Fearful Master

In the near future, Jason Currie, a Canadian intelligence analyst fluent in Arabic, manages to be seconded to SECOR, the far more powerful replacement of US Homeland Security. He ends up in a detention camp where all other prisoners are Muslims, many American citizens. Rescued by his SECOR superior, General Hawk, he reports to SECOR's L.A. Station. He also meets his old neighbor, Nabil Maron (Bil) but is disillusioned to find him compliant with the Administration's hard-right policies.

America is at war or near-war in several Middle Eastern states. Hawk and Jason visit Khartoum as it falls, where Jason interprets during interrogations and gets in trouble. Back in L.A., he finds that SECOR's analysts access any communication, monitor millions of cameras, and have their own police force. Jason interprets and analyses, but becomes unpopular with colleagues. Hawk, however, seems to enjoy debating him.

Bil's sister, Miriam, an ardent protestor, has fled to Guadalajara. Hawk sends Jason to Mexico to lure her back. Jason is intrigued by her mentor, Professor Manwaring, who has escaped detention and who is now dedicated to the rescue of America from its descent into Christian totalitarianism.

Miriam and Jason become lovers. Jason learns of the ultimate plan to create reserves for American Muslims, to separate them completely from Christian Americans, and so reports to Manwaring. His awe of SECOR deteriorates into doubt.

Manwaring is assassinated. Jason flies to Guadalajara to help Miriam. On his return he attends a spectacle in the Coliseum, with thousands of uniformed SECORs and a hundred thousand spectators. The President in C-in-C's uniform calls for war on Islam to preserve Christian America.

Jason is arrested, then tortured: loud music, water-boarding, fingernails, electric shock and finally rape, but holds out from betraying Miriam just long enough for Hawk to find him. Jason has at last worked out that Hawk has been working with Manwaring's network, and is now a fugitive.

Jason and Hawk escape by boat, under fire from a SECOR patrol, into British Columbia, but Hawk is fatally wounded. Jason and Miriam continue their mission.