[Aleksandr Talanov 04] • Dragon Head

One and a half billion dollars vanishes out of a numbered account into a cyberspace maze. But the thief who stole it lies dead on the tracks of Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway, his access codes having perished with him.

If this were simply a matter of missing money, the United States would not be concerned. But a Hong Kong crime boss named Dragon Head wants the money to fund an army of hackers, one of whom has already penetrated America’s GPS network. The result: a midair collision that kills more than a thousand people.

With national security at stake, the Director of National Intelligence becomes very interested in the whereabouts of that money. He wants the funds to remain lost. But Dragon Head wants them found. And Colonel Aleksandr Talanov is caught in the middle.

Both sides think Talanov knows where the money is. But Talanov doesn’t have a clue. So both sides threaten to kill his closest friends unless he locates and surrenders the money. It’s an impossible situation when impossible is not an option, because whatever choice Talanov makes, someone will die.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Dragon Head is the longest of my Talanov novels, and is written specifically for those who enjoy lingering in Talanov's world. The book is not a quick sprint to the finish line, but a puzzle that unlocks gradually while building speed. I purposely lingered on one theme in particular - family (and who constitutes "family") - because of what I've personally experienced over the last ten years, which is how long it's taken me to finish writing this book. One reason is the loss of some of my own family members. Many of us have experienced that kind of pain, so I'm not unique in that regard, and like many of you, I understand how it changes us in ways we don't comprehend for months and sometimes years. In Dragon Head, Talanov experiences a similar loss, and while he's already been through this before, in Dragon Head his loss amplifies the blessing and triumph of what happens as a result. Thus, Dragon Head is not a story of loss and sadness, but of exciting new beginnings. I hope you enjoy the ride.