{"product_id":"warning-light-isbn-9780399585753","title":"Warning Light","description":"\u003cb\u003e“One of the best thrillers you'll read this year.”—Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo one knows what CIA desk jockey Zac Miller is capable of—including himself—until a routine surveillance job becomes a do-or-die mission in the Middle East.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen a commercial flight violates restricted airspace to make an emergency landing at a closed airport in Iran, the passengers are just happy to be alive and ready to transfer to a functional plane. All of them except one...\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe American technology consultant in business class is not who he says he is. Zac Miller is a CIA analyst. And after an agent's cover gets blown, Zac—though never trained to be a field operative—volunteers to take his place, to keep a surveillance mission from being scrubbed. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eZac thinks it will be easy to photograph the earthquake-ravaged airport that is located near a hidden top secret nuclear facility. But when everything that can go wrong does, he finds himself on the run from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards and abandoned by his own teammates, who think he has gone rogue. Embarking on a harrowing journey through the mountains of Iran to the Persian Gulf and across Europe, Zac can only rely on himself. But even if he makes it out alive, the life he once had may be lost to him forever...\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eWarning Light\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“A Ulysses-like odyssey...If only he'd run into a whirlpool and a monster, readers might mistake this adventure for a tale by Homer...Let's hope for more Zac Miller adventures.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A fine thrill ride...The writing is lean and propulsive, the characters offbeat and interesting”—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Starts with a bang, and then gets better and better...one of the best thrillers you'll read this year.”—Lee Child, #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Midnight Line\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “This is a fun and heady combination of suspense and intrigue. Believable and provocative, it’s a tough-as-nails-tug-of-war definitely worth your time.”—Steve Berry, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Lost Order\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003eWarning Light\u003c\/i\u003e is a blazing thriller with relentless pace and impressive detail. An engaging combination of intrigue and action, along with a breakneck cadence that will keep readers flipping pages to the end, \u003ci\u003eWarning Light\u003c\/i\u003e is a winner.\"—Mark Greaney, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eGunmetal Gray\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “Starts fast and never stops—you’ll be turning pages as quickly as CIA operative Zac Miller uses his wits to outwit Iran’s brutal Revolutionary Guard and bring priceless intelligence home.”—Alex Berenson, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Prisoner\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “A breakneck debut thriller that Ludlum fans will devour.”—Grant Blackwood, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eTom Clancy Duty and Honor\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “If you like a great chase scene, then you’re going to love David Ricciardi's great chase novel \u003ci\u003eWarning Light\u003c\/i\u003e. In the air, over land, across continents, across the seas. The tension never flags. And the payoff? It's big.\"—James Abel, national bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eCold Silence\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “\u003ci\u003eWarning Light\u003c\/i\u003e is best read in one sitting, like a ride on the Tilt-a-Whirl.  Imagine an Adam Hall or Robert Ludlum played out over an all-too plausible Middle East scenario. Plenty of twists, turns, and action on land, sea, and air with a very scary underlying premise. Mr. Ricciardi knows his subject and conveys his story with non-stop suspense. The best spy thriller I have read this year.”—Michael Sears, author of \u003ci\u003eSaving Jason\u003c\/i\u003eA keen outdoorsman, \u003cb\u003eDavid Ricciardi\u003c\/b\u003e incorporated many personal experiences into \u003ci\u003eWarning Light\u003c\/i\u003e. He's backpacked through the mountains of the western United States and Alaska, received extensive training from law-enforcement and U.S. special operations personnel, and once woke up for a 2 A.M. watch aboard a sailboat only to discover that it was headed the wrong way through the Atlantic sea-lanes in heavy weather, with one of the crew suffering from hypothermia. In addition to being an avid sailor, David is also a certified scuba rescue diver and a former ski instructor. \u003ci\u003eWarning Light\u003c\/i\u003e is his first novel.\u003cb\u003eOne\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Speedbird 337, maintain heading one-one-five. Contact Tehran      Defense Radar on 127.8. Good day.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Inside the cockpit, First Officer Edward Blake responded to the      Turkish air traffic controller.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Roger that, Ankara Center. Speedbird 337 maintain heading      one-one-five. Switching to 127.8.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He glanced to his left and caught Captain Sam Allard's eyes for a      moment before turning the VHF radio to the new frequency. The      British Airways flight, radio call sign \"Speedbird,\" was closing      in on Iran's Flight Information Region and needed permission to      enter Iranian airspace.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Tehran Radar, this is Speedbird 337 heavy.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Go ahead, Speedbird 337.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Tehran Radar, Speedbird 337 with you at flight level      three-niner-zero, estimate crossing your FIR at 15:20 hours.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Roger, Speedbird 337, squawk 0413 and proceed as filed.