Mirage

Claire lost her husband Gabriel during the tsunami in 2004. His body was never found. Back at home in Paris, she discovered that she was pregnant. Her son Zack arrived into the world a few months later.

That was 15 years ago.

Since then, Claire has started a new life with her partner Lukas. And after a decade of mourning and professional purgatory, she has just landed her dream job in Abu Dhabi.

In this modern-day Babel sprung from the sand, Claire fully intends to start living again. They settle in easily despite the fact that the job is not as great as expected. The tightknit community of international expats proves to be warm and helpful—a protective cocoon where everyone knows one another.

And then one night at a restaurant, Claire sees her deceased husband Gabriel’s reflection in a window. She attempts to follow him, but he’s already gone. The day after, she decides to search for him. She desperately needs the truth. She doesn’t know yet but it’s going to be a very long journey…

Little does Claire know that tracking down her ex-lover Gabriel will lead to a world of problems. Gabriel, a former mercenary for a private military corporation called Asgard, has been on the run for 15 years. Asgard has a score to settle with Gabriel, and when Claire stirs up his trail, they pick it up. Gabriel can only buy his freedom by blackmailing Asgard. He has proof the contractors are plotting to sabotage the nuclear power plant in Al Razah. Gabriel is an old hand at nuclear sabotage, having carried it out in Kazakhstan. At that time, Claire was his unsuspecting accomplice.

This time around, she agrees to help Gabriel. In exchange, she will be cleared of involvement in the Kazakh accident, a stain on her career. Plus, a similar tragedy will be avoided.

To rescue Gabriel, Claire needs to learn basic espionage techniques. Her target is Birgit, a former Hexatom coworker (the owner of the Kazakh nuclear plant), now in charge of IT security at Al Razah. Claire must also resign herself to lying to Lukas and Zack. Gabriel’s son Zack has absolutely no idea the charismatic diving instructor is his dad. Claire embarks on a double life, guilt-ridden but finds the work thrilling. To deal with the discoveries she makes in the shadowy world of counterespionage, she draws on inner resources she never knew she had.

Gabriel, having failed to gain access to the plant, now has the police and Asgard on his trail. Claire decides to enter the power plant herself, despite the risks. The last-chance mission pushes her to the brink. She discovers she has a true secret agent’s courage and improvisational talent. She also veers dangerously close to Gabriel.

Unfortunately, cruel revelations emerge in the mission’s aftermath. This time, industrial espionage is a side issue. Claire, overwhelmed by the geopolitical forces surrounding her, must save her own skin, and protect those she loves. Starting with her son Zack…