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missing-persons-discrepancy
An alarming statistic of missing military and civilian individuals that hints at a covert operation or force buildup related to the new weapon technology.
1 chapter across 1 book
A Plague of Demons (1965)Keith Laumer
Chapter 2
The chapter introduces John Bravais arriving in the bustling, multicultural city of Tamboula in the Republic of Free Algeria, where he meets Felix Severance, who reveals a secret military development called PAPA (Power Assisted Personal Armament) aimed at creating invulnerable soldiers. Felix explains the suspiciously high number of missing persons in military and civilian populations, suggesting the covert buildup of a powerful force equipped with this new technology, and recruits John to investigate an upcoming battle using advanced espionage gadgets.