Natasha Bajema

Rescind Order

The U.S. government might consider enhancing nuclear weapons with artificial intelligence. What could possibly go wrong?

The year is 2033. With warfare taking place at the speed of machines, the decision-making window for launching nuclear weapons is closing fast. To prevent nuclear adversaries from exploiting a time advantage, the U.S. government relies upon an automated nuclear command and control system, designed to rapidly deliver nuclear weapons.

Two Chinese nuclear-armed submarines go missing in U.S. coastal waters in the middle of China’s scheduled war game, putting everyone at the White House on edge.

As vice president, Susan Tolley never imagines having to pull the nuclear trigger. Until the president mysteriously drops dead, and she’s sworn into office as commander-in-chief on the same day. Even though she dreads making the decision to use nuclear weapons, Susan likes handing over control to a machine even less.

When her uncle and the former president’s chief of staff gets fired, Dr. Morgan Shaw, a nuclear weapons expert at the White House, worries she might be next to go—especially since she’s crossed wires with Susan on a few occasions. But that’s the least of her concerns.

Amidst heightening tensions with China, Morgan discovers some troubling information about the algorithms that operate the Department of Defense’s automated nuclear command and control system.

Before Susan and Morgan have time to sort out their differences, a major crisis breaks out between the United States and China, bringing both countries to the brink of nuclear war. After the automated command and control system detects an incoming nuclear attack, it automatically gives the launch order. Due to technical failures of early warning satellites, Susan is unable to verify if missiles armed with nuclear weapons are heading for targets in the U.S. or if the automated system detected a false alarm.

With only eight minutes and fifty-three seconds to issue the rescind order, Susan must decide whether to trust the machine or to go with her gut instinct. She’s the only person with authority to stop the automated system from launching a retaliatory nuclear attack and locking the U.S. into a nuclear war. Meanwhile, Morgan struggles to reach the president in time to share the dark truths about the automated system.

Will Morgan get to the president in time? Will Susan even listen to her advice? Will the United States and China end up going to nuclear war?

Rescind Order presents a heart-pumping story of U.S. decisionmakers navigating a nuclear crisis during a complex era of autonomous systems, social media communication, and deep fakes videos. If you enjoy suspenseful technothrillers, then you’ll love the first book in a new series from long-time national security expert, Natasha Bajema.

Coming soon…

Project Gecko

Secrets turn deadly in the streets of Washington D.C.

When a young man scales a ten-story building assisted by high tech military-grade gear and falls to his death below, private investigator Lara Kingsley knows her powerful Chinese client will demand some answers. But she doesn’t realize she’s about to get swept into a deadly, international technology race between the United States and China.

As Lara begins a desperate mission to prove the man’s death was a homicide and restore her professional reputation, she uncovers a Top Secret Pentagon project and confronts a complex world of nanotechnology, neural implants, and passenger drones.

To solve the murder and stop Chinese operatives from stealing vital defense technologies, Lara must enlist the help of her AI-powered virtual assistant, her ex-boyfriend, and an ill-tempered detective from the D.C. Metropolitan police.

Just how far will Lara go to protect national security and prevent China from gaining critical advantages on the battlefield of the future?

Project Gecko is book two in the Lara Kingsley Series, which weaves together elements of mystery, techno-thriller, and science fiction. If you liked Bionic Bug, then you’ll love the latest installment of Natasha Bajema’s action-packed mystery series.

Buy Project Gecko to join Lara and her team on their latest exciting adventure.