It begins innocently enough. A CalTech grad in computational physics is the CEO of Axial, a company that networks complexed computer systems. Caitlin O'Connor. Of course, she is stunning (aren't they all?). Alex Cuchulain is an investor with lots of smarts and plenty of capital to do the necessary due diligence prior to plunging megabucks into Axial. HE knows all about HER, yet SHE knows next to nothing about HIM.
She does learn that Alex was in the military and calls an old flame, also a veteran, to find out how she can learn more about this potential source of cash. And yes, Brook F.T. Elliot, IV (old money it sounds like) does indeed know about Alex and cautions her to not dig too deeply as he has a bit of a history.
Caitlin is a tad reckless and talks Alex in going to a new bar that's getting good press . . . it's a biker bar. They go, obviously out of place, get harassed and leave. Not appreciating that the local black leather set pissed her off, she wants to go back another night. They last a bit longer, but when Caitlin doesn't return from the can, Alex checks it out only to learn that their antagonist from the 1st visit has snatched her and taken her with 5 or 6 of his buds for a little party.
Alex squeezes the address out of the bartender and heads over to find Caitlin about 5 seconds before being sexually assaulted by this band of bikers. He tries to reason, even offers to arm wrestle their best with Caitlin going to the winner. Within seconds of the match, Alex swiftly and without mercy takes down the remaining bikers and walks off with an entirely stunned Caitlin.
She wants, make that needs, to know who Alex Cuchulain is. And thus begins the backstory (that's code for the rest of the book. The previous scenes were the first couple chapters).
Alex was born Alejandro Mohammed Cuculain in SC. Mexican father, Bedouin mother. Father is a Medal of Honor winner in Vietnam, now bound to a wheelchair. One of his fellow grunts he saved is now a Pennsylvania Senator and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. As a 15yo, Alex witnessed a couple football jocks try to force his older sister to have sex. He comes to her defense and puts both in the hospital with injuries that force an early retirement from the game. Now the jock's parents are well connected locally and get Alex arrested. But Alex's dad calls the Senate Office Bldg in DC, talks to his friend who then gets a CIA operative to visit the sheriff and point out the error of his ways.
Thus begins the long term relationship of MacMillan (Mac) with Alex. First the Marines, then the CIA, then a small team working for Mac that operates with one foot across that fuzzy line between legal and illegal. Alex becomes particularly skilled at using explosives. His heritage also allows him to accept tasks in Central America as well as Europe and North Africa. When he decides he's had enough of the killing, he goes to college, learns finance, and takes up investing . . . and maybe still blowing up stuff when Mac calls.
From here, Cook takes the reader through a series of ops that Alex (he prefers to go by Cooch) planned, excited (figuratively and literally) in various locales. With each op, Alex's skills and instincts are honed even further until he becomes on the the CIA's most efficient wet operative.
This is Cook's first book in what is planned to be a continuing series. And while some might consider it to be sort of formulaic, it is a quick read that draws the reader in very quickly. Of course, the ops are outlandish (we probably wouldn't read these things if they were told as they actually happened), the girl is beautiful, the hero is Greek statue solid, the dad is stoic in dealing with his condition and his advice to young Alex. Still, it's kind of hard to put down. Better than what we here at MRB call an 'airplane book' but not up to the thrill or character development we see from the late and great Vince Flynn or Brad Thor. As a new entry to the thriller genre, Robert Cook makes an impressive debut.
East Coast Don
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