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“Everybody off the deck!” Kate shouted. “I don’t want anybody getting blown into the sea.”

Gideon's War and Hard Target

Once the deck was clear, Kate and Gideon walked down to...

“Perfect,” he said, falling onto it wearily.

“You did it,” she said. “You came to get your brother, and you got him.”

“Yeah,” he said.

“You saved his life. You saved all of us.” She brushed some stray hair from his forehead. “I’ll be right back.” Then she went into the bathroom, stripped off her wet clothes, and returned to her cabin, wrapped in nothing but a towel.

But by the time she’d returned, Gideon’s eyes were closed.

Kate sat down next to him on the bed. For the first time since she’d met him, his face was completely peaceful. He didn’t stir.

“All right then,” she said. “I guess that’s how it is.”

She pulled the sheet over him—when his eyes suddenly opened.

“You need to sleep,” she said softly.

“I’ll sleep later,” he said, then kissed her as the wind outside began to howl, and the waves rolled powerfully beneath them.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Gideon's War and Hard Target

Writing this book has been an eye-opening education for me....

I am also indebted to the rest of the talented team at Touchstone, including Joy O’Meara, Michael Kwan, Mara Lurie, Kevin McCahill, and Shelly Perron, the tireless and exacting production group; and David Falk, Meredith Kernan, Marcia Burch, and Shida Carr, who’ve risen and continue to rise to the challenge of marketing and publicizing this book so people know it’s out there; and Cherlynne Li, who designed the terrific book jacket.

My colleagues on 24 have not only inspired me over these past nine years, they’ve been a second family. To have been one of so many ded ta D‡icated people—cast and crew, writers, directors, editors, and office staff— who all took so much pride in their work was truly a privilege.

My children, Micah, Arlo, and Capp, are the best reasons I’ve ever found for doing what I do, and I hope I have made them half as proud as they’ve made me.

Finally, I’d like to express my profound appreciation to Richard Abate, who dared me, then encouraged me to take on this challenge, and to Walter Sorrells, without whose generous help this book would never have been possible.

PRAISE FOR

HOWARD GORDON’S GIDEON’S WAR

“From racing through the jungles of Southeast Asia to outsmarting terrorists on a high-tech oil rig in a typhoon, Howard Gordon’s new international peacemaker Gideon Davis TAKES SAVING THE WORLD TO A NEW LEVEL. Move over, Jack Bauer—there’s a new sheriff in town.” —VINCE FLYNN

“Gideon’s War is not only a GIFT TO CONSPIRACY THEORISTS but also to anyone with pedal-to-the-metal taste.” —THE NEW YORK TIMES

“24 was a nonstop thrill ride, and Gordon effectively translates the frantic pace of the show to the printed page. Gideon is an INTRIGUING CHARACTER whom readers will want to see again; Gordon seems to have found himself a new gig.” —BOOKLIST

“This explosive debut novel . . . is AN ESSENTIAL READ for fans of political and action thrillers. Gordon does a superb job of drawing you in and making you care about the characters while forcing you to ask ‘What will happen next?’ at every turn.” —LIBRARY JOURNAL

“Howard Gordon, the man behind 24, makes the transition from screenwriter to novelist look easy with this AHEAD-OF-THE-CURVE THRILLER.” —ALEX BERENSON

“A RIP-ROARING THRILLER.” —KIEFER SUTHERLAND

FROM THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF 24 AND CO-CREATOR OF HOMELAND, THE EXCITING FOLLOW-UP TO GIDEON’S WAR INVOLVES A HARROWING ATTEMPT TO STOP A HOMEGROWN TERRORIST PLOT TO DESTROY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.

Gideon Davis has settled into the quiet life of an academic and is weeks away from being married when he discovers evidence of an impending terrorist attack on U.S. soil. He brings his suspicions to his ex-girlfriend, FBI Agent Nancy Clement, but her bosses are leery of Gideon’s source: a meth-head informant affiliated with a white supremacist group. Both Gideon and Nancy become increasingly convinced OT ÐÈÔthat a serious plot exists, but their informant is murdered before they can get more details from him. So Gideon enlists his brother, Tillman—newly sprung from prison through a presidential pardon—as an undercover operative to infiltrate a group of white supremacists who may be involved.

Eventually, Gideon and Tillman get on the trail of the real conspirators and uncover their audacious plan to eliminate the entire top tier of the U.S. government during a high-value, masscasualty attack. With only Nancy’s support, Gideon and Tillman go rogue to stop the powerful titan behind the conspiracy before the entire government is toppled.

With nonstop action and ticking time-bomb suspense, Hard Target will keep readers turning pages and their hearts pumping fast.

HOWARD GORDON

is an Emmy and Golden Globe award–winning writer and producer who has worked in Hollywood for more than twenty-five years. Most recently, he co-created the Showtime series Homeland and is also the showrunner of the NBC series Awake. He was also the executive producer and showrunner of the hit television show 24. Prior to his involvement with 24, Gordon was a writer and executive producer for The X-Files. He lives with his family in Pacific Palisades, California.

Visit his website at

www.HowardMGordon.com.

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· THE SOURCE FOR READING GROUPS ·

JACKET DESIGN BY ERVIN SERRANO

JACKET PHOTOGRAPH © ALAMY

COPYRIGHT © 2012 SIMON & SCHUSTER

ALSO BY HOWARD GORDON

Gideon’s War

Touchstone

A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2012 by Teakwood Lane Productions, Inc.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Touchstone Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

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First Touchstone hardcover edition January 2012

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is available.

ISBN 978-1-4391-7582-8 (print)

ISBN 978-1-4391-7606-1 (ebook)

For my parents, Bob and Sylvia

A top FBI counterterrorism official says the bureau’s “biggest concern” is “the individual who has done the training, has the capability but is disenchanted with the [right-wing extremist] group’s action—or in many cases, inaction—and decides he’s going to act alone.” A high-ranking Department of Homeland Security official added that “it’s almost impossible to find that needle in the haystack,” even if the FBI has an informant in the group.

—Time magazine, October 11, 2010

Contents

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Gideon's War and Hard Target

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Gideon's War and Hard Target

After completing Gideon’s War, I was humbled. Trying to...

What started as a crash course in the publishing business has turned into a real education because of Richard Abate; I owe so much to you. To Rick Rosen, a super agent, but an even better friend, thank you for your wisdom and for believing in me. Since these books are about brothers, I am especially lucky to count among my best friends my own brothers, Lawrence and Richard.