About this item
In late 1980s Chicago, Nick Hayden, a rookie INS field agent, is eager to make his mark in the unit responsible for picking up illegal immigrants around the city. Hayden excels, whether he's raiding factories or busting Colombian drug dealers. Seen as a rising star by supervisors, over time the green, idealistic Hayden evolves into what one veteran agent terms a "gladiator," an agent willing to do whatever is necessary to get the job done. But Hayden's real reason for joining INS - the mysterious death of an agent thirteen years earlier - remains a closely guarded secret, even as he reluctantly begins a discreet inquiry to uncover the truth. Hayden's world changes dramatically when he recruits Miguel Chavez, a humble Mexican illegal immigrant, to be an informant to help take down Salvador Rico, the ruthless kingpin of Chicago's counterfeit document trade.
About the Author
After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, Bruce Kading began a twenty-six year career in federal law enforcement that included twenty-two years as a Special Agent with INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) , four years as a Special Agent with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and a brief stint with the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) . Much of his career with INS was devoted to targeting criminals who trafficked in counterfeit immigration documents, birth certificates, and other identity documents. While assigned to the Chicago and San Francisco field offices, he received several awards and commendations for leading undercover investigations into criminal organizations involved in counterfeiting activities. For four years he was assigned to the OCDETF (Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force) in Chicago, working closely with agents of other federal and local law enforcement agencies, including DEA, FBI, and the Illinois State Police. On numerous occasions Kading went "undercover" to purchase narcotics from drug dealers, many of whom were undocumented aliens involved in counterfeiting activities. When he retired, Kading was Chief of the Fraud Investigations Branch at the Chicago office.
After retiring from law enforcement, Kading became a licensed private investigator and a freelance writer, his articles appearing in numerous publications, including the Chicago Tribune and the Taos News. He received the E.H. Shaffer Award for Investigative Reporting from the New Mexico Press Association for a series of articles about the problem of DUI in New Mexico.
Kading continues writing and lives in St. Augustine, Florida with his wife, Lucy.
