In Settling the Score, Dave Anderson is attempting to come to terms with the psychological and emotional toll his past missions have had on him. Having spent years infiltrating dangerous groups and executing high-risk operations, Dave is now navigating the mundane aftereffects of his double life. In his quiet suburban home, he reflects on the sacrifices he’s made, including assuming the identity of Karl Müller, a Nazi sympathiser, which forced him to embrace a role he fundamentally despised. Though he’s physically stronger and more capable than ever, Dave struggles with the lingering darkness in his soul, torn between his mission and the human compassion he’s discovered within himself.
The narrative takes a personal turn when Dave reunites with Markus Sullivan, an old acquaintance from his IT consulting days, who has fallen into debt and the clutches of dangerous loan sharks. As the situation escalates, Dave’s protective instincts come to the forefront. He confronts the grim underworld of debt and criminality, using his unique abilities to fight back against the people who are ruining his friend’s life. The novel transitions from high-stakes missions to a more intimate battle against corrupt power figures like Ralph Little, a key player behind the loan shark operations, drawing Dave deeper into a fight he didn’t anticipate.
As Dave investigates the web of crime surrounding Markus’s predicament, his mission becomes deeply personal, blurring the lines between his work with the Agency and his own moral compass. The pursuit of Ralph Little becomes more than a job; it’s a reckoning for Dave with his past, his choices, and the lengths he’s willing to go to protect those he cares about. Through confrontations and escalating danger, Dave works to dismantle the criminal empire threatening Markus, all while navigating his own sense of justice and redemption.