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The radio fell silent while the Iranian controller verified the      radar contact and flight plan that the British Airways pilots had      filed before taking off from London.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In peaceful times, the flight would have followed the great circle      route through Uzbekistan and Afghanistan before heading south      below the Himalayas on its way to Singapore. For the past decade,      however, hostilities in the area led most airlines to divert their      jets to the south, over Iran. The detour added a few minutes and      several thousand dollars to the cost of each flight, but it was      safer than flying through a war zone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Speedbird 337, identified, cleared for entry. Contact Tehran      Center on 133.4. Good day.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Roger that, Radar, Speedbird 337 cleared for entry, switching to      133.4.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Captain Allard adjusted the autopilot and the      six-hundred-twenty-ton Airbus A380 banked gently to the right      before settling onto its new course. He scanned his instruments      and cross-checked his flight computer. Underneath the wings of the      Airbus, four Rolls-Royce Trent 970 engines were running smoothly,      each delivering over eighty thousand pounds of thrust. The radio      in the cockpit chirped sporadically as air traffic controllers      directed the other planes in Sector Two around Tehran. Most of the      flights were domestic, but Emirates, Air India, and other      international carriers were not uncommon.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The long-haul flight was on schedule as Allard gazed out the      cockpit windows. The late-day sun was starting to form shadows      behind the mountains below. It was his first flight over Iran. It      was more rugged and beautiful than he'd expected, but his reverie      was interrupted by the copilot.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Captain, we have a warning light on the number-three engine . . .      Exhaust gas temperature is spiking and oil pressure is dropping      quickly.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e An automated voice in the cockpit called out another warning and a      message flashed on the centralized aircraft monitor inside the      cockpit. Captain Allard silenced the alarms. He was already      looking at the engine data on his own monitors.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I don't think we're going to be able to keep it running. Give me      maximum continuous thrust on the good engines and let's run the      engine shutdown checklist.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Blake made eye contact with his senior officer and took a deep      breath. \"Yes, sir, commencing in-flight shutdown on the      number-three engine.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Blake pushed the button for the Fasten Seat Belt sign while      Captain Allard switched to the air traffic control frequency on      his headset.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Tehran Center, Speedbird 337 requesting immediate clearance to      flight level two-seven-zero. Our number-three engine has lost oil      pressure and we're shutting it down.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The radio was quiet for a few long seconds. Allard and Blake shut      down the malfunctioning engine and trimmed the aircraft's rudder      to compensate for the off-center thrust.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Speedbird 337, you are cleared to flight level two-seven-zero,      understand number-three engine out. Are you declaring an emergency      at this time?\" asked the controller.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Allard looked at his copilot. \"Take her down to two-seven-zero as      soon as we hit driftdown speed.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Center, 337 leaving flight level three-niner-zero for      two-seven-zero. That's negative, repeat, negative on the      emergency. We don't know the cause of the pressure loss yet but      the other three engines are running smoothly.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Roger, Speedbird 337. Confirm you are an A380?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"That's affirmative, Center.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Speedbird 337, nearest capable alternate airport is Esfahan,      approximately sixty miles northwest of your position. Would you      like vectors to the alternate?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Center, 337, negative on the alternate. We are proceeding on      course, descending through flight level three-six-zero. We're      going to look at restarting our number three once we reach      engine-out altitude.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Understood, Speedbird 337. Maintain heading one-two-five degrees,      flight level two-seven-zero, and keep us advised of your status.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Maintain heading one-two-five, Speedbird 337,\" confirmed Allard.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When the aircraft started its descent, most of the passengers felt      a touch of weightlessness before their seat belts pulled them      down. Flight attendants walked down the pitched aisles, waking the      sleeping passengers and enforcing the seat-belt rule. Questions      from the passengers were politely deflected despite the clearly      elevated vigilance on the part of the crew.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Captain Allard picked up the handset for the internal public      address system as the aircraft descended.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain. You may have noticed      that we've slowed down and descended over the past few minutes.      Everything is fine. We'll soon be leveling off at twenty-seven      thousand feet where we're going to stay for a bit. One of our      engines was acting up so we decided to shut it down until we can      correct the problem and get it restarted. The A380 is designed to      fly quite well with only three engines and can get by with two if      necessary. In the meantime, please listen to your flight      attendants and remain in your seats. We will keep you apprised of      the situation. Thank you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The pilots spent a few minutes preparing to restart the idle      engine but the warning lights flashed again. The mood in the      cockpit remained businesslike despite the mounting problems.