- Black Wind (Dirk Pitt novel)
Infobox Book |
name = Black Wind
image_caption = 1st Edition Hardcover
author =Clive Cussler &Dirk Cussler
cover_artist = Lawrence Ratzkin
country =United States
language = English
series =Dirk Pitt Novels
genre =Adventure ,Techno-thriller
publisher =G.P. Putnam's Sons
release_date =November 30 ,2004 1st Edition Hardcover
media_type = Print (Hardcover )
pages = 530 (Hardcover edition)
isbn = ISBN 0-399-15259-8
preceded_by =Trojan Odyssey
followed_by =Treasure of Khan "Black Wind" is an adventure
novel byClive Cussler andDirk Cussler . This book centers on a relatively new character to the book series,Dirk Pitt, Jr. The plot involves a
North Korea n plot to launch abiological warfare attack on theUnited States , creating an opportunity for the invasion and annexation ofSouth Korea . Dirk Pitt Jr., his father, and his sister Summer must foil the plot and expose the plotters before a deadlytoxin can be spread inCalifornia .The story’s historical prologue is set in
1945 . The commanding officer of the I-403, a JapaneseI-400 class submarine , is given orders to launch a mysterious attack on the United States, a mission involving Japan’s notorious biological warfare group,Unit 731 . The I-403 reaches America’s northwest coast, but is sunk before the mission can be carried out.The story proper begins in the present-day
Aleutian islands , where a team ofCDC researchers, including beautiful fieldepidemiologist Sarah Matson, are unexpectedly infected by a deadly mystery illness; they are rescued by Dirk Pitt, Jr. (hereinafter Pitt Jr), who is nearby on aNUMA research vessel. Pitt Jr, with friend and coworker Jack Dahlgren, return to the site to investigate but theirhelicopter is downed by gunfire from a mysterious trawler. They survive, eventually determining that the illness resulted from a toxic compound ofcyanide andsmallpox .In
Japan , the U.S.ambassador is golfing with his British counterpart when he is assassinated by asniper , Tongju. Tongju later assassinates the ambassador’s deputy and asemiconductor executive, leaving clues that appear to identify him as a member of a Japaneseterrorist group.Investigating the toxin, Pitt Jr consults marine-history researcher St. Julien Perlmutter, who finds records of the I-403. Pitt Jr and Dahlgren find and dive on the sunken I-403, but its mysterious
ordnance has been removed. Meanwhile in thePhilippines ,Dirk Pitt senior (hereinafter referred to simply as Dirk) and his friend and colleague Al Giordano are also discovering forgotten Japanese ordnance that is poisoning marine life.In South Korea Dae-jong Kang, a multi-millionaire
industrialist , is secretly a North Koreansleeper agent who has been using corruption to press for rapid reunification of the divided peninsula. Kang reviews his plans with his assistant; they include framing a U.S. serviceman for the murder of a South Korean girl to foment unrest, while Tongju retrieves more of theWWII toxin from a second sunken submarine. Learning of the interference of Pitt Jr, Kang sends assassins to eliminate him.The assassins fail to kill Pitt Jr and Matson on Vashon Island; Pitt Jr is just able to jump his recently-purchased
1958 Chrysler 300-Dconvertible aboard theVashon Island Ferry , while Kang’s assassins crash their blackCadillac CTS .NUMA researcher Hiram Yeager has discovered that the toxic ordnance was also carried by a Japanese
submarine lost in theSouth China Sea . Pitt Jr joins his sister Summer and father aboard a NUMAsalvage vessel that locates the wreck, but Tongju and hiscommando team seize the vessel. After taking the recovered toxin and kidnapping Dirk and Summer, the North Koreans sabotage the salvage ship and leave the imprisoned crew to drown, but Pitt senior is able to help everyone escape.Pitt Jr and Summer are taken to Kang’s
yacht , where the multimillionaire taunts them with a general threat of infecting the U.S. with the hybrid toxin, then leaves them to drown. They are able to escape (with the aid of Clive Cussler) and make their way to the United States.Unaware of the exact nature of Kang’s plan, the NUMA team coordinates with government agencies to search for
cargo vessel s that might be carrying the toxin. However the real plan goes forward as Tongju and his commando team pirate a seabornerocket -launching platform, preparing to fire a toxin-ladenwarhead at aG8 summit meeting inLos Angeles . When Dirk and Giordano spot the launch platform from ablimp , a deadly countdown begins.In the final showdown, Pitt Jr and a team of
U.S. Navy SEAL s infiltrate Kang's base as he prepares his final getaway aboard his luxuryyacht .
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