Korruption Kills, Part One

Mickey's life has changed. It's Good News and Bad News. The Good News is that he can take a rest from international espionage and move into the relatively relaxing world of high finance and property based business. The Bad News is that he's still in a wheelchair, struggling to recover from a bullet, sent to kill him. They didn't succeed, but it's a long and painful road to recovery. (The other Bad News is that the assassins haven't given up, and are still making attempts on his life. Why shouldn't they? They succeeded in murdering Mickey's best friend friend Gulf, the last man to occupy the hot seat of CEO at Corsh Corporation - where Mickey is now, having inherited Gulf's enormous block of shares.) The other News - maybe Good, maybe Bad - is that a German firm called Korrup's wants Corsh to sell them the site of the old Patricroft Armaments Factory, so that the foreigners can assemble weapons for Ukraine. The parts will come from all over Britain, but the guns will be put together in Salford. It will mean jobs and prosperity for local people. People want it to happen. The British government wants it to happen. What can possibly stand in the way? In quick succession, Mickey meets more than one person who could derail such an enormous project. He needs help. What old friends - or new - can Mickey rely on, in such dangerous times?