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Blake spoke calmly. \"We've just lost Yellow hydraulic pressure.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The forces involved in moving the control surfaces on such a large      aircraft were enormous. Without hydraulics to move the rudder,      ailerons, and elevator, the pilots would be unable to maneuver the      plane. The hydraulic systems were so critical that the A380 had      two systems, Green and Yellow, to prevent a single failure from      turning into a catastrophe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"OK. What's Green system pressure and quantity?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Blake was already looking at his monitor.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Green is at 96 percent.\" He paused for a moment. \"Make that 94      percent. Quantity is definitely falling. We may have a leak.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The pilots ran through a checklist to locate the cause of the      problem. Years earlier, a Qantas Airways A380 had suffered a      hydraulic failure after an engine exploded just after takeoff. The      explosion had also been preceded by an oil-pressure loss. Only the      skill of the crew, and much good luck, had allowed the aircraft to      land safely.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The air traffic controller had just finished handling a domestic      Iran Air flight when Blake switched his radio back to the air      traffic control frequency.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Tehran Center, Speedbird 337 . . .\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Speedbird 337, this is Tehran Center, what is your status?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Center, our number three is still out, we've lost primary      hydraulic pressure and are running on our secondary systems.      Requesting vectors to the nearest capable alternate.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Stand by, 337,\" ordered the controller before the radio went      quiet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A minute later, the controller returned. \"Speedbird 337, turn left      heading three-one-zero and descend and maintain flight level      one-eight-zero. Prepare for landing at Beheshti International.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Allard and Blake looked at each other. The captain smiled, then      shook his head.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Blake keyed his microphone and calmly said, \"Center, Speedbird      337. Unable to comply.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Speedbird 337, this is Tehran Center . . . Please say again.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The radio was quiet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Speedbird 337, this is Tehran Center. Please acknowledge.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e There was silence from the cockpit.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTwo\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Area Control Center, Sector Two, was a cold, modern room dominated      by computer monitors and communications equipment. The radio      frequency handling Flight 337 was being broadcast over the      loudspeakers and all eyes were on the air traffic controller      working the flight. The veteran controller had worked planes with      communications trouble, aircraft that had strayed off course, and      even emergencies, but no one had ever disobeyed an instruction      before. He looked over his shoulder for guidance from the sector      chief.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Why won't he divert to Beheshti?\" shouted the chief.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The controller turned back to his monitor. Radar showed the      British Airways flight continuing on course.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"They seem to be losing altitude and their course is oscillating.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"If they are going to avoid the restricted airspace they must      divert now. Raise them again,\" the chief ordered.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Speedbird 337, this is Tehran Center. Come in.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e For reasons of national security, safety, or even recreation, most      countries have restricted airspace. Some parts of the sky are      simply off-limits to aircraft that don't have permission to be      there, and the airspace in front of the struggling Airbus was most      definitely off-limits.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Speedbird 337, this is Tehran Center. Do you copy?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The chief became angrier as the seconds passed in silence. \"I am      willing to believe we have an aircraft in distress if they      communicate and divert, but they cannot simply ignore us. We have      to assume a possible Trojan horse. Alert Western Area Command.      Tell them we have an unresponsive aircraft and an imminent      violation of the airspace around Sirjan.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The turbulent politics of the Middle East had led Iran to put      military officers or reservists in control of its civilian air      traffic control centers, and the Trojan horse scenario was one      that all of their air defense specialists had studied. With air      traffic control radar unable to distinguish an A380 on a routine      passenger flight from a B-52 bomber intent on attacking Iran's      nuclear facilities, controllers could only establish an aircraft's      bona fides by assessing the pilot's communication, behavior, and      pre-filed flight plan, all of which could be faked. This plane was      already in central Iran and headed toward prohibited airspace,      which was even more sensitive than restricted airspace. But the      Iranians were ready.