CODE RED

Code Red

Nick Curtis

A high-octane political thriller series about a team within ‘Special Operations – Diplomats’ who specialise in protecting visiting dignitaries from overseas.

Aimed at the reader who loves the thrill of the chase and the tensions between the police, the politicians and the intelligence services.

Continuity: Character – the diplomatic protection team, the Westminster politician, ‘The Times’ reporter and the head of MI6.

1. Runaway Minister

Charlie Paddon and Alex Chappell of SOD’s are waiting at Heathrow for the arrival of the Croatian Foreign Minister and accompanying translator. Fog forces their plane to divert to Stanstead. Despite racing there at high speed Hazbi Dunja and Jelenka Levnicki have gone by the time they reach the airport. What is more a man has stolen a despatch rider’s bike and is pursuing the taxi that they have commandeered. He is a Serbian assassin, wanted by MI6, with a personal grudge against Dunja.

Charlie chases the bike and the taxi, all the while trying his best to allay the fears of the UK diplomats who are supposed to be looking after their guest and who are struggling to keep the press at bay. SOD’s has to find Dunja before the very high profile speech that he is due to make in Edinburgh is called off and a major international incident ensues…and before he falls victim to a ruthless killer.

Then it turns out that the glamorous translator travelling with Dunja is actually Milka Rosic, an activist for the minority Roma population in Croatia, with an agenda of her own, putting Dunja in double danger.

UK publication: August 2008

2. Close Enemies

President Kissonga of Rezengiland has recently been ousted and replaced by President Mani Saiki. It is a commonly held view that Kissonga was plundering the country’s wealth with the help of South African mine owner, Piet Bakker. Saiki promises reform and an end to corruption. Paul Malamba, a senior figure within the Bakker mines in Rezengi and regarded by the CIA as a good guy, has been made Minister for Minerals. He is talking about nationalising the mines and so has become Bakker’s public enemy no.1. Saiki, Malamba and Bakker are all coming to the UK for meetings with politicians and business leaders about initiatives to exploit the mineral resources fairly, but on the eve of the visit The Times runs a story about ‘a British connection’ that helped to oil the wheels of the corrupt machinery that allowed millions of pounds to leave Rezengiland under the old guard.

Charlie and Alex realise that in protecting Saiki and Malamba during their visit they could be dealing with threats that are as much home-grown in the UK as they are rooted in the rich soil of Africa….