Flight of the Black Swan — J.M. Erickson

Flight of the Black Swan is an action/adventure novella from the Birds of Flight series. Departing from the full novel format, this novella takes off right where Falcon left off with action and unresolved questions. Based on the series' rich storyline, complex plot, and layered characters, this novella assumes that the reader has read the four prior books �" Albatross, Raven, Eagle and Falcon. In just under 100 pages, we better understand Alexander Burns's involvement in the Black Swan's emergence. Dr. Volkov Volkonoff's appearance and request not only clarify what is at risk for the United States but he sets Cuban and Russian operatives in motion in Montreal, Canada. Meanwhile, Diane Welch, Steve Anderson and John Helms lead their new grouping of younger Allied Federation International professionals �" Davis, Cratty, Dillon and Ramsey �" into units across the globe to locate the fugitives Alica Wise, Jeffery Glenn, and the organized crime family of Regina and Angelo Panelli. Yet at the center of the “storm and stress” are the enigmatic Alexander Burns and the eccentric though brilliant Rachael Margarita Janeson. While Burns's expertise for counter-terrorism, logistics and field work are well known, Janeson's keen mind and photographic memory make her a walking control and command center that is no longer aligned with the United States. Should Burns and Janeson ever join forces, the geopolitical world could change overnight and the intelligence community may pay a steep price.