Nick stood. Selena lifted Burps off her lap and rose with him.
"We'll see you in two weeks," Nick said.
Outside in the hall Nick said to Selena, "I don't think I've ever been this tired. I feel like I'm walking around in the fog."
"Neither one of us can think straight right now," Selena said. "We need to get away and let things settle before we make any decisions."
"Where should we go?"
"Let's go back to Hawaii," Selena said.
Notes
The Armata T-14 heralds a new generation of tank warfare. It is very fast, very maneuverable and very deadly. The weapons systems are as described in the book. The computer is fully capable of making independent decisions based on its interpretation of the situation. The damaged electronic systems that decide to launch a nuclear missile in the book are not at all beyond the realm of believability. The T-14 is a hint of the future in warfare, when humans may become irrelevant on the battlefield and technology will determine the winners and losers.
The sequence in Germany where the team is riding in a car that goes out of control on black ice is based on an actual experience I had many years ago. If it sounds fantastic, I assure you that it can happen exactly as I described it. It's the kind of experience one never forgets.
The NATO alliance was formed in the aftermath of World War II. Originally designed to provide a shield against a potential Russian invasion of Europe, the development of modern missiles, aircraft and technology has made it obsolete. The next war in Europe might begin as it does in this book with tanks figuring prominently in an invasion but it will not end that way. Stalin's tanks are a thing of the past.
The fundamental tenet of any alliance is that members agree to act together for a common purpose. In NATO's case that purpose is the security of the member states. One only needs to look at the current disagreement about how to deal with a resurgent Russia to see how ineffective NATO really is. Populations in the NATO states are deeply divided about committing troops in any situation and public opinion drives the decisions of the politicians. Germany in particular, perhaps the most important NATO European member, is extremely reluctant to take any action against Russia.
Western propaganda about Russia is noticeably contradictory. On the one hand it is aimed at calming those who fear Russian aggression. On the other, it strives to increase our collective level of fear about the Russian menace. NATO decisions publicly announced about Russia are without much substance. The idea that a "fast deployment force" of five thousand men could make a significant difference against a full-scale Russian invasion in Ukraine (or anywhere else) is ludicrous. Unless, of course, NATO's commanders have bought into the popular myth about Russian military strength.
The Baltic Fleet is as described in the book. Russia's surface Navy is not competitive with the West. The surface Navy may not be a significant force but we are entering a time when submarines again become important. Accordingly, the Russians are expanding their submarine fleet. The Kremlin is on a crash program to refurbish the military forces of the country. It's a subject surrounded by disinformation. I have seen many articles downplaying Russian military strength, implying that their troops are poorly trained, their planes are falling apart, their missiles are old and inaccurate and so on. In other words, the Russians are all hat and no cattle.
Don't believe it.
Acknowledgements
I always acknowledge my wife Gayle first. That's because she provides a solid foundation of support for my writing. Any writer knows that there are periods of frustration and self-doubt when a novel is in progress. When the writing hits the wall Gayle helps me keep a sense of perspective. Without her support it would be very difficult to write these books.
Neil Jackson for the cover art. He always comes through. Thank you, Neil.
Special thanks to (in no particular order) Nancy Witt, Nigel Gambles, Eric Vollebregt, Paul Madsen, Susan Blanker, Gloria Lakritz, Nancy Barth and Seth Ballard. Your sharp eyes and suggestions have made this a better story.
About the Author
Alex Lukeman writes action/adventure thrillers featuring a covert intelligence unit called the PROJECT. He is the author of the award-winning Amazon best seller, The Tesla Secret. Alex is a former Marine and psychotherapist and uses his experience of the military and human nature to inform his work. He likes riding old, fast motorcycles and playing guitar, usually not at the same time. You can email him at alex@alexlukeman.com. He loves hearing from readers and promises he will get back to you.
