Book excerpt: The violent coup that toppled Chilean president Salvador Allende in 1973serves as the backdrop for this dramatic story about the experiences ofa rookie CIA offi cer. Having just graduated from Yale, his ability to speakSpanish lands him in the capital of Chile just weeks before the revolution.His adventures there lead him to wrestle with ethical questions involvingAmerica's clandestine role in the destabilization of the Chilean government.When a kindly fl ower merchant and his wife are captured by military forcesduring the attack on the presidential palace, the young offi cer must make adiffi cult and dangerous decision that could change their lives forever.