I want some answers," Pat responded.

"Good, because if you wanted some chicken you were going to have to go get it yourself. Have you ever noticed how amazing those microwaves are? And they are in practically every store I have been in. Truly amazing machines! We don't have any in Moscow. We will soon though. I guarantee it."

Judy turned around to Pat sitting in the back seat and said, "My Love, don't you understand. These two men are spies. They came to buy, trick, steal, lie, cheat, but maybe not murder Liza to obtain what she was working on. This guy is Russian, but from the way he eats, he is probably part Ukrainian. This other gentleman is from the Middle East. More than likely a Palestinian or an Israeli, but I'm not positive. There really isn't much difference between the two except for their beliefs. I've seen him someplace before and someday I will remember. Their orders are to obtain as much of the project as possible. Both have death orders."

"Death orders," questioned Pat.

"Don't come back alive without it."

"Sounds pretty serious."

"Actually, it sounds like I'm out of slurpee already," Mikhail complained as the straw failed to produce anymore liquid with each annoyingly long slurp.

"You met with Liza?" Judy demanded again. "You should have known that she wasn't going to give you what she was working on."

"Give?" Mikhail questioned. "This isn't about giving anything. Obtaining the knowledge no matter what the cost. Take these potatoes. I believe they are very good. There are numerous ways to copy them, but first you should try the easiest way, which is getting the recipe. By the way I should since they are very good."

"Unfortunately, she died before we had the opportunity to pursue our next move," Saed concluded. "The recipe for this chicken would be better than the potatoes. And no, we didn't kill her although I must admit, shamefully, that our final move would have been to do just that."

"Liza refused your offer?" Pat asked.

"No sir. We did not have the chance to provide one. We merely informed her that there were other individuals who were willing to provide her with things she would never obtain in a normal lifetime.

"Her potatoes and chicken must be mighty tasty for two governments to send spies, but not important enough to send their best or to make a concentrated effort," Pat observed.

Mikhail's eyebrows rose as he said, "Excuse me, but we were only on the job for a short time and there were numerous others after the device. She told us to get in line. I expect an apology from you for that comment."

Judy turned around to face Mikhail. "The only reason we are together with you and you…" she poked Saed in the side, "…is to solve Liza's murder. I could care less what she was working on and since her death is tied to the device then I want to hear all about it. What did she tell you?"

"She told us to get in line and that is all," Mikhail answered.

"Pat!" Judy announced and in an instant Pat and Judy both pulled out their weapons. "We are going to discuss this or there are going to be a few alligators who will be very happy to see you."

"I assure you Mr. and Mrs. Mulvaney that we are not a threat. Moreover, we had just made initial contact. Our conversation was very cordial," Saed responded. "As a sign of my commitment to you and solving the murder I will say that my government sent me to obtain the device by whatever means necessary as you state. We believe the device enables an individual to visually communicate over great distances. The device can also be used as a universal translator."

"No it isn't," interjected Mikhail. "My specialty within my organization is the acquisition of commercial goods. This item is an encryption machine. It will help us code and decode secret information for safe transportation."

"No it isn't," interrupted Pat. "Adam told me it had something to do with video. Sort of like a small television. He didn't know for sure. How did you hear about the object?"

"Hear about it? Why haven't you heard about it?" Mikhail began. "Your government publishes everything. It is just a matter of looking up in the public record where all the funding is going. Oh, of course, you just publish a title and a short description, but read between the lines and there are commercial as well as military applications. What is so hard about that? Besides, since when do governments tell us little people how they obtain information?"

"Let us get something straight!" Judy pronounced. "I very highly doubt that your intentions are to just to solve this murder. Your other spies stumbled upon this and now your governments want this chicken and potatoes."

"Certainly," Mikhail said after gulping down his last potato.

"I must admit that it is highly desirable to get the device," Saed admitted.

"You can have it as long as you help me find the murderer."

"In my country we seal all deals with a drink…" Mikhail began, "…but I'm afraid I am absolutely certain that my slurpee is all gone."

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