Guardians of the Solar Shield by Sam Bleicher

Guardians of the
Solar Shield

Earth’s Climate Mirrors
Under Attack 2029-2037

Sam Bleicher

Book Summary

Political pressure, corruption, romance, intrigue, and murder in the battle against climate disruption

Kelly O’Rourke is excited to become a UN Solar Shield Corps Officer, but she soon discovers inside political pressure to misuse the Project’s capabilities. She confides in Jay Bhattachar, Commander Fauré’s Aide, that she suspects Fauré has covertly realigned one of the 480 solar mirrors to satisfy a Board Member.
Faure’s action has inadvertently put the entire Shield Project in jeopardy. Manhattan con artists trick a Wuhan computer firm into hacking the Shield’s master computer. Then they turn the Commander’s action into a profitable extortion racket.
When Fauré discovers their scheme, he sends Jay, Kelly, and Security Officer Cheng to pursue the extortionists. The trail leads from arson in Wuhan to confrontations in Manhattan and Moscow, triggering clashes and narrow escapes that endanger their very lives.

Excerpts

1. After unsuccessfully confronting Commander Fauré, Kelly put her head in her hands. “Well, I guess he put me in my place. What should I make of his lecture and brusque departure? Maybe he really was anxious about getting to his important lunch meeting on time. Or maybe not.”

2. Commander Fauré was equally concerned about his conversation with Officer O’Rourke. “What a mess. That pretty little Irish recruit has no idea what she has stumbled across. She could be my undoing if she chose. Exposure of my decision could serve as the excuse to upend the whole Solar Shield Project.”

3. Jay felt the need to escape. Kelly’s touch on his arm was more powerful than he anticipated … At the end of the evening, Kelly gave Jay a casual hug as she thanked him … Jay felt a long-dormant sense of emotional and physical desire.

4. Yazeen put his hand under the papers on his desk and pulled out his Beretta. “I don’t think you heard me. You have no basis for holding me here, and I am going home.” Standing in the doorway, Yazeen turned and fired a shot, hitting Jay’s leg… Downstairs, Kelly heard gunshots. She was horrified that Jay might be injured.

5. Kelly examined the video entry system and triumphantly pushed the button for 604. Someone let her in without a word. A chill ran down her spine. Suddenly she realized how foolish she was to race to the suspect’s apartment. She stopped in the entrance area, frozen in fear of what might await her upstairs.

6. Zhang found the Commander’s assertion astounding. “You mean this whole exercise is part of a fraud? NSSI wanted us to hack the Solar Shield computer so they could exploit it for their own profit? Outrageous! And we were dupes!” Cai counseled caution. “For all we know, the Commander was lying to me to save himself.”

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