Martin Bäker

The List Martin Bäker

Graziela, a lighthearted expat living in the Middle East, accepts a job running a propaganda campaign for Russian nuclear energy in North Africa and the Gulf, thereby thwarting the attempt of a British agent to recruit her into his ranks. Dave, her American contact at Flamingo PR, directs her to their Saint Petersburg office to sign her contract. He wants to return to his former US post and he hopes that infiltrating Flamingo will secure his return. Graziela's new Russian boss provides her with Belugador, a caviar cosmetics marketing cover story, to help her infiltrate the Tunisian upper class. Her mission is to reach out to nuclear scientists and convince them to make positive public statements in favor of the Russian option. She tracks the nuclear scientists and their relatives via facial recognition and family ties on social media while spies from Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, and the United States use "The Onion Router" to hack into each other's computers and follow her steps. A British-Indian informant tries to warn Graziela of the danger she faces, but she is too late. Graziela fails to accomplish her mission. In the end, one double-agent and one spy are dead. The annual opening of the United Nations will start with cross-accusations between the Americans, Russians, and Europeans alongside requests for international asylum and university protests in favor of the asylum seekers.