Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Operation Barracuda
Encyclopedia
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Operation Barracuda is a 2005
novel in the 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 9 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.
and Russia
, Third Echelon is continuing its investigation into how the Shop had previously managed to gain the identity of a number of Splinter Cells and murder them, another plot element from the first book.
However, when a German scientist named Jeinsen, who had defected to the United States from East Germany long ago, goes missing and then reappears dead in Hong Kong
, heads begin to turn. Jeinsen had developed 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 had involvement. 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 Chinese
general named Lan Tun, with ambitions to invade and conquer Taiwan
.
With Sam Fisher not even aware that he is the world's only hope of stopping an international crisis, he has to balance his job and a new romantic relationship that he is hoping will finally bring happiness to his life.
Ultimately, General Tun threatens to use the submarine vehicle to detonate an MRUUV (a very deadly nuclear bomb) off the coast of California
, destroying LA
with a massive tsunami
, unless America abandons Taiwan
when it is invaded by China
. Fisher manages to foil the plot, and all the conspirators involved including the traitor, the general, and the Shop are viciously gunned down. The attack on Taiwan is a failure, as the Taiwanese military, with backup from the United States Navy, fends off the invading forces in a matter of hours.
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 Field Runner for the program in Third Echelon. She is responsible for handling weapons and transportation for a Splinter Cell. Fisher is against the Field Runner program.
An international arms dealer and head of the shadowy organization known as The Shop. He was receiving information about Fisher's mission and objectives from an ex-CIA operative named Mason Hendricks, who he nicknamed The Benefactor. 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 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. Hendricks resurfaced later and was seen with Zdrok, revealing his treachery. He was gunned down in Tun's headquarters either by Ming or his Triads.
A highly skilled Russian Mafia
hitman
working for The Shop. He attempts to kill Sam multiple times. When Sam is walking with Katia Loenstern, a stray bullet
from Putnik hits her and kills her. Sam is enraged and eventually kills Putnik at Tun's headquarters.
Antipov is Zdrok's right hand man in The Shop. It is revealed that he is an ex-KGB
colonel and has a reputation for being a sadist
. He is eventually found and interrogated
by Fisher, who executes him with a bullet to the head.
An ex-judge from East Germany and a member of Zdrok's committee. Herzog is later killed either by Ming or his Triads in the attack on Tun's headquarters.
A Russian army general and member of Zdrok's committee. His area of operations is Russia
. 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 Prokofiev 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.
Head of the triad called the Lucky Dragons, Ming lured Jeinsen into giving him the guidance system to a nuclear warhead. Ming was planning to sell it to The Shop, but decided against it when he learned Zdrok had sold the MRUUV he had acquired from Jeinsen to General Lan Tun, a hard-liner Communist in the Chinese army
. Ming and the other Triads all hated Communism
and Tun. Fisher allies with Ming and when Fisher is captured in Tun's headquarters, Ming breaks him out. Unfortunately, Tun had already left the base. Ming's whereabouts are unknown at the end of the book.
A scientist who defected from East Germany in 1971 and was smuggled out in a laundry car. Jeinsen took up a job developing weapons for the United States
but, unsatisfied with his pay, defects to China
. A Mr. Wong who is really Jon Ming, tells him to deliver the guidance system to a nuclear warhead to Hong Kong. Jeinsen is killed so that Ming can erase the link between him and Jeinsen.
A hard-liner communist in the Chinese army. He hatches a plan to invade Taiwan
, which he believes is rightfully China's and plans to use 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's is driven out of Taiwan and his ship is destroyed, with Tun and many sailors aboard.
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.
2005 in literature
The year 2005 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*February 25 - Canada Reads selects Rockbound by Frank Parker Day as the novel to be read across the nation....
novel in the Splinter Cell
Splinter Cell
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is a series of stealth video games, the first of which was released in 2002, and their tie-in novels. The protagonist, Sam Fisher, is presented as a highly-trained agent of a fictional black-ops sub-division within the NSA, dubbed "Third Echelon"...
series and a sequel to the 2004
2004 in literature
The year 2004 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* Canada Reads selects Guy Vanderhaeghe's The Last Crossing to be read across the nation....
novel Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (novel)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is a 2004 novel told in the first person by author Raymond Benson, writing under the pseudonym David Michaels. The novel is based on the video game series Splinter Cell created by author Tom Clancy...
. Both novels were written by Raymond Benson
Raymond Benson
Raymond Benson is an American author best known for being the official author of the adult James Bond novels from 1997 to 2003. Benson was born in Midland, Texas and graduated from Permian High School in Odessa in 1973...
under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
David Michaels
David Michaels
David Michaels is a pseudonym for the authors of novels in the Splinter Cell, EndWar, H.A.W.X , and Ghost Recon series, all of which were created by Ubisoft Entertainment and developed under Ubisoft's Tom Clancy license...
. The book was released on November 1, 2005 and reached number 9 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
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
black-ops agent Sam Fisher.
Plot summary
Taking place almost a year after the first novel, the plot picks up with Third Echelon attempting to search and bring to justice the members of The Shop, an international arms dealing ring that played a large part in the first novel. While Sam Fisher is working to collect information on The Shop in UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Third Echelon is continuing its investigation into how the Shop had previously managed to gain the identity of a number of Splinter Cells and murder them, another plot element from the first book.
However, when a German scientist named Jeinsen, who had defected to the United States from East Germany long ago, goes missing and then reappears dead in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, heads begin to turn. Jeinsen had developed a new submarine vehicle for the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, 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 had involvement. 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 Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
general named Lan Tun, with ambitions to invade and conquer Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
With Sam Fisher not even aware that he is the world's only hope of stopping an international crisis, he has to balance his job and a new romantic relationship that he is hoping will finally bring happiness to his life.
