Kent Blake of the Secret Service #9
Death in his Hand!
While soldiers continue to battle through the Korean winter, commanding officials from both sides of the conflict have agreed to meet together to discuss peace in neutral territory a nearby American base. As these historic talks are under way the press is there in full force to cover the story. Kent Blake has been asked to keep an eye on things, and he is less than impressed with being given the task to babysit a bunch of reporters. However, after much deliberation neither side can come to an agreement and talks are broken off and the war continues to rage on.
As Kent escorts the reporters back to the American base, his is greeted his commanding office Colonel Kruger. Kruger informs Kent Blake that researched in New Mexico have recently developed a new powerful atomic element, called Element X. Informing Kent that a sliver of the material has the power to blow up an entire town. He tells Kent that a sample of the explosive and microfilm of how to create it were enroute to Korea to help boost the American faction of the war, however they were somehow stolen, and that one of the reporters is the most likely suspect.
Kent accepts the mission to sniff out the traitor in their midsts and goes to round up the reporters. He takes them out in his jeep and informs them that there will be no peace talks that day as the battle has continued. He takes them out to the battle front instead. As the area is being hit by enemy shells, Kent leads all of the reporters to relative safety in a house. There Kent changes his pace and pulls a gun out on the reporters informing them that he knows that one among them is a traitor and a spy. He tells them that anyone trying to flee before a confession is made will be shot.
As the shelling gets closer and closer a reporter named Talon suddenly panics and tries to flee. When Blake threatens to shoot him, he pulls out a fountain pen and tells the secret agent that the sample of Element X is hidden inside and that he has just activated it. Blake shoots Talon and then grabs the pen before it can hit the ground. Rushing outside, Kent tosses the pen at enemy tanks and they are all decimated in a massive explosion.
Recurring Characters
Kent Blake
Colonel Kruger
Kent Blake
With Chinese forces from Manchuria entering into Korea, American forces are bogged down and are easily slaughtered.
When news gets back to Colonel Kruger, he calls in his best agent, Kent Blake, and informs him that American forces are stretched thin and assigns Blake to stop this new wave of troops by any means possible. When Kent asks how he can do this, Kruger informs him that if their supply lines are cut off, the soldiers will not be able to get a fresh supply of food or ammunition to weaken the army. Kent is ordered to meet up with a Korean man named Haru who will lead Kent to the bombed out town of Samchon where the enemies supplies are travelled through. He then sends Kent out with brothers Simon and Allan Day as backup.
The trio of men sneak through enemy lines avoiding danger at every turn. Along the way, Kent notices that the Day brothers have a strong bond together. They eventually arrive in Samchon where they wait for Haru. When Haru arrives they find that he has been fatally shot, but he manages to pass them the map detailing the Chinese supply lines before dying.
As they return to headquarters with the map they are attacked by Chinese forces and forced to make a strategic retreat. However, Allan is shot before he can get to cover. Fearing for his brother, Simon tries to rush out in enemy fire to save his brother. However, knowing that Allan is dead, Kent Blake knocks out Simon before he can throw his life away and carries the unconscious soldier back to base. However, Allan's sacrifice was not in vein as the map assists the United States Army in cutting off the Chinese supply line and decimating this new influx of enemy troops.
Recurring Characters
Kent Blake
Colonel Kruger
Kent Blake
Chinese troops have managed to listen in on UN radio frequencies and learn of American troop movements in the area, are unable to break the code to determine their location.
Meanwhile, at an American military base, Kent Blake meets with his old friend Major Pete Ormsby. The major shows Kent a recent picture of his son Kenneth who has also enlisted in the army, much to the joy of his father. Their reunion is cut short when Colonel Kruger arrives and informs Kent that there is a troop movement heading for Kaesuns Hill and that there are fears that if Chinese soldiers can learn what direction the troops will take, there will be a slaughter. Kent is assigned to eliminate the enemy listening post. Blake is also told that Kenneth Ormssey is going to be assigned with him. Kent tries to protest this as the boy is still "green" but Kruger tells him that his orders are final.
When behind enemy lines, the pair are spotted by enemy troops and captured. Threatened with torture if they do not reveal the location of the troop movement,s Kenneth breaks and tries to talk when Kent breaks free and attacks the Chinese soldiers. During the fight the communists are killed, but Kenneth takes a bullet and dies. Kent flees the listening post, detonating a grenade on his way out. He later tells Major Ormsby that his son died being tortured by the enemy, but never talked -- unable to bring himself to tell his friend that his son almost betrayed them all. Although Ormssey is sadden that his son is dead, he is left believing that his son died defending his country.
Recurring Characters
Kent Blake
Colonel Kruger
