Fade, the fast paced, high action thriller novel written by Kyle Mills, tells a story of trust. After former Navy SEAL Salam al Fayed is shot in the back during his service, he winds up living a very dreary and hopeless life. The American Government he once trusted with his life betray him by refusing and delaying a surgery to remove the bullet lodged beside Fade’s spine. Due to the surgery being delayed, scar tissue sets in around the bullet, making the surgery too risky to perform. The bullet lodged in Fade’s back has the potential to shift and paralyse fade from the neck down. Homeland Security wants Fade to rejoin the fight, but he declines and after a deception lead by a SWAT team ended in a bloodbath, Fade is on his own personal mission.…show more content… Karen becomes his ally and aids him in his quest. Fade demonstrates that in order to escape danger, putting trust in yourself and others is essential. Throughout the novel, Fade puts his trust in his friends to help him with difficult situations, Karen trusts Fade to escape facing serious consequences and Fade trusts himself to make decisions that will benefit himself.
Throughout the novel, Fade is forced to put his trust in friends to aid him in difficult situations. This is first shown when Fade calls Karen, leader of the SWAT team, “ Mr al Fayed?’ ‘Call me Fade.’ ‘Why did you call me?’ Another one of those easy going laughs. ‘I guess because I don’t have anyone else to talk to.” (124) This phone call between Fade and Karen is when it becomes apparent that Fade sees Karen as an ally, despite the fact Karen works for the very people who want Fade in custody. Fade’s trust between his friends is shown once again when he calls upon his old friend Isidro…show more content… This is shown early on when Fade hides and defends himself from the SWAT team, “ If he stayed up there any longer, the only thing he would die from would be curiosity. Grabbing the M16 next to him, he lifted himself out of the metal coffin and threw open the attic doors.” (48) The SWAT team sent to Fade’s house meant to be a deception, but it ended up a bloodbath because Fade believes it is Homeland Security trying to take him back by force. Fade has built a defense station in his attic in case of an attack. Fade making the decision to climb up to the station to defend himself ends up benefiting him because without it, he would have either been captured by the SWAT team or ended up dead. Fade also makes a decision that benefits himself when he poisons Strand’s cake. Strand is the leader of Homeland Security and he is the one who wants Fade dead or in custody. Strand sent many people out hunting for Fade and Fade wants it stop, “I poisoned your cake. You’re just too easy. I mean this wasn’t even a challenge. Anyway, I guess this is the last time we’ll be talking.” (202) In this situation, Fade understands it is in his best interest to poison Strand’s cake. By poisoning Strand’s cake, Fade is able to slow down surveillance of himself, giving him time to come up with a new plan, and to get revenge on the man who started this whole