Whatever It Takes

A group of terrorists have just held the state’s politicians hostage inside Victoria’s Parliament House. The siege is led by an elite Spetsnaz soldier who secures a billion-dollar ransom by murdering an ever-increasing number of the politicians to focus the attention of the federal government. Detective Inspector Michael Ballard proposes a daring rescue plan that requires precision timing by the police department’s Special Operations group and the army’s elite special forces. This saves lives but results in him being held captive by the Spetsnaz soldier. Managing to escape, Ballard discovers the ransom was part of a more sinister objective, which involves an elite criminal syndicate attempting to gain control of two of Australia’s major shipping ports—something that, if achieved, would flood the country with illegal contraband. As the criminals have close connections to the Russian underworld, thwarting the conspiracy will require all the expertise Ballard, his detective colleagues John and Peter, and the police department can bring to bear.