by Brad Thor
No one knew if the man would cooperate. He had already fulfilled his end of the bargain. Harvath suggested they sweeten the pot. After reviewing his proposal, his request was granted.
Hopping on the Carlton Group jet, he had flown to Rochester, picked up a car, and had driven to the clinic to visit Han.
“What’s that?” the man had asked after they had caught up and Harvath had been read in on his treatment.
Handing over the padded envelope, Harvath said, “Open it.”
Inside was a U.S. passport with Han’s new identity, a driver’s license, a credit card, and a checkbook for the bank account that had been established for him.
“Want to see your new apartment?” Harvath asked.
Remaining stoic although he was somewhat overwhelmed, Han nodded.
Harvath handed the man his phone and let him flip through the online photos.
“That’s mine?”
“It’s all yours,” said Harvath, removing a set of keys from his pocket and presenting them.
“Thank you,” said Han.
“You don’t have to thank me,” Harvath replied. “That was our deal. You need to just focus on getting better.”
“I was worried about what might happen. But this gives me hope.”
Harvath smiled. “I’m glad,” he said. “By the way, you can’t live in an empty apartment, so I requested money for furniture and the request was granted. Fifty thousand dollars. It has already been deposited in your account.”
Han’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Of course. That’s a very nice apartment. You can’t decorate it with garbage.”
“In Chinese culture, we revere our uncles, especially the generous ones. I guess now I get to revere my Uncle Sam.”
Harvath nodded. “Your Uncle Sam has been quite generous.”
Suddenly, Han began to sense that something else was going on. Straightening up in his hospital bed, he asked, “What’s the catch?”
“No catch,” said Harvath. “I just have a question.”
“Which is?”
“If I wanted to kill your boss, how would I do it?”
* * *
In Beijing, nestled next to the Forbidden City, were the former imperial gardens known as Zhongnanhai, current home to the Chinese Communist Party.
Each morning, after she had purchased her feathered eggs, Vice Premier Xing Fen liked her driver to drop her off at the entrance, rather than in the secure parking lot nearby, so that she could walk the grounds and commune with her ancestors. She was not only a staunch party member but a devout traditionalist who understood that reverence for the past could gain her an even more prominent position in the future.
Because she was a short sleeper and arrived so early, rarely were her morning constitutionals noticed. But enough eyes had seen her that word had spread.
She had developed a reputation as a bit of an ascetic. It was an image that bolstered her political persona, and so she had continued the behavior.
Her favorite places were the quiet, isolated courtyards. In the predawn darkness, it was easy to imagine oneself in a different time, a different dynasty. If you ignored the workstations and file cabinets behind the windows, you could almost forget you were in the courtyard of a government building.
Breakfast in hand, as it was every morning, her mind was a million miles away. Though careful to alternate her daily routine, she was now on hallowed ground, and, as such, she was thinking about everything the day held in store.
Six of her operatives had gone missing. Only one of whom, who had been terribly burned by acid, had been identified. What’s more, there had been a spike in chatter about the CIA assets in China who had been killed or imprisoned. As the person responsible, the uptick bothered her. Not enough, however, to add security beyond her driver.
Walking was her answer. No matter what the problem, it had always helped lead her to a solution.
This morning, as the first pink rays of dawn began to break over Zhongnanhai and the Forbidden City, she hoped that walking would help her again.
Moving into another courtyard, deep in thought, she failed to notice the figure that stepped out of the shadows behind her.
A second later, Scot Harvath fired the silenced round that completed his assignment and then headed to his extraction point.
He couldn’t wait to get home. He had an engagement party to plan and a fiancée to introduce to his friends and family.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
After the crazy year we just spent, I am more grateful than ever for you, my wonderful readers. Being able to communicate over social media and keeping our conversations about books and love of reading alive has been fantastic. Thank you for all your support.
I am also grateful for all the amazing booksellers out there. They are the lifeblood of our communities and serve as on-ramps to escape and adventure. They will always have my deepest gratitude.
