Dark Winter (Nick Stone 06)

OutsideofPakistan,theworld'shighestconcentrationofal-QaedalurksinSouth-EastAsiaandthere,NickStone'sbossesgetwindofanactofterrorthatwilldwarfeventhenightmareof9/11.WhenStoneisdespatchedtoMalaysiabytheCIAtoassassinateabiochemist,heexpectshismissiontobeastraightforwardpartofthefightagainstBinLaden.Buttherearecomplicationsnotleastbecauseheisworkingalongsideanattractivewomanwhosemotiveshedoesn'tfullyunderstand.Targetneutralised,StonereturnstotheUSAandamaelstromofpersonalproblems.Kelly,thefourteenyear-oldorphantowhomheisjointguardian,cannotescapetheghostsofhertraumaticpast;shehasaprescriptiondrughabitthat'sspirallingoutofcontrol,andStoneknowsheistheonlyonewhocanhelpher.HetakeshertorecuperateinEngland,buttheterribleconsequencesofwhathappenedinPenangareneverfarbehind.Realisinghecannotescapethem,StoneunearthsadoomsdaythreatagainstthepopulationsofNewYork,LondonandBerlinandfindshimselffacinganunspeakabletrade-off:thelifeofsomeoneheloves,againstthoseofmillionshedoesn'tevenknow...