The author introduced Afghanistan veteran Jim Chapel in the 2013 novel, Chimera, and featured him in 2014's The Hydra Protocol. From Wellington's Q & A with Elise Cooper at Crimespree Magazine:Elise Cooper: Why did you make your main character, Jim Chapel, a former Army Ranger?Visit David Wellington's website.
David Wellington: Jim is my way of saying a thank you to the troops. They have done an incredible job. These people are not about entitlements but are extraordinarily responsible. Jim is an emblem of how much I respect and admire our soldiers. I gave him a prosthetic arm because I wanted to show the sacrifices our soldiers make as well as the advancements made on how they work.
EC: Is this plot a warning?
DW: I grew up when Russia was the enemy. Besides my own experiences I did a lot of research to make the plot as realistic as possible. I think we are seeing their true colors today. The KGB tortured people and found ways to destroy them as human beings, which is why I put in the torture scenes. I wanted to show Chapel having absolutely no control. He could not stop what these people were doing to his body. That is the difference between their actions and our actions. No US administration would do those things to another human being. I would never call what was done to the terrorists after 9/11 evil like the torture written in [The Hydra Protocol]....[read on]
The Page 69 Test: Chimera.
The Page 69 Test: The Hydra Protocol.
--Marshal Zeringue