Nikki Balitnikov has a good life, success in business, an intelligent and beautiful girlfriend, and a lot of influence. But he's a spy and he wants out. He's had it. The problem is, the only way out of the clutches of all the spymasters and agencies that have their hooks into him is a dangerous, risky, and deadly path that relies on fear-inducing timing, the honesty of others, a quantum of trust, and a house of cards. He has a unique item to sell. Something deadly, that will be in demand with the most notorious state-sponsored actors. However, the item has also attracted the attention of the good guys, specifically CIA Officer Alexei Rector. In the spy trade there is no honesty and precious little trust. Whether Nikki survives his own plans will depend on skill, a lot of pieces falling into place at just the right time, and a lot of luck. Rector does not believe in luck, and he's the best tracker in the business. If Nikki wants his plan to pay off, he'll have to get through Rector first. The Thing Of It Is... is part of the Bishop/Rector series, along with Dark Nights, Dark Nights 2: Resurrection, and All The Big Ones Are Dead, which was released to rave reviews in 2019. Follow Alexei Rector and Michael Bishop as they track some of the deadliest criminals and smartest spies in the world.