'The face of war is changing. The other side doesn't play by the rules much anymore. There's thinking, in some circles, that we need to play by a different set of rules too . . .' James Bond, in his early thirties and already a veteran of the Afghan War, has been recruited to a new organization. Conceived in the post-9/11 world, it operates independent of MI5, MI6 and the Ministry of Defense, its very existence deniable. Its aim: To protect the Realm,...

Detective Kessler is a Washington, D.C. cop, sidelined to routine investigations. So it's a surprise when he's targeted by a 'lifter,' a person who 'lifts' information from people by whatever means necessary. And this lifter is one of the most terrifying: he prefers to get an 'edge' on his target by kidnapping or endangering their family. While the FBI and other organizations race to learn which of Kessler's seemingly insignificant cases is making...