Chapter Seventeen: Zack Hightower Takes on a New Protective Detail
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Zack Hightower lands at London City Airport and is escorted by three of Anton Hinton’s security men to the historic St. Ermin’s Hotel in Westminster. Gareth Wren, Hinton’s chief operating officer and a former special forces soldier, greets him in the lobby. They discuss the security setup: a ten-man team, armed with pistols under special permissions. Zack reveals he is already carrying his own Staccato 9mm. Wren updates him on the failed assassination attempt in Oxford, where Wren personally killed both shooters after Hinton’s bodyguards prioritized evacuating the principal. While they talk, Wren receives news that a former colleague of Hinton’s—a Taiwanese robotics engineer—died when his glider broke apart over Austria. Both men suspect sabotage. Zack learns about Hinton’s vast wealth, his forced partnership with the Chinese state, his monastic lifestyle, and his intense focus on work. Hinton is in teleconferences all day, and Zack is told he will not meet him until evening. Wren explains that Hinton refuses to wear rifle-rated plates, leaving the detail to adapt. Zack accepts the assignment without asking about pay, explaining that he needs a clear purpose. Wren affirms that protecting Hinton is his own mission.
Key Events
- Zack arrives at St. Ermin’s Hotel and receives a briefing from Gareth Wren.
- Wren outlines the ten-man security detail and the London firearms permits.
- Zack shows his concealed Staccato pistol, noting his preference for American‑made weapons over Glocks.
- Wren learns that Hinton’s former business partner died in a glider crash in Austria; both men assume foul play.
- Zack hears the details of the Oxford attack: two Bulgarian gunmen, Wren killed both after the primary security team focused on extraction.
- Wren describes Hinton’s background—his lost automotive company in China, his current minority stake, his dozens of homes and private jets.
- Zack agrees to the job without negotiating payment, citing his need for a worthwhile mission.
Character Development
Zack Hightower demonstrates maturity and focus. He arrives prepared—already armed—and immediately assesses the lobby for hidden security details. His decision to carry a Staccato, which Wren does not recognize, reflects Zack’s independence and preference for quality over brand loyalty. He admits he has been “drifting” and craves structure; the protective detail gives him a sense of purpose.
Gareth Wren emerges as a blend of strategist and old‑school operator. Although he is now COO, he did not hesitate to drop two attackers himself. His conversation with Zack reveals deep loyalty to Hinton; he sees his own mission as keeping Hinton focused on his goals, even though Wren does not fully understand them. The chapter humanizes Wren, showing a man willing to “catch a bullet” for his principal despite having moved up the corporate ladder.
Anton Hinton remains off‑stage but is vividly sketched through Wren’s words: brilliant, terrified of dying yet unwilling to appear afraid, workaholic, and stripped of his Chinese business empire. The news of his friend’s suspicious death casts a shadow over the character, suggesting a widening threat.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
Mission and Purpose. The chapter centers on why men like Zack and Wren give their lives to a cause. Zack explains that he needs a “charge, a responsibility” rather than money. Wren echoes this by describing Hinton as his mission.
Legacy of Violence. Both protagonists come from military backgrounds and accept violence as part of their work. Wren’s casual admission of killing two men and Zack’s routine concealment of a firearm underscore how violence is woven into their identity.
Secrecy and Visibility. The hotel, once a base for MI6, symbolizes the hidden world of espionage and protection. The paparazzi waiting for Hinton contrast with the covert operators scattered around the lobby, highlighting the tension between public fame and private danger.
Sabotage and Uncertainty. The glider crash—which both men instantly suspect was tampered with—adds a layer of sophistication to the threat. It is no longer just crude gunmen; the enemy may have reach and technical knowledge.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter Seventeen is the turning point where Zack Hightower formally steps into the protective detail that will drive the rest of the novel. It establishes the rules of engagement, the principal’s vulnerabilities, and the depth of the conspiracy. The suspicious death of Hinton’s former partner expands the scope of the threat beyond the two Bulgarian shooters, hinting at a broader, more coordinated attack. The chapter also deepens Zack’s character arc, showing him as a man who recovers his bearings through service to others.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What does Zack’s choice of handgun (a Staccato 9mm) suggest about his character?
Zack’s preference for an American-made pistol over the common Glock reflects his Texan identity and his desire for equipment he trusts personally. He dismisses his own past as “used to shit my diapers” to emphasize that he has evolved beyond standard‑issue thinking. This choice underlines his independence and his belief that experience trumps convention.
2. Why does Wren say he “know[s] his mission” since working for Hinton, even though he does not fully understand it?
Wren finds clarity in a single objective: keeping Hinton focused on his goals. After leaving the military, he lost the “certainty” of a shared purpose. Hinton gives him a new target—protecting a man who might change the world—which restores the straightforward sense of mission Wren had in the regiment.
3. What does the glider crash in Austria imply about the threat to Anton Hinton?
The crash is immediately suspected to be sabotage, suggesting that Hinton’s enemies have resources beyond street‑level gunmen. The victim was a robotics engineer with ties to Hinton, implying the attackers are willing to eliminate former colleagues to weaken Hinton’s network. This event raises the stakes from a simple hit to a sophisticated, multi‑pronged campaign.