Ives in The Killing Game In The Killing Game, the first book of the series, the story of two people, Ives Andrich and Allina Kovar. It is a behind-the-scenes look at the relationship between two peo - ple and how they handle the life they have together. The story begins deep in their inti - mate relationship where the reader is introduced to Ives the hero and main char - acter. He is powerful, influential, and force to be reckoned with. Yet at most times in the story, he is as gentle as a lamb. Well, until provoked. The best description of Ives is given by his assistant, Al Walzinski, who says: “You’re a shark in murky water. You’re lethal, and Washington doesn’t have a clue.” Despite the first part of that statement painting a dark and dangerous image of Ives, the second part redeems him. It also suggests perhaps Washington (meaning DC, the country’s capital) may not be as honorable as their façade portrays. However, all of that is washed away the instant he sees Alina Kovar’s, the story’s heroine’s, photograph. Something changes within him, something he is unable to iden - tify just then, but he feels the change within. He seems stronger and ever more powerful and all because true love is awakened in him. He knows God has answered his life long prayer to find the woman he is meant to spend his earthly life with. The woman his father advised him to wait for when he said: “Get your working days over when you’re young, because when you find her, you’ll want to be with her all the time.” From this point on, the reader sees not only a man that is powerful but a man that is truly in love with one woman. That love, coupled with Ives’ innate sense of honor and loyalty, becomes his new driving force. Yet, unbe - knownst to him, their meeting is predes - tined and all pieces of the puzzles of other character’s, even those that lived long before Ives was born. In this first book, the reader experiences the emotions of a man, whom true love is new to. Occasionally, jealousy shows itself and that makes the reader want to give Ives a firm shove to wake him up. But without the reader’s interference, Ives always comes back to the balanced man he is. And that is despite the multitude of complica - tions his life involves. Or as Allina describes him to be: “He is a true Libra. Always weigh - ing the good against the evil and emphasiz - ing the best of both.” Complicated realizations sometimes take time to resolve. In the process, things go awry. Yet Ives con - tinually proves he has control over his actions and emotions. He channels those into the outcome best serving the people in his immediate life while still giving consider - ation to all others. Why would a man worth a fortune enough for ten men work for any government? Why would he be a civil servant? On the surface it appears Ives’ heroic persona requires this sort of job. He has everything he needs and realizes that those who have must help those that do not have. However, as the reader continues the story, there are hints that perhaps his destiny was laid out by oth - ers, including William Schofield, the Chief of Investigation (second man in the Bureau only to the Director), and perhaps Ives’ own parents. What did they know that he did not, if they knew anything? A subliminal question to resurface further on in the series. In this book, Ives battles two dragons. In the end one is slain, but not by him. By a person who rose to the occasion to protect what they loved most in this tainted world. This event shocks and equally thrills Ives as he comes to his own realizations about the people in his life. But mostly about Allina. Regardless, he blames himself for all that has happened to her and even in the begin - ning he cited himself as guilty as Don Gio - vanni from Mozart’s opera of the same name. He felt condemned to the eternal flames of hell for what he had allowed to happen. As we hear: He felt like Mozart’s stupid character: the seducer, the rogue, the pompous ass, the idiot Don Giovanni. All through the story the reader see’s his remorse and his repentance as he strives to correct the wrongs he felt he had permit - ted. But did he actually permit anything? Permission requires knowledge and as Ives says: “You can be the Chief, and still they scheme behind your back.” He laughed qui - etly. “My own Sword of Damocles,” he said, referring to the ever-present threats any man of great power must live with. After a personal tragedy, and once the vil - lain is done away with, Ives makes good on his promise to leave the Bureau to live his life with the only woman he has ever loved. As he hands his badge to Walzinski, he says: “Here, send this to Washington. Tell them what they can do with it. I’m through.” Despite his decision, fate has another chal - lenge for him. But will he be able to break away from the addictive power the Bureau gives him? By the end of the story, Ives and Allina are walking straight on into other character’s plans for them, for now they are linked to the same quest and Ives has yet another dragon to slay. Despite his deepest desire to leave the world behind and spend the rest of his life with the woman he loves, can he leave the Bureau just yet? It is amaz - ing how addictive power can be.