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The Vortex Mole
For years, men and women have been murdered by a mole who will do anything to survive. Can a man who is tethered by his conscience capture a mole without one? And when the Russian military supports this mole, must the man with the conscience sacrifice his values to gain an edge? Or does his moral compass already give him all the courage that he needs?
Major General Gibson presides over an American private military company, Vortex Defense Industries. Vortex supplies troops to the Ukrainians for incisive black operations against the Russians. But the Russians have their own trump, a mole who has burrowed into Vortex. This mole, The Black Bat, has operated for burning Gibson’s spy networks, selling contractors’ lives to the Russians, and killing to protect his or her identity. So deftly has The Black Bat maneuvered that no one knows of his or her existence. But when the mole’s handler defects, Gibson learns of the mole’s presence. Gibson begins an investigation into the Black Bat’s identity, and The Black Bat retaliates.
Meanwhile in eastern Europe, the Russian Colonel General Sergey Dragomirov executes multiple strikes aimed at snuffing out Ukrainian and American lives and conquering Ukrainian territory. He also holds control over the defector's Sofia, a young, capable, twenty year old woman. But Dragomirov soon becomes a high profile Western target. For after Dragomirov orders Sofia's father executed, and after Dragomirov's men slaughter Vortex's Alpha Team, Vortex's Bravo Team seek revenge.
But both Dragomirov and Gibson also have personal problems wrought by their own people. Dragomirov must save his own skin, for the Russians are prone to purges, and if Dragomirov is denounced, then the FSB may kill him. Meanwhile in America, Gibson must treat with a pacifist politician, a muck-raking investigative journalist, and a former fellow soldier whose life has gone off the rails, but who still retains a great deal of wealth and power--as well as a longstanding grudge against Gibson.
Set in the present Russo-Ukrainian war, in the states of Georgia and Oklahoma, in the battle fields of eastern Ukraine, and in the diplomatic offices of Moscow, The Vortex Mole is a blend of international intrigue, black operations, and cunning spy fiction. It tells of the bittersweetness of the human character, of loyalty, of betrayal, of mercy, and of war.
Major General Gibson presides over an American private military company, Vortex Defense Industries. Vortex supplies troops to the Ukrainians for incisive black operations against the Russians. But the Russians have their own trump, a mole who has burrowed into Vortex. This mole, The Black Bat, has operated for burning Gibson’s spy networks, selling contractors’ lives to the Russians, and killing to protect his or her identity. So deftly has The Black Bat maneuvered that no one knows of his or her existence. But when the mole’s handler defects, Gibson learns of the mole’s presence. Gibson begins an investigation into the Black Bat’s identity, and The Black Bat retaliates.
Meanwhile in eastern Europe, the Russian Colonel General Sergey Dragomirov executes multiple strikes aimed at snuffing out Ukrainian and American lives and conquering Ukrainian territory. He also holds control over the defector's Sofia, a young, capable, twenty year old woman. But Dragomirov soon becomes a high profile Western target. For after Dragomirov orders Sofia's father executed, and after Dragomirov's men slaughter Vortex's Alpha Team, Vortex's Bravo Team seek revenge.
But both Dragomirov and Gibson also have personal problems wrought by their own people. Dragomirov must save his own skin, for the Russians are prone to purges, and if Dragomirov is denounced, then the FSB may kill him. Meanwhile in America, Gibson must treat with a pacifist politician, a muck-raking investigative journalist, and a former fellow soldier whose life has gone off the rails, but who still retains a great deal of wealth and power--as well as a longstanding grudge against Gibson.
Set in the present Russo-Ukrainian war, in the states of Georgia and Oklahoma, in the battle fields of eastern Ukraine, and in the diplomatic offices of Moscow, The Vortex Mole is a blend of international intrigue, black operations, and cunning spy fiction. It tells of the bittersweetness of the human character, of loyalty, of betrayal, of mercy, and of war.
333 pages, ebook
Published April 3, 2025
1 person want to read
About the author
David Murphy
5 books7 followersDavid writes novels, poems, and short stories.
David Murphy received his B.A. in History from Oklahoma State University, where he won the Bailey Scholarship for Study Abroad. He received his M.A. in English from Kansas State University, where he won the Seaton Fellowship for Creative Writing.
Since then he’s worked in the field of Education in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and the United States. He worked as a contractor for The World Bank, for King Saud University’s Preparatory Year, as a fellow on a U.S. State Department program, and for the state of Washington.
He lives in Mexico.
Find more about him and his books at: amazon.com/author/davidlandonmurphy
Contact him at: DavidMurphy13 at Gmail dot com.
David Murphy received his B.A. in History from Oklahoma State University, where he won the Bailey Scholarship for Study Abroad. He received his M.A. in English from Kansas State University, where he won the Seaton Fellowship for Creative Writing.
Since then he’s worked in the field of Education in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and the United States. He worked as a contractor for The World Bank, for King Saud University’s Preparatory Year, as a fellow on a U.S. State Department program, and for the state of Washington.
He lives in Mexico.
Find more about him and his books at: amazon.com/author/davidlandonmurphy
Contact him at: DavidMurphy13 at Gmail dot com.
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