Chapter By Chapter> Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Mirror Image chapter 45

Chapter by Chapter features me reading one chapter (or possibly multiple chapter for this one) of the selected book at the time and reviewing it as if I were reviewing an episode of a TV show or an issue of a comic. There will be spoilers if you haven’t read to the point I have, and if you’ve read further I ask that you don’t spoil anything further into the book. Think of it as read-along book club.

This may be the only decent article I get out this week due to…well, I put updates in the Jake & Leon comic posts for a reason.

Last chapter we separated the heroes from the villains. This chapter we’re checking in with the definite heroes.

We have a quarter of the book to go, but being one of the longer books means I’m out of ways to intro this. Good thing the series explanation takes up so much space. Let’s get just get into today’s chapter.

Chapter 45> Tuesday, 8:35 AM, south of the Arctic Circle

It’s another one of those useless information chapters. Unless pointing out the connection of the coaxial cable to the radio is going to factor into this story, and I doubt it since Chekov’s is the only gun we don’t seem to see talked about in this book, there’s no reason to go over all these details. I’m not planning to invade a former enemy turned potential ally to stop the return of communism anytime soon. Not in my condition. The end of the chapter has Squires remembering the period where he helped attempt to create new types of self-camouflaging uniforms and gear and how it didn’t quite work out. I’m betting that really isn’t going to come up later.

In between there is some new information as Rodgers calls to remind them of the limited time they have and to give us an update. Apparently Nikita has taken on civilians. I don’t remember Orlov giving his son those instructions, but it does make it harder to just go in there and get into the cargo. They’re going to have to clear the train and then look in the boxes, then get out in what little time they have without losing a Striker member. They also can’t just shoot the soldiers, which Rodgers calls “enemy soldiers” but are they? Nikita and his team haven’t signed on to the attempted restoration of the Soviet way and doesn’t even know about it. Op-Center and his dad are just figuring it out and nobody’s told him yet. Now if he signs on with Dogin and Rossky against his father, then he’s the bad guy and…sorry, Orlov, but your son gotta go down! If he sides with the good guys against the coup attempt, then he’s one of the good guys and you have another ally. Pardon the expression, but you’re jumping the gun here, Mike. Even us readers don’t know whose side Nikita will take.

Next time the rest of the mission reaches Russia. Will our heroes be able to meet up with Orlov Sr and stop Commie Op-Center from fulfilling that nickname? Stick around and find out.