Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Operation Barracuda

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell:
Operation Barracuda

Penguin Group U.S. paperback edition
Author David Michaels
Country United States
Language English
Genre Spy novel
Publisher Penguin Group
Publication date
 November 1, 2005
Media type Print (Paperback)
Pages 326 pp (first edition, paperback)
ISBN 0-425-20422-7 (first edition, paperback)
OCLC 62268740
LC Class CPB Box no. 2407 vol. 4
Preceded by Splinter Cell
Followed by Checkmate

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Operation Barracuda is a 2005 novel in the Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series and a sequel to the 2004 novel Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell. Both novels were written by Raymond Benson under the pseudonym David Michaels. The book was released on November 1, 2005 and reached number nine on the NY Times mass market paperback best-seller list.

Operation Barracuda, like its precursor, is told in the first-person from the view of NSA black-ops agent Sam Fisher.

Plot summary

Taking place almost a year after the first novel, Third Echelon attempts to search the members of the arms cartel known as The Shop and bring them to justice. While Sam Fisher is working to collect information on The Shop in Ukraine and Russia, Third Echelon is continuing its investigation into how the Shop uncovered the identities of some Splinter Cells and killed them.

However, when former East German scientist Gregory Jeinsen goes missing and then is found dead in Hong Kong, heads begin to turn. Jeinsen had developed the MRUUV, a new submarine vehicle for the United States Navy that could theoretically carry a nuclear weapon. Sam Fisher is sent to learn why the scientist was in Hong Kong and who killed him; it is suspected that a local group of Triads named the Lucky Dragons did it. What Third Echelon does not yet realize is that Jeinsen, the Lucky Dragons, The Shop, and a traitor inside their own government are all part of a much larger picture involving a rogue PLA general named Lan Tun, with ambitions to invade and conquer Taiwan. It is revealed that Jeinsen's work enabled the Shop and the Lucky Dragons to develop their own MRUUVs and sell it to the Chinese.

On the homefront, Fisher has to balance his job and a new romantic relationship with his Krav Maga instructor, Katia Loenstern. However, a Russian Mafiya sniper hired by The Shop to assassinate Fisher kills Katia instead.

General Tun uses a PLAN ballistic missile submarine to launch a nuclear-equipped MRUUV off the coast of Los Angeles, with the intention of detonating it to trigger a massive tsunami that levels the city; it is an attempt to blackmail the US into not aiding the Taiwanese during the Chinese invasion. Fisher manages to foil the plot with a little help from the Lucky Dragons, and all the conspirators involved including the traitor, the general, and the Shop are viciously gunned down. The Taiwanese military and ships from the US Seventh Fleet work together to stop the Chinese invasion, which the Chinese government itself disowns.

Relieved that his actions have once again saved the world, Fisher reunites with his daughter Sarah and Lambert grants him a leave for one year.

Characters

A Splinter Cell operative and main protagonist of the story. A professional Third Echelon operative, trained in all manner of covert activities, ranging from espionage to assassination.

Head of Third Echelon and Fisher's handler.

A technical analyst for Third Echelon, she is very skilled in her work. She is later killed by Mike Wu (aka Mike Chan) because she was about to uncover the source of the information leak at Third Echelon.

Technical Director for Third Echelon, she returns from psych leave when Carly St. John is killed.

The first member of Third Echelon's Field Runner program, which is responsible for handling weapons and transportation for a Splinter Cell. Frances is assigned to back up Fisher, who believes the Field Runner program is nothing more than deadweight for Splinter Cells.

An international arms dealer and head of the shadowy organization known as The Shop, Zdrok spent the past several months on the run after the events of the first book and is determined to eliminate Fisher. Zdrok is captured by the Lucky Dragons at Tun's headquarters in Fuzhou. Fisher punches Zdrok in the face with brass knuckles, breaking his facial bone plate. Zdrok later dies in the hospital.

A sadist ex-KGB colonel, Antipov is Zdrok's right-hand man in The Shop. Fisher finds him in Hong Kong and interrogates him about the Shop's plans before killing him.

An ex-judge from East Germany and a member of Zdrok's committee. Herzog is later killed in the attack on Tun's headquarters.

An active-duty general in the Russian Army, Prokofiev is the fourth and last member of The Shop. Early in the book, Fisher breaks into his house in Moscow to retrieve blueprints from a safe, but is found by Prokofiev's wife. He convinces her that her husband is cheating on her by showing her pictures of the general going out with a model in Ukraine. Enraged, his wife shoots him when he arrives home, severing his spine and shooting him in the head. Amazingly, he survives, but is paralyzed for life, causing Zdrok to write him off.

A veteran CIA operative who resided in Hong Kong for a long time, Hendricks assisted Fisher in some operations there. He was presumed dead when his home was burned down by Triads. It is later revealed that Hendricks faked his death and is actually colluding with Zdrok, who names him "the Benefactor" and invites him to replace Prokofiev as a member of The Shop. He dies during the Lucky Dragons' attack on Tun's base.

A highly skilled Russian Mafia hitman working for The Shop. He attempts to kill Sam multiple times and attracts his wrath when he accidentally kills Katia Loenstern in Los Angeles. As the Lucky Dragons attack Tun's base, Sam exacts his revenge on Putnik and breaks his neck.

Head of the Lucky Dragons triad, Ming lures Jeinsen into giving him the guidance system for the MRUUV. Ming was planning to sell it to The Shop, but decides against it when he learns Zdrok had sold the MRUUV he had acquired from Jeinsen to hardline PLA General Lan Tun as part of a plan to conquer Taiwan. It is revealed that his mother is in Taiwan and when Fisher explains Tun's plot to him, Ming mobilizes the Lucky Dragons to attack the general's base and frees Fisher. Ming's whereabouts are unknown at the end of the book.

A scientist who defected from East Germany in 1971, Jeinsen took up a job developing weapons for the United States but, unsatisfied with his pay, sells information on the MRUUV to China with help from a "Mr. Wong." At the start of the book, Jeinsen goes to Hong Kong to get his final paycheck and meet Mr. Wong at a nightclub run by the Lucky Dragons, where he is killed.

A hard-line communist, Tun hatches a plan to invade Taiwan, and detonate a nuclear weapon (purchased from The Shop) planted in the ocean near Santa Monica to extort the United States into not retaliating. Tun's plan is later foiled when Fisher hacks into the warhead and sends it out to sea. Tun himself dies when a joint US-Taiwan counterattack destroys his command ship.

Older brother of Eddie Wu and member of the Lucky Dragons posing as a Third Echelon technical analyst. He kills Carly St. John as she is about to discover his true identity. He takes off on a long road trip and ends up killing a U.S policeman who tried to pull him over for a stolen vehicle check. He is later captured at his brother's apartment. He had wanted to sell the MRUUV to Zdrok because Ming wouldn't do so.

Member of the Lucky Dragons and younger brother to Mike Wu. He and his brother planned to sell the MRUUV to Zdrok after Ming refused to do so. He is captured at Tun's headquarters.

Sam's Krav Maga instructor and girlfriend. She is later accidentally killed by Yvan Putnik when the latter attempted to assassinate Sam Fisher.

A Chinese Hong Kong police sergeant patrolling the harbor area. He once solved many minor crime problems but for the first time he experiences his first murder case when he discovers Jeinsen's body.

Sergeant Wei's fisherman acquaintance. He complains about the fish not being caught inadvertently leading Wei to discover the fish are being distracted by Jeinsen's floating corpse.

A minor ally of Fisher, he runs a bookshop.

See also

External links

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