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e With wars to its west and north, and unfriendly aircraft regularly      patrolling the Persian Gulf to its south, Iran had fighter jets      and surface-to-air missiles stationed throughout much of the      country.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A technician in the air traffic control center picked up the third      of several red phones on a console and spoke rapidly to the air      force officer on the other end.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Western Command, we have a foreign aircraft headed toward the      Sirjan prohibited area, possible Trojan horse. Aircraft is one      hundred and twenty nautical miles southeast of Esfahan, heading      one-three-zero, twenty-five thousand feet . . . Aircraft has      ignored instructions and is not answering its radio . . .\" The      technician listened for a minute. \"I understand. One moment.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He held the phone at his side and pointed at the map on the      computer screen in front of him as he spoke to the chief of      center.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"In a few minutes they will exit the SAM net around Esfahan. If      they continue on this course they won't be within range of the      S-200 battery at Bandar Abbas or the HAWK battery in Sirjan for      another twenty-five minutes. They're flying through a hole in our      defensive net. They'll be in Southern Sector before Western can      scramble fighters or launch a missile.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The chief scowled. \"Raise Southern Area Command right now. Do we      have any interceptors in Kerman?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The technician spoke into another of the red phones and relayed      his conversation to the chief.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Kerman is still not operational because of the earthquake.      Southern can scramble two F-14s from Shiraz in ten minutes, but      their radar is down. They're asking us what to do.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The chief studied the digital map on the screen of the controller      in front of him. With his finger on the screen, he traced the      probable course of the violator.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Tell them to launch the fighters and alert the SAM battery in      Sirjan. We'll coordinate from here.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The technician relayed the orders and hung up the handset. He was      a patriotic man, but he knew that the aircraft in question was      almost certainly a civilian airliner with engine troubles.      Shooting it down would kill the hundreds of passengers aboard. He      stared at the computer monitor in front of him, willing the giant      Airbus to turn around.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The very real threat of an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities      ensured that its interceptors were kept on a high state of alert.      The fighters based in Shiraz were American-made F-14As that had      been sold to Iran before the 1979 revolution. Despite its age, the      F-14 was still a formidable air superiority fighter, and it would      make quick work of a commercial airliner. Each of the two fighters      carried a pilot and a weapons officer. In the thirty-second      briefing they were given before they jogged to the flight line,      the four aviators were told only that a foreign aircraft had      disobeyed instructions, ceased communications with air traffic      control, and was flying into prohibited airspace. No mention was      made that there might be passengers aboard or equipment troubles.      The fighters were to intercept the aircraft and await further      orders. Typically they would force the jet to land at an airfield      away from the forbidden airspace, but the fighters carried live      weapons and the pilots were well trained. They would follow the      orders they were given.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e At the Seventh Tactical Airbase outside Shiraz, the lead fighter      throttled up and lit its afterburners, sending cones of flame      erupting from the engines as it rocketed into the afternoon sky.      When the second fighter was airborne and formed up with his lead,      the pair banked hard left and turned to their intercept course.      The planes' variable aspect wings swept back to their high-speed      positions and the fighters accelerated rapidly to just under Mach      1.5. They would cover the one hundred twenty-five miles to the      Airbus in less than ten minutes. The big jet would be in missile      range in less than five.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e While the chief and the technician coordinated the intercept of      the troubled airliner, the original controller tried repeatedly to      raise the British Airways flight. In addition to the established      VHF radio frequency, he broadcasted over the 121.5 MHz      emergency-use frequency, which all aircraft monitored. The Airbus      was nonresponsive.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The controller addressed the chief again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Sir, the target aircraft is ninety miles from Sirjan but has      slowed and lost altitude. Airspeed is down to two hundred twenty      knots and altitude is erratic around flight level two-forty. Their      troubles may be worsening.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Then why are they not descending and diverting to Esfahan as      ordered? They are strictly forbidden to enter this area.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The technician was on the phone again. \"Sir, the fighters are      fifty miles out and have the target on radar. Southern Command is      not going to let that aircraft reach Sirjan.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The chief hesitated. Every muscle in his face was strained.","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302070767845,"sku":"NP9780399585753","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780399585753.jpg?v=1767743607","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/warning-light-isbn-9780399585753","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}