Secret Service Storms Raqim Ali's Office
In a dimly lit office in the Old Executive Office Building at 5:22 PM, innocent Arab-American staffer Raqim Ali smokes pensively by the window. Alerted by the rattling doorknob, he tosses his cigarette just as Ron Butterfield and armed Secret Service agents kick in the door, guns drawn. A startled Raqim raises his trembling hands as Butterfield demands confirmation of his identity and orders him away from the window for questioning. This explosive raid, payoff to the NCIC alias match, embodies post-9/11 paranoia, profiling an innocent man and ratcheting lockdown tension toward interrogation.
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Raqim Ali smokes calmly by the window until Secret Service agents burst in, guns drawn, startling him into tossing his cigarette out the window.
calm to startled
['OLD EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING']
Ron Butterfield identifies himself and instructs Raqim to remain calm while they question him, establishing control of the situation.
frightened to controlled
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
No character participations recorded
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
What led here
1
Causal
"Joan's discovery of the alias 'Raqim Ali' leads directly to the Secret Service bursting in on Raqim Ali in the darkened office."
FBI Agents Uncover Terror Aliases, Trigger White House Alert
S3E0 · Isaac and Ishmael
Key Dialogue
"AGENT 1ST: "Secret Service, don't move!""
"RON: "Show us your hands. Do it now.""
"RON: "Are you Raqim Ali?" RAQIM ALI: "Yes. The-there's-" RON: "Stay calm. I'm Special Agent Ron Butterfield of the United States Secret Service. Keep your hands over your head and step away from the window. We're going to ask you some questions.""