Conrad Harrison

Conrad has recently been appointed number two to Bill Thomas Jr, the head of the CIA in Singapore. Conrad is from the Midwest and determined to bring 'truth, justice and the American way' to the world. He is one of the Kennedy era's brightest and best. In his late 20s, Conrad may still be new at this game, but he is a fast learner. But that optimism is soon tempered by the pragmatism that comes from being in a few tight situations.
He is good looking and has the easy confidence of someone who is certain there is a better future - and that he knows how to make that happen. If Sam sees everything in shades of grey - with an occasional tendency towards black holes - Conrad sees morality and life in black and white. But Sam regards him as a much better option than the gungho 'Wild Bill' Thomas, or the Byzantine political machinations of Major Lawrence Miller. Conrad's superiors at Langley have already picked him for promotion. After Singapore it could be Berlin, or maybe even a top-level position in the ever-expanding CIA operations in Vietnam. Bill Thomas knows this, and feels, in turn, threatened and jealous. Sometimes both.
When Conrad falls in love with Su Ling, he soon realises that in the political and social climate of mid 60s America, a foreign-born Chinese wife is not a great career move for a wannabe CIA or State Department mover-and-shaker. But he has the courage of his convictions, and is naive enough to believe that their relationship will eventually be accepted by the Washington hierarchy. Unfortunately Su Ling's past activities mean they may not get the chance to find out - and Conrad's career will be jeopardised.