The Third Option

The Third Option is Vince Flynn's third novel, and the second to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counterterrorism unit called the "Orion Team."

Plot summary

Mitch Rapp is sent on a highly sensitive mission in northern Germany to assassinate Count Heinrich Hagenmiller V, a powerful arms dealer that has been selling weapons to Saddam Hussein and other enemies of the United States. Rapp successfully slays Hagenmiller, only to be betrayed by his companions "Jane and Tom Hoffman", who attempt to kill Rapp by shooting him in the chest, not knowing he was wearing a bulletproof vest. Jane (the one that shot him) quickly flees the scene with Tom. A shocked Rapp eventually awakes and quickly realizes that his blood and finger prints are scattered around the room. He responds to the situation by setting the room on fire and quickly escaping.

Back in Washington D.C., the situation in Germany quickly becomes known to politicians and officials, whom many try to use the situation to their advantage. Democratic Congressman Albert Rudin is not fooled by the CIA's denial of involvement, and argues that it is further proof that the CIA is bad for America and the world, and should be shut down. Republican Senator Henry Clark, who is a licentious, self-absorbed and manipulative schemer, is the one that ordered the hit on Rapp, hoping that his dead body would embarrass President Robert Xavier, and ruin the career of CIA Assistant Director Dr. Irene Kennedy. Clark, along with Rudin and Secretary of State Charles Middleton, are in an alliance to stop Dr. Kennedy from succeeding the dying Thomas Stansfield as Director. Unbeknown to Rudin and Middleton, Clark dispatches a group of contract killers lead by Professor Scott Coleman, to initiate a widespread blood-purge that will eliminate any person that can leave paper trailer back to him.

Rapp hides in France and gathers his thoughts. He believes it is possible that Dr. Kennedy, a "friend" of his, ordered the Hoffmans to assassinate him in order to cover the situation up. Rapp eventually returns to Washington and confronts her and counterterrorism agent Scott Coleman. With gun drawn, Rapp demands answers; after a brief discourse between the three, Rapp comes to realize that they had nothing to do with the attempt on his life.

Rapp learns that many of his colleagues are being killed and that his girlfriend Anna Reilly has been kidnapped by the assassins. They kidnapped her in order to set a death trap for Rapp. The Hoffmans, (AKA The Jansens) are assassinated outside their home by Cameron's men. Rapp, along with Coleman and a few other agents, eventually rescue Anna, killing all of Cameron's men in the process. Cameron, who was talking to one of his men on the phone while the assault was executed, quickly learns that all has failed. Rapp contacts Cameron and pledges to kill him unless he confess the identity of his employer. Cameron refuses to answer and quickly makes plans to leave the country. However, only moments before Rapp reaches Cameron, he is killed by an Italian assassin named Donatella Rahn, who was hired by Clark.

The president soon learns about the coup d’état against him, and summons two of the the main movers of the conspiracy, Rudin and Middleton. The president lambastes them in two separate meetings for betraying their party. He then demands them to tell him everything they know, so he may find out who ordered the hit on Rapp. Both of the men do not give the president any useful answers. Shortly afterwards Middleton is found dead in his apartment, ruled a suicide. It was Clark that ordered the hit, but pretends to know now nothing about it, even to his close friend Jonathan Brown, the Deputy Director of the CIA who hates both Sansfield and Dr. Kennedy. Clark announces to a shocked Brown that he is backing Dr. Kennedy's nomination, but assures him that Kennedy "will never make it through the confirmation process."