title: Ascent from Darkness
author:  Steven E. Wilson 
description: <span>"A top CIA agent, with a mission impossible to find weapons-grade uranium in the heart of the Islamic world, becomes a real life '007' who sacrifices family for duty to country when he joins U.S. forces and Iraqi peasants alike in a quest to change the face of the Middle East after the overthrow of the Butcher of Baghdad. Masterfully using known facts of the Iraq war, including where weapons of mass destruction may have been hidden and how Saddam Hussein was toppled, Wilson creates a rich fiction which takes you through Syria and Iraq in search of stolen Ukrainian uranium, which if not found, will almost certainly be used by terrorists. This thriller unfolds like a motion picture, complete with forbidden romance, desperate Special Forces operations, and a never-say-die love of country."</span><span>Terry Gilberg, Clear Channel Radio, Pheonix</span><span></span><br /><span></span><br /><span>"Wilson captures the bitter realities and sweet flavors of the modern-day professional soldier's experiences. In a rare combination of the stark beauty and emotional depths that exist in the struggles of war, Wilson takes us on a journey over emotional trails that haven't been traveled since Dr. Zhivago."</span><span>Gary R. McElligott,</span><span>Command Sergeant Major (never-retired), U.S. Special Forces</span><span></span>
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  ![Image](../images/title.jpg)
  
  
  To all those who are running—from their past, from their fears, or from their
  demons. Step out of the shadows and into the light. The journey may be scary,
  and it certainly will not be easy, but I know for a fact that it’s worth it.
  
  
  ## CHAPTER ONE
  
  
  * * *
  
  
  ## EMMELINE
  
  
  ## Day 1
  
  
  We didn’t look back. We moved quickly toward the sound of running water
  somewhere ahead of us. Behind us we heard shouts and gunshots; flames licked
  the black night sky. The damp, sl