Ultimately, General Tun threatens to use the submarine vehicle to detonate an MRUUV (a very deadly nuclear bomb) off the coast of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, destroying LA
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
with a massive tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
, unless America abandons Taiwan
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
when it is invaded by China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. Fisher manages to foil the plot, and all the conspirators involved including the traitor, the general, and the Shop are viciously gunned down. The attack on Taiwan is a failure, as the Taiwanese military, with backup from the United States Navy, fends off the invading forces in a matter of hours.
Characters
- Sam Fisher
A Splinter Cell operative and main protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the story. A professional Third Echelon operative, trained in all manner of covert activities, ranging from espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
to assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
.
- Irving Lambert
Head of Third Echelon and Fisher's handler.
- Carly St. John
A technical analyst for Third Echelon, she is very skilled in her work. She is later killed
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
by Mike Wu (aka Mike Chan) because she was about to uncover the source of the information leak at Third Echelon.
- Anna Grimsdottir
Technical Director for Third Echelon, she returns from psych leave when Carly St. John is killed.
- Frances Coen
The first Field Runner for the program in Third Echelon. She is responsible for handling weapons and transportation for a Splinter Cell. Fisher is against the Field Runner program.
- Andrei Zdrok
An international arms dealer and head of the shadowy organization known as The Shop. He was receiving information about Fisher's mission and objectives from an ex-CIA operative named Mason Hendricks, who he nicknamed The Benefactor. Zdrok is captured by the Lucky Dragons at Tun's headquarters in Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
. Fisher punches Zdrok in the face with brass knuckles, breaking his facial bone plate. Zdrok later dies in the hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
.
- Mason Hendricks
A veteran CIA operative who resided in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
for a long time, Hendricks assisted Fisher in some operations there. He was presumed dead when his home was burned down by triads. Hendricks resurfaced later and was seen with Zdrok, revealing his treachery. He was gunned down in Tun's headquarters either by Ming or his Triads.
- Yvan Putnik
A highly skilled Russian Mafia
Russian Mafia
The Russian Mafia is a name applied to organized crime syndicates in Russia and Ukraine. The mafia in various countries take the name of the country, as for example the Ukrainian mafia....
hitman
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
working for The Shop. He attempts to kill Sam multiple times. When Sam is walking with Katia Loenstern, a stray bullet
Bullet
A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration...
from Putnik hits her and kills her. Sam is enraged and eventually kills Putnik at Tun's headquarters.
- Anton Antipov
Antipov is Zdrok's right hand man in The Shop. It is revealed that he is an ex-KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
colonel and has a reputation for being a sadist
Sadism and masochism as medical terms
In psychiatry, the terms sadism and masochism describe a personality type characterized by the actor or actrix deriving pleasure and gratification from inflicting physical pain and humiliation ; and from suffering pain and humiliation upon the self ; such pleasure often is sexual, but not...
. He is eventually found and interrogated
Interrogation
Interrogation is interviewing as commonly employed by officers of the police, military, and Intelligence agencies with the goal of extracting a confession or obtaining information. Subjects of interrogation are often the suspects, victims, or witnesses of a crime...
by Fisher, who executes him with a bullet to the head.
- Oskar Herzog
An ex-judge from East Germany and a member of Zdrok's committee. Herzog is later killed either by Ming or his Triads in the attack on Tun's headquarters.
- Stefan Prokofiev
A Russian army general and member of Zdrok's committee. His area of operations is Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Fisher breaks into his house in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to retrieve blueprints from a safe, but is found by Prokofiev's wife
Wife
A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
. He convinces her that her husband is cheating on her by showing her pictures of Prokofiev going out with a model in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. Enraged, his wife shoots him when he arrives home, severing his spine
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
and shooting him in the head. Amazingly, he survives, but is paralyzed for life.
- Jon Ming
Head of the triad called the Lucky Dragons, Ming lured Jeinsen into giving him the guidance system to a nuclear warhead. Ming was planning to sell it to The Shop, but decided against it when he learned Zdrok had sold the MRUUV he had acquired from Jeinsen to General Lan Tun, a hard-liner Communist in the Chinese army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
. Ming and the other Triads all hated Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
and Tun. Fisher allies with Ming and when Fisher is captured in Tun's headquarters, Ming breaks him out. Unfortunately, Tun had already left the base. Ming's whereabouts are unknown at the end of the book.
- Gregory Jeinsen
A scientist who defected from East Germany in 1971 and was smuggled out in a laundry car. Jeinsen took up a job developing weapons for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
but, unsatisfied with his pay, defects to China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. A Mr. Wong who is really Jon Ming, tells him to deliver the guidance system to a nuclear warhead to Hong Kong. Jeinsen is killed so that Ming can erase the link between him and Jeinsen.
- Lan Tun
A hard-liner communist in the Chinese army. He hatches a plan to invade Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, which he believes is rightfully China's and plans to use a nuclear weapon (purchased from The Shop) planted in the ocean near Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
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's is driven out of Taiwan and his ship is destroyed, with Tun and many sailors aboard.
- Mike Wu
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.
- Eddie Wu
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.
- Katia Loenstern
Sam's Krav Maga
Krav Maga
Krav Maga is a noncompetitive eclectic self-defense system developed in Europe that involves striking techniques, wrestling and grappling. Krav Maga is known for its focus on real-world situations and extremely efficient, brutal counter-attacks...
instructor and girlfriend. She is later accidentally killed by Yvan Putnik when the latter attempted to assassinate Sam Fisher.
- Sergeant Kim Lee Wei
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.
- Jimmy
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.
- Harry Dagger
A minor ally of Fisher, he runs a bookshop.