Prologue
------------------
Date: June 15, 1975
Time: 13:30
Location: New York City, United States
------------------
In a bustling city of New York, in the United Nations Headquarters, where diplomats and politicians around the world are discussing the ongoing situation in the city of Surovygrad, located in the Soviet Union. The city of Surovygrad was one of the many staples of strategically industrialized places the Soviet Union has. Debates sparked as the representives continuously chattered over this specific city.
One of the American delegates, Lazar Hawker— a sharp-featured man with a reputation for aggressive intelligence proposals—leaned forward, his voice cutting through the murmurs. "We can not afford to sit idle while Surovygrad slips further into chaos. I recommend deploying a CIA special operations team to investigate on the ground. Intelligence from satellites and local assets is incomplete. We need eyes and ears inside the city."
A ripple of dissent swept across the table. Several European and Soviet-bloc representatives shook their heads immediately.
"Out of the question," countered Sir Geoffrey Harlan, the British diplomat, his tone clipped and measured. "Inserting American operators into one of if not one of the most complex industrialized cities of the Soviet Union at this stage is far too risky. The potential for capture, escalation, or outright loss of personnel is unacceptable. We would be handing Moscow a propaganda victory on a silver platter."
Seated a few places down, Lizzy McWrinkle, the young but fiercely intelligent U.S. State Department advisor known for her unconventional thinking tapped her pen against the polished mahogany table before speaking. Her voice was calm yet carried an unmistakable edge of conviction.
"I agree that a full CIA insertion carries too many unknowns," she said, meeting Hawker's gaze directly. "But doing nothing is equally dangerous. Instead of sending operators blind into hostile territory, we should explore a different approach—one that minimizes direct exposure while still giving us the information we need."
She paused, letting the room's attention settle on her.
"What if we don't send our own people at all?" Lizzy continued. "Surovygrad is a powder keg, but powder kegs always attract opportunists. There are smugglers, black-market networks, and disillusioned locals already operating in and around the city. If we can identify and quietly incentivize the right assets on the ground—people who already blend in—we might gather the intelligence we need without ever putting American boots on Soviet soil."
Hawker raised an eyebrow, half-amused, half-skeptical. "You're suggesting we outsource our espionage to criminals and dissidents?"
"I'm suggesting we be smart," Lizzy replied coolly. "Risk is inevitable. The only question is whether we control it... or let it control us."
The chamber fell into a heavy silence as the delegates weighed her words, the weight of the unfolding crisis in Surovygrad pressing down on every person in the room. Yet for the delegates, no matter how to resolve aganist violence of a dangerous city, using methods depends on decision making for them to realize.
