The Will Of The People (Conspiracy Trilogy Book 1) (44 page)

If he had any
regrets, it was those final hours at Erdenheim, specifically
Rebane’s death. The two of them had worked well together, Rebane
unconcerned by McDowell’s frequent criticism, treating it more as
constructive than argumentative. By any definition, Rebane was more
than just a colleague, but McDowell had happily ignored such
complications, selfish concerns meaning far more than mere
friendship. He knew he would invariably do the same again, the flaw
in his character one he accepted as being an essential part of the
whole. He hadn’t even questioned the need for Rebane to die, his
orders followed to the letter – still, he wished he had been less
dramatic, a bullet in the back of the head far simpler than
dragging out the inevitable.

In four months
detailed planning for the second phase would begin in earnest,
McDowell’s paymasters delighted with the success of their initial
investment. Arkady Valentin might have been their preferred
candidate for President but Golubeva was a very acceptable
alternative, their ultimate long-term goal still very much on
track. There were obvious lessons to be learnt and the
confrontation between NATO and Russia had proved to be an
unexpected but key element, accelerating the internal divisions and
magnifying the threat, ultimately easing the transition of
power.

McDowell was
well aware that the second target would require a more subtle
approach, one geared to that particular nation’s democratic
strengths and its unique place in history. The proposed budget had
been increased to compensate and the personal profiles of some six
hundred individuals were already being gathered, their aspirations
and weaknesses duly assessed.

McDowell’s
future role would also be expanded, it promising to be a suitably
intriguing challenge and one McDowell’s ego would not allow him to
ignore...

The story continues in the second part of the Conspiracy
Trilogy,
The Trust of the
People
, also available on
Kindle.

Warned of a
terrorist attack, the target unknown, Michael Anderson is once more
drawn into a conspiracy of deceit, struggling to understand the
complex games played out across three continents. His focus moves
from London to Washington, the U.S. Midterm elections turning into
a chaotic scramble for power as the American President’s grip on
events at home and abroad rapidly spirals out of control.

In the South
China Sea, Philippine protests over China’s creeping militarisation
of the islets and half-sunken reefs of the Spratly Islands escalate
into a series of bloody clashes. Vietnam is quickly dragged into
the conflict, the United States’ apparent unwillingness to protect
her allies provoking an angry reaction on the streets of
Washington. With Beijing and Moscow both seeking to take advantage
of the internal battles within the White House, the fight for
supremacy over the disputed islands threatens the President’s own
survival.

Set seventeen months after the events of
The Will of the People
, the story
brings together many of the characters from the first novel and
forms the second part of the Conspiracy Trilogy.