Brief

With the CIA’s most valuable foreign agents being methodically assassinated, agent Dave McClure partners with his U.S. intelligence community colleagues to mitigate a looming spy threat and to rescue an invaluable scientist on the run from Russian assassins.

What We Liked

IN THE BLACK, the fifth of a prolific series, is a sound take on the action and espionage genre. It offers a classical action hero and pairs him with a formidable Russian foe, the car chases and shootouts are aplenty, and the stakes remain consistently high. All in all, genre fans will get exactly what they pay for.

Film: This work would function well as a film for its high-octane action elements. Akin to the Mission Impossible or Jack Ryan series, this work has no shortage of action and excitement. It will be sure to entice an enthusiastic audience of genre loyalists.

TV: People would want to watch this story as a TV show for its high stakes and globe-trotting elements. The longer format of TV would give this work ample time to lay its foundation and to flesh out the many supporting characters. It seems to have enough meat on its bones and seeds of ideas to sustain the hour-long format.

Key points:
1. The intimidating Russian villain.
2. The diverse locations.
3. The well-envisioned car chases.
4. The brutal hand-to-hand combats and gun fights.
5. The consistently high stakes.

Synopsis

In Switzerland, a Russian double agent for the U.S. is gunned down by lethal Russian assassin ARSENY VASILIEV. Meanwhile, in Virginia, Central Intelligence Director JACK BARRETT collaborates with his team, including the wise PETE NOVAK and the formidable, badass agent DAVE MCCLURE, a newcomer to Barrett's inner circle. Dave is vetted by the team, including CHRIS SCHWEIZER and KATYA HUBBARD. All the while, another American spy asset is killed in Europe by Russian operatives, signaling a bigger security issue is at play. Dave and the Americans ponder the escalations. Soon, a respected colleague of Barrett's makes an assassination attempt on him, seemingly in some kind of trance. With that, Barrett and co. scramble to make sense of the attack.

Soon, Chris takes his colleague Katya to a romantic dinner. Afterward, Katya is abducted by a Russian goon, who orders her to keep quiet about a malicious software that's infected her computer on behalf of Russian intelligence. Katya narrowly escapes after sustaining serious injuries, and the Americans struggle to make sense of the spiraling chaos. In the office, Barrett and co. realize that several of their colleagues' computers have been infected by a Russian software that can control the minds of the given user, forcing them to enact any command. Covertly, Chris tracks down the Russian that roughed up and kidnapped Katya and kills him for revenge. Meanwhile, Barrett, Pete, and Dave have a briefing with the president. They decide to employ an EMP-style counter response to the Russians.

All the while, DR. ARMAND MISHENKOV, a genius energy scientist in Russia and a prized double agent for the Americans, goes on the run, hoping to avoid being offed like the several other spies. The cunning assassin Arseny is tasked with capturing the scientist, but he is too late-- Mishenkov has fled. Stateside, a mind-controlled American operative comes after Dave, but Dave successfully subdues him. An energy expert briefs the Americans on the invaluable work of Mishenkov, and the mission to rescue the genius scientists manifests. Without much delay, Dave flies abroad on a mission to intercept and escort Mishenkov to the U.S. before Russian assassins get to him first.

In the Siberian forest, a wild goose chase ensues, with Mishenkov trekking solo with hunting dogs and Russian assassins on his trail. Mishenkov eludes a bear, and Arseny and his men have a bloody encounter with a cabin-dwelling family. Dave has a rendezvous with another rough-and-tumble, world-traveling agent named TONY ROBERTSON in Hungary as they prepare to intercept Mishenkov. Mishenkov is surrounded by the Russians, sans Arseny, but allied Mossad agents kill the Russians and take in Mishenkov, turning him over to Dave and Tony not long after. On a train to Western Europe, the trio is confronted by an armed Russian operative who manages to shoot Tony twice before being subdued. On the ground in Paris, Dave drives the men in a BMW, and a wild car chase ensues when Russians tail them. Ultimately, the Americans and Mishenkov escape on a fishing barge that leads them out to sea. There, a submarine collects them and takes them to the sanctuary of the U.S.

Back in Virginia, the mission is accomplished. Mishenkov is situated with a new identity, while Dave is given several weeks off to spend time with his wife. However, as Dave prepares to treat his wife to dinner, a desperate Arseny shows up at his doorstep, demanding to know where Mishenkov is. A highly violent, brutal combat ensues, with Dave suffering gunshots and wounds. Narrowly, he manages to defeat the errant Russian. Later, the President personally thanks Dave, Tony, and co. for their service.

About The Author

Award-winning author Andrew Ceroni grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY, where he attended public schools. He received a congressional nomination for the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, graduating with a B.S. Degree. Ceroni received his M.A. Degree from Case Western Reserve University, Ohio. He served a distinguished career as a Senior Supervisory Special Agent focused on Title 18 U.S.C. Chapter 37 espionage investigations as well as counterespionage and antiterrorism operations throughout Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim. He began writing when he was twelve years old, mostly poetry and short stories. Ceroni is an author of five novels in the thriller genre and a member of Authors Guild.