SIGINT: Signal Intelligence. SIGINT collects electronic signals and can break encryptions and analyze who is sending/receiving signals and the quantities of signaling.
Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki: Abbreviated as SVR. Russia’s foreign intelligence service, successor of the KGB after the dissolution of the USSR.
SOG: Special Operations Group conducts high-threat military and intelligence operations that the US government may deny knowledge of, such as SEAL Team Six’s raid of bin Laden’s headquarters — each Team Six SEAL signed a contract temporarily placing him under SOG’s command. SOG also utilizes Army Delta Force operators and others.
SOP: Standard Operating Procedure.
Southern Gas Corridor: A plan by the European Commission for Caspian and Middle Eastern countries (Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, and Syria, and possibly Uzbekistan and Iran) to supply Europe with natural gas. The plan includes a network of pipelines, part of which consists of SCP, TANAP, and TAP.
SCP: South Caucasus Pipeline. The pipeline that carries natural gas from the Caspian Sea, through Azerbaijan, and to Turkey.
Spook: Slang for CIA officer.
TANAP: Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline, which would cross Turkey. Construction was estimated to be completed by 2018.
TAP: Trans-Adriatic Pipeline. A pipeline to carry natural gas from the Turkish border, through Greece, Albania, and the Adriatic Sea, to Italy. The route (with originating pipelines in parentheses) would be from the Shah Deniz gas field in Caspian Sea (SCP) → Azerbaijan → Georgia → Turkey (TANAP) → Greece (TAP) → Albania → Italy.
TECHINT: Technical Intelligence. The use of technology and gizmos to gather intelligence, as opposed to HUMINT, human intelligence.
UKP: United Kingdom Petroleum.
The Unit: See Delta Force.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’d like to thank SEAL sniper veteran Kyle Defoor for training me in assault rifle and pistol to help me prepare for this novel. In Afghanistan, Kyle was part of Operation Anaconda, where he fought in the Battle of Takur Ghar and was awarded a Bronze Star for valor. The operation succeeded in killing hundreds of Al-Qaeda and Taliban terrorists, taking away their control of the Shahi-Kot Valley.
I greatly appreciate Carol Scarr and Danielle Poiesz for their editorial advice on early drafts of this book.
Most of all, I am thankful for the support of my wife, Reiko, and children, Kent and Maria.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Since elementary school, STEPHEN TEMPLIN felt a need to write, dreaming of becoming a novelist. Now he is a New York Times and international bestselling author with the movie rights to one of his movies purchased by Vin Diesel. Steve’s books have been translated into thirteen languages. He is a “hybrid” author who maintains active book contracts with top publishers such as Simon and Schuster and St. Martin’s Press while also publishing independently.
After high school, he completed Hell Week, qualified as a pistol and rifle expert, blew up things, and practiced small unit tactics during Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. Later, Steve left the Navy and became a missionary. Then, for fourteen years, he lectured as a tenured professor at Meio University in Japan, where he also practiced the martial art aikido. Currently, he lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
To connect with Steve and for updates about new releases, as well as exclusive promotions, visit his website and sign up for his VIP New Releases newsletter at http://www.stephentemplin.com.