Robert H. (Bob) Hicks retired after forty-three years of combined military and federal service, including twenty-three years on active duty in the United States Air Force and two decades as a civilian federal law enforcement officer with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). His specialized training encompassed nuclