A government-engineered assassin struggles against his programming, in Matt Ryland's Cypher, the first in a thrilling new trilogy featuring former marine sniper Brent Savage.

Brent Savage, code name Cypher, is Operation Darkwater's deadliest assassin. Unseen. Unheard. And never spoken of. He's the U.S. government's latest attempt to engineer the perfect weapon. He possesses extraordinary strength and agility, is impervious to pain, and feels no remorse. What's more, he always obeys orders without fail. Until now.

For Savage, it's just another routine hit. Snipe Eliana, the beautiful $2000 an-hour call girl in her high-rise Miami condo, and slip away into the night. Problem solved. But Savage has always been so focused on the how he's never stopped to think of the why.

This suddenly feels wrong. Eliana is not a known terrorist. Nor is she a spy, traitor, or head of a crime syndicate. Why is the government so determined to eliminate her?

When Savage hesitates, they send in a backup agent to finish the job. Now, he must make a choice. Fulfill his contract by killing the woman. Or betray his country by saving her life.

Whatever his decision, Savage knows the government will stop at nothing to keep Eliana's secret from getting out, even if that means eliminating their perfect weapon to do it.