Resumo de The Broker - John Grisham

The story actually begins more than six years before the first events narrated in the book. The Chinese stole technology from the US and developed a satellite system more advanced than anything ever seen. Under the cover of huge foreste fires, they successfully launched the satellites without the knowledge or suspicion of anyone else. All went fine, until three Pakistani computer scientists inadvertently stumbled upon the network of nine satellites that relayed sensitive intelligence. They named the system Neptune.
Not satisfied, but actually intrigued by their discovery, they started producing software to control the whole system and to enhance Neptune's capabilities, calling this software JAM, without which the satellites were no longer operable by anyone else.With such a technology in their hands, the Pakistani decide to sell it. They travelled to the US and got in touch with the most powerful lobbyist there was: Joel Backman. Helped by Jacy Hubbard, a retired senator who still opened many doors in Washington, he gets the attention of many people, such as the Saudis, Israelis, Chinese and, of course, the Americans themselves. Moved by greed, a deal is set with the Saudis.
The Pentagon, however, that never liked to be caught off guard, and, even less, to lose such a technology, released forged documents stating Neptune was American made and, at the same time, indicts Backman and his lawfirm accusing them of leaking classified documents and presenting themselves as a danger to national security. Hubbard is killed by the Chinese. Frightened, Backman pleads guilty to some of the charges and he's sent to jail, hoping to find safety there, but never concluding the deal with the Saudis nor revealing the secrets he knows.
The book starts with the CIA convincing the US President to grant Backman a pardon, so that, once freed, and after being deliberately leaked Backman's whereabouts to whomever might be interested, they can observe who kills him, because then a few questions would be answered. The pardon is granted. Backman's taken to Italy, where, after two months learning Italian, he escapes the CIA control, retrieves the JAM software and flies back to the US to cut a deal with the Pentagon.

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