Author Description

Ian and Vicki Utz are married spies who really know how to love - their kids, their friends and aviation. They especially know how to romance each other. Besides being CIA spies, both are top Air Force pilots. "Mach 6" is their plum assignment after an extraordinary encounter told in the book, "Complexity." Venerable CIA agent Oliver Bakker, whose past exploits are still far above Top Secret, finds himself cleverly framed for murdering his best friend. If he goes to prison, he'd last a month, because his mortal enemies control prisons. Moreover several governments might fall. He escapes and fakes suicide, then reads he was acquitted after all. Oh well, dead for a while, he can operate more freely, protecting those he loves. Nearly everyone in "Mach 6" is a spy, a counterspy or a saboteur. They are swirling around the most secret and desired research on earth, a Mach 6 aircraft that Ian and Vicki are developing at Area-51. Most nations want the aircraft. Some would wage war to get it, or its plans. A shadowy conspiracy of twelve, with tentacles squeezing the highest levels of many governments covets the technology most of all. Competing agents are trying to create, protect, steal and destroy what will become a multi trillion dollar industry - the secret of Mach 6 flight. There is an unobtainable material wryly named Non-Existium because it is a stretchy aircraft skin that will withstand the white heat of Mach 6 air friction. It must be invented. Even if it can be made, how does one keep Mach 6 air from blowing out the flame in any jet engine that can also run both at takeoff and landing speeds? Then what about the four undiscovered speed barriers between Mach 1 and Mach 6, each potent enough to rip an ordinary plane to shreds? This book has given NASA ideas. Recently, they trotted out a Gulfstream using hingeless flaps like the Spectre in this novel. In the 21st century, who really needs an aircraft tail