Son. The war in the Middle East began and was reminiscent of the old wars between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. In the east, China took the opportunity to attack the weakened Soviets and started yet another conflict. The whole Central-Eastern Europe was now known the European War Zone (EWZ), and reached as far as Constantinople in the south, Finland in the north, the border with Prussia in the west and the Dnieper River in the east. Battles took place mostly on radiated polluted territory. Main plot The plot of the novel starts in 1996. The whole European War Zone is no man's land, and its Soviet control is based on a strategy of "shoot first, ask questions later". Various partisan groups in an uneasy truce one another are scattered throughout the area and engaged in battles against small Soviet garrisons. German troops make occasional raids across the border Polish border to test Soviet defences, and the Soviets retaliate in kind. Meanwhile, China's forces advance toward the Ural Mountains, and Muhammad's Son prepares a jihad in the Middle East. The US government secretly finances the guerrillas, and Western Europe fortifies its borders to defend against presumed Soviet or a Chinese attack, the latter of which is more feared. Main characters Colonel Xavras Wyżryn is the commander of the AWP or Armia Wyzwolenia Polski (Polish Liberation Army), a considerable guerrilla force fighting the Soviet army in the European War Zone. His past is a mystery. He was born within the "Atomic Triangle" and has a visible mutation - the skin on his hands is red, as if burned. He was a junior officer in the Red Army, until he deserted and formed the AWP. He is a truly charismatic leader, inspiring his men to do unbelievable things, even sacrificing their lives for the "higher cause". For the freedom of his country he is capable of killing everyone standing in his way, including women, children and even his own men, calling this a "sacrifice for a better future". He is seen as a terrorist by the Soviets and as a romantic, tragic hero in the West. In the United States, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has even made a blockbuster movie about him, entitled "Uncatchable". A major US news network signed a contract with Wyżryn, offering him $250 million for exclusive interviews and footage from battlefields. Xavras understands the importance of media and propaganda