NSI: National Security Intelligence

NSI: National Security Intelligence

NSI is a science fiction/mystery/adventure fable written by Bangladeshi novelist Mehzeb Rahman Chowdhury. The story of NSI was first published in 2003 in various newspapers, and was later extended to a number of short stories, which include the likes of Alcohol Fever, The Truth, Creed, and Alternate Paradox. A radio drama based on the NSI storyline has been in development for quite sometime, and has been slated for a summer 2006 airing, on the ABC Network.

History

Originally conceived by Chowdhury in 2001 under The Title “Risk Factor”, NSI centers on futuristic NSI Special Agent, Mehran Chowdhury, who has found himself hurled into a world of drugs, deception, [...], and [...]. He is constantly caught in the middle of conflicts between corrupt government officials, [...] lords, crime syndicates, and the law. Mehzeb Rahman Chowdhury modelled his central character after Raymond Chandler's wiseguy detective Philip Marlowe, and has created a world set in the distant future.

The Story

Mehran Chowdhury, a millionaire megalomaniac, spends his days chasing leads which turn out to be dead-ends. Even though he is worth roughly 20 million dollars, Chowdhury leads a hard life. He works for the NSI, a dark, shady organization, protecting the nation’s deepest, darkest secrets. People at the NSI don’t particularly like Chowdhury, and eventually frame him for obstructing justice. This unfortunate ordeal leads to Chowdhury’s dismissal from the NSI, and from his hometown of Decqa. Neglecting his father’s media empire in the West, he returns to the corrupt city of Illicit to work for the ailing criminal bureau, headed by the eccentric Sheikh. There, he meets up with a host of characters who hire him for his investigative services. Among them is physicist Dr. Eliza Quais, DGFI Agent Jamal Jackson and [...] lord Solomon Rostov. Mehran’s love interest, Shania Waheed, a beautiful, yet enigmatic forensic scientist dwells in Decqa, not knowing of his departure to Illicit. Mehran’s mentor, Habib Rahman, whom he affectionately refers to as “HR”, remains his inspiration to leer into the path of darkness in search of the truth. NSI is set in a world, modeled after 1940s Los Angeles, 1850’s London, and present-day Decca. It is a new generation storyline inspired by the works of John Crichton, and Raymond Chandler, set in a seedy world inhabited by diverse range of characters. In this paradoxical universe, the world has divided itself into a multitude of regions, after the Great War - the nuclear holocaust which sent the earth back to the stone-age. These regions have been developed from scratch, and modeled after different cities, during different periods in mankind’s history. This setting aids the writer to take the characters into a diverse range of scenes and scenarios, where, almost anything is possible. The effects of the Great War is seen in the form of mutated trees, strange animals, new breeds of reptiles, and a few humans who have inexplicably gained superhuman powers.

The Character

Mehran Chowdhury was born on January 31st during the post-war rebuilding scheme. His parents, established a media empire in the west in the late 80s, and became worldwide icons. Mehran started his education at the age of four, when he joined the Scholastics School, and graduated fourteen years later from the same institution. He attended law school at BA Academy, but switched to criminal justice, when he lost interest in the subject. During this time, he attended night classes at the Tech Labs, where he studied forensic science. At the age of 25, he joined the Decqa Crime Lab as a CSA (Crime Scene Analyst). After just nine months at the DCL, Mehran left the service, and committed himself to combat training. He returned a year later, as a Detective. In his spare time, Mehran likes to compose musical pieces for functions at the underprivileged children’s home, and likes to play at concerts with bands, who are one guitarist short. Blessed with impeccable aim, Mehran is a one-shot-one-kill kind of guy. He can do wonders with his laser-wired handgun, which is a specially-made armament wonder, made for him specifically, by his longtime bud, Dark Archimedes. Mehran is extremely charming, and usually has his way with the ladies, and is often seen flirting with women, he knows, he cannot have.

Memorable quotes

Mehran Chowdhury: Any private detective in the world, during any time period, can be expected to play hard ball with the police. Be it by suppressing evidence, or side-stepping questions. Everyone in the business knows that. The cops don't particularly like us, but they don't hate us either. We form what you might say, an unfriendly partnership existing only to find the [...] truth, that which hides behind a barricade of lies, deception and crime. On one such case, I met a young woman on a business call, just a few days after I had sprung myself out of jail following a plea against the 'obstruction of justice' case the cops had filed against me. The mansion where I had been summoned was wonderful to say the least. The walls and ceilings were decorated with borders of golden flakes, and the roof was designed in the form of a minaret. The window frames looked minatory, with wealth written all over them. The floor was pure black marble, and the curtains on the windows looked like the ones the Sultan of Arabia used. The television set adjacent to the second door… the one opposite of where I had entered, was enormous and hi-tech. The furniture on the wooden wall racks, on the right side of the room looked exquisite, and almost worth stealing. The woman seemed like one of those antique cars which never lose value. Her dark green eyes; coupled with her smooth soothing face was captivating. She introduced herself as Dr Eliza Quais, physicist, and millionaire heir of the Quais Foundation. My rates were discussed briefly, mostly by her, because the only words I managed to get in the conversation were "yes" and "no." Half-way through the discussion, I felt it necessary to ask her what the nature of her trouble was…

Ria: So, what did you get yourself into this time?

Mehran: Oh, the usual. The entire city mafia is out for my skull. I’ve gotten involved in a high profile case with a bunch of millionaires. And, on top of all this, the police are looking for me because they think I’ve suppressed valuable evidence which may, or may not convict a very well known criminal.

Solomon Rostov: You do realize that I can have you shot this very instance…

Mehran Chowdhury: The thought had occurred to me. But you’re not going to do that. You want to know what my game plan is. How am I going to get Eliza Quais to hand over her precious little lab to you? Isn’t that right Mr. Rostov?

Solomon Rostov: You overestimate my curiosity Mr. Chowdhury.

Mehran Chowdhury: And you underestimate my ability.

Jamal Jackson: So that I may educate you on what to do in court tomorrow afternoon. You see, Mr. Chowdhury, you pissed off the wrong kind of people, and now you are playing a very dangerous game. Stop running. Let us help you.

Mehran Chowdhury: In exchange for what?

Jamal Jackson: Well, you don’t waste any time, do you?

Mehran Chowdhury: Not since I started living life on the edge.

Mehran Chowdhury: Doc, in this world, I’m dead, probably rotting in some lake on the south-end. My apartment’s been rented out to a Chinese family from the east. My license’s been revoked, and if the mob finds out that I’m back from the dead, they’re gonna make sure this time that I’m gone for good. I can’t live here. I have to get back.

Mehran Chowdhury: You junkies are arrested for attempted [...], possession of narcotics, assaulting an officer, and- oh yeah, possession of illegal weapons. Read them their rights!

Daily Manab Zamin - www.manabzamin.net