Books are collaborative efforts. Bringing the twentieth Scot Harvath thriller to life involved some of the smartest, coolest, and most enjoyable people inside and outside of publishing. I want to thank the following for all of their generous assistance:
A TON of Russian expertise was called upon for the research of this novel. The marvelous James Carafano of the Heritage Foundation and Tom Nichols of the U.S. Naval War College are not only brilliant in their respective fields (and great follows on Twitter), but they’re plugged in everywhere on all things Russia. Because of them, I was able to lean on two very distinguished scholars who were patient with me and a lot of fun to work with: Luke Coffey of the Heritage Foundation (who has actually been to Svalbard) and Michael Petersen of the U.S. Naval War College (who knew things about Russia’s Northern Fleet I could not have found anywhere else). My thanks to you all.
A big push for a stronger American presence in the Arctic has come from the highly astute former National Security Adviser Robert C. O’Brien. Robert has been a dear friend of mine for years. I am exceedingly grateful for all the time he spent discussing foreign policy and national security with me for this novel. Thank you, Robert.
My other terrific friends Sean Fontaine, Michael Ralsky, Mark La Rue, Pete Scobell, Sidney Blair, Rebecca Merrett, and Knut Grini contributed invaluable background materials and technical expertise that I would have been lost without. Thank you all very much for everything.
I read so much in preparing to write my thrillers that it is impossible to list all the excellent journalists whose articles I have found fascinating and informative. If you would like to know more about the real-life foreign policy and geopolitical issues covered in Black Ice, I highly recommend the work of David Chrisinger, Craig Hooper, Ben Kesling, Sherri Goodman, Marisol Maddox, Elisabeth Freese, Isabella Borshoff, John Grady, Marc Lanteigne, David Axe, Michael T. Klare, and Jackie Northam.
The daring infiltration and exfiltration methods described in the East Berlin section of the novel were inspired by the real-life exploits of the Bethke brothers. The lengths that people will go to in order to be free are boundless.
As many of you know, last year I lost my friend and publisher Carolyn Reidy. I cannot tell you how much I miss that amazing woman. I dedicated Black Ice to her but want to say one more thank-you. You were the best. Thank you for everything, Carolyn.
One of the greatest things about being a part of the fabulous Simon & Schuster family is how many talented people work there. The marvelous Jon Karp stepped up to take over the ship upon Carolyn’s untimely passing and has done an amazing job. We couldn’t be in better hands. Thank you, Jon, for your grace, your professionalism, and your sense of humor. I value you and our partnership and appreciate all the support you have given me.
In my two decades with Simon & Schuster, I have been blessed to work with my sensational editor and publisher, Emily Bestler, the entire time. You know you have a terrific working relationship when there are more jokes being cracked than whips. Thank you for all the insight, advice, friendship, and great ideas. It continues to
be an absolute pleasure being one of your authors, and I look forward to many more years to come.
Nothing gets done without the outstanding Lara Jones (who took a curveball of a grammar question and knocked it out of the park this year) and the rest of the top-notch Emily Bestler Books team. My thanks to you all.
My exceptional Atria publisher, Libby McGuire, and associate publisher, Dana Trocker, are absolute titans. The best feeling is knowing that around the clock, your team is coming up with new ways to get your books into the hands of more people. I really appreciate you both. Thank you.
Speaking of people who are always coming up with new ideas, nobody beats my stupendous publicist, David Brown. The man is the Terminator of PR. Nothing stops him! He’s also a terrific human being. Surround yourself with smart people who love to laugh, and everything will figure itself out. Thank you, David.
Working remotely, I did not get to visit with the magnificent Gary Urda this year. He’s not only one of the sharpest people on my team, but he’s also a hell of a lot of fun. A bourbon over FaceTime isn’t the same as one in person. We’ll get there, though! Thank you for everything you continue to do for me, my friend.
The awesome Jen Long and her amazing crew at Pocket Books continue to bring the heat! You all are such pros, and I want you to know how much I continue to value you. If you are holding a Brad Thor paperback in your hands, it is because of Team Jen. Thank you, all, for everything.
There is only one word you can use to describe Al Madocs of the Atria/Emily Bestler Books production department, and that word is astounding. Al is not only a great guy to sit and chat with, but he’s also a genius at his job. He is the one person who has pulled my bacon out of the fire more than anyone else. Al, I cannot say thank you enough (for everything). I remain eternally grateful for all the effort you put in on my behalf.
Not being able to pop into people’s offices to say hello and catch up is something many of us are missing. That goes double for me, because I love the people I work with and really like to let them know how much they mean to me. This year, I’m missing some truly extraordinary people, including John Hardy, Colin Shields, Paula Amendolara, Janice Fryer, Liz Perl, Nicole Bond, Suzanne Donahue, Milena Brown, Gregory Hruska, Lexi Dumas, and Stuart Smith. The reason everything works so well is because you all work so hard. Thank you!
And while we’re talking about working hard, the world-class Atria/Emily Bestler Books and Pocket Books sales teams are at it around-the-clock. I am so grateful for each and every one of you. Thank you for every single sale. Nothing we do is possible without you. You all are superstars.
The cover art is one of the most exciting parts of the process, and nobody beats the incredible Jimmy Iacobelli of the Atria/Emily Bestler Books art department. His art is breathtaking. When it comes to Jimmy, you can judge a book by its cover. Thank you! You nailed it yet again.
The exceptional Simon & Schuster audio division continues to produce the best audio books on the planet. Their dedication to every step in the process is awe-inspiring. I am deeply indebted to everyone at S&S audio and want to say a special thank-you to Chris Lynch, Tom Spain, Sarah Lieberman, Desiree Vecchio, and Armand Schultz. Thank you.
My remarkable copyeditor, David Chesanow, helped me to look better than I deserve. Thank you for your diligence and commitment to getting things right.
My spectacular agent and dear friend, Heide Lange at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, could not have been more helpful during the writing of this novel. She is not only a gifted negotiator and dispenser of sage counsel, she is also a witty, charming, and wonderful friend. Thank you, Heide, for everything.
Heide is also one of the best judges of talent you’ll ever meet. Her phenomenal team excels at everything. They are also wonderful people. My deepest thanks to everyone at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, including Iwalani Kim (congrats on your promotion), Madeline Wallace (welcome to the team), and Charles Loffredo (thank you for keeping the trains running on time).
Here at Thor Entertainment Group, I want to give a very special thank-you to the absolutely fabulous Yvonne Ralsky. You were an incredible help throughout this process, as you are every single day. The only thing I value above your professionalism is your friendship. Thank you for all things great and small you have done for me.
My tireless, solid-gold entertainment attorney and dear friend, Scott Schwimer, has been part of my life for more than twenty years. I can’t imagine a single moment without him. He is so good at what he does and never misses an opportunity to help others be better. He is truly one of a kind. Thank you for all that you do for me every day, Scottie.
I always save the very best for last. I want to thank my beautiful, loving family. My remarkable wife and fantastic children provide me with the fuel to write my thrillers. They inspire me to do my absolute best and to never settle for anything less. I couldn’t ask to be surrounded by more wondrous people. I love each of you, and thank you for everything.
More from this Series
Near Dark
Backlash
Spymaster
Use of Force
Foreign Agent
The Athens Solution
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brad Thor is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-one thrillers, including Near Dark (one of Suspense Magazine’s Best Books of the Year), Backlash (nominated for the Barry Award for Best Thriller of the Year), Spymaster (“One of the all-time best thriller novels” —The Washington Times), The Last Patriot (nominated Best Thriller of the Year by the International Thriller Writers Association), and Blowback (one of the “Top 100 Killer Thrillers of All Time” —NPR). Visit his website at BradThor.com and follow him on Facebook at Facebook.com/BradThorOfficial and on Twitter @BradThor.
SimonandSchuster.com
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@EmilyBestler @EmilyBestler
ALSO BY BRAD THOR
The Lions of Lucerne
Path of the Assassin
State of the Union
Blowback
Takedown
The First Commandment
The Last Patriot
The Apostle
Foreign Influence
The Athena Project
Full Black
Black List
Hidden Order
Act of War
Code of Conduct
Foreign Agent
Use of Force
Spymaster
Backlash
Near Dark
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ISBN 978-1-9821-0412-2
ISBN 978-1-9821-0414-6 (ebook)