Operation Southside details the further exploits of Captain Walter Weber. Captain Weber and his new partner -Agent Monica Becker- enter the deadly serious game of nuclear espionage. Tasked with the protection of Dr. Enrico Fermi, Captain Weber and the intrepid agents of the OSS work to break up a sinister spy ring on Chicago's south side. An unsolved loose end inspires his nephew Sean Weber and his wife Xuxa to resolve a lingering mystery with a historical twist. Captain Weber uses his Christian faith, superior intellect and his ability to lead his team to ensure America's nuclear research is kept safe.
The setting of Operation Southside goes back to two very old memories. The first memory deals with my high school running career. I spent many hours at Bullfrog Lake- Red Gate Woods and the surrounding southwest side forest preserves. One time and only one time, our team was running- exploring a new series of paths. We pushed this out quite far and were returning when we encountered a metal disk just off the running path. It was a historical marker noting the first nuclear reactor from the University of Chicago was buried in this area. The second memory involved the Shannon Rovers. My Dad took us to the annual Shannon Rovers Picnic back in the late 1970's. I remember how excited we were to attend this event not so much for the music but for the endless supply of hamburgers, Italian sausage and chocolate chip cookies.
Operation South Side is dedicated to my wife Laura. On her first trip to Chicago, we explored many of the locations in the book and yet, she still decided to marry me. She is the inspiration for the spiritual sides of Agent Walter Weber and Agent Monica Becker.
