Bruce Cole is an agent for the British Prime Minister.
The actions that we follow of this man take place during the early 90s, a time when the Troubles with the Irish Republican Army is causing tremendous anxiety in the British government through frequent bombings resulting in considerable loss of property and lives and shattering the notion of security at work and home for the average citizen. The sitting Prime Minister sought a possible solution from his old friend and confident, Brigadier Charles Daventry, Director of Special Forces. After some consideration, the suggestion involved putting someone deep inside the Provisional branch of the IRA.
But there would be a difference - there would not be an attempt to get evidence to arrest the terrorists, only to see most walk on acquittal or luxuriate in a pleasant prison cell. As Daventry says, "What if we were able to fight them on their own terms, turn the tables on them, throw the rule book out of the bloody window?" To do that he chose one individual as his, and by extension, the Prime Minister's, agent. That man was Bruce Cole.
When, at the end of the first recorded adventure, the PM saw how effective the solution has been, he chose to keep Cole as his to-to-man for other problems that would arise.
Cole's background consisted of "four years in the Parachute Regiment before passing SAS selection. Married once, one son, both now living overseas. Mother and step father also living overseas. Real father is unknown. No long-term partner and you don't own property in the UK. Very few friends and I see you keep yourself out of the many pubs around Hereford where most of the regiment go to abuse themselves. ... And no tattoos."
More importantly to Daventry was Cole's tendency to conflict with many orders given him by the officers commanding him. Cole saw in them an inherent timidity and Cole's attitude is always to act. It was not a very good trait in a soldier where discipline must be maintained but it is very good for a solo operative.
Good Lines:
- Said of by Daventry about the war on terror: "We are fighting shadows, ghosts that don't wear a uniform."