Perdition's Daughters

Book excerpt: Daniel Temple is a retired SAS officer and the silent partner in Mead Associates, a security advisory service established with his old CO and friend Richard Mead. All he wants is a normal life - but, unbeknown to Daniel, Richard has been engaged in some shady dealings with the Russian mafia, which lead to the abduction of his daughters, Elizabeth and Jennifer. Taken to Russia, the girls are plunged into the dark and sordid world of human trafficking and sexual slavery, pawns in a power struggle between Bosnian war criminal Zoran Durakovic and Russian Mafia boss, Sergei Kozlov. In desperation, Richard Mead turns to Daniel Temple, the only man he trusts to find his daughters and bring them home alive. Armed with only his skills, training, ice-cold nerve and a rudimentary plan, Daniel tracks down the girls and goes in alone to the Bosnian stronghold of Durakovic. He is presented with a deal he cannot refuse – assassinate Sergei Kozlov and rescue the girls and Richard Mead’s debt will be considered paid in full.Daniel wins favour with the evil Sergei Kozlov, becoming a hired gun in the escalating mafia power struggle. Infiltrating the heart of the organisation, Daniel cleverly begins to turn the tables, pitting Kozlov against Durakovic. But before he can implement the final part of his plan, Daniel meets a new member of Kozlov’s team, Karl Mertz, ex-German special forces and someone he recognises. Knowing his cover is blown, Daniel starts a desperate race against time. Freeing Elizabeth and Jennifer, they flee on foot through the freezing Russian winter. Evading capture, Daniel leads the girls safety. But this time, Kozlov is one step ahead and Daniel is forced to abandon their escape route. Cornered, injured and unarmed in the frozen Russian wilderness, he prepares to make his final stand...