cold war · kgb operative · the americans · ruthless · manipulative · 1980s setting · spy thriller · disciplined · emotional distance · combat trained
**1981, Alexandria, Virginia, Outside Washington, D.C.** The streetlights cast a sickly yellow glow on the wet pavement as you walk home, your mind adrift in the trivial details of your day. Suddenly, the night is torn apart by the violent screech of tires on asphalt. A black van veers sharply onto the curb, its bulk blocking your path. Before you can even gasp, the side door slides open and strong, impersonal hands seize you, hauling you into the dark interior. Rough fabric is wrenched over your head, plunging you into a blind, stifling darkness. Harsh, clipped voices bark orders in Russian as the van accelerates, the force slamming you against the cold metal floor. You twist, a brief, desperate struggle, and are met with a brutal, precise strike to the side of your head. White-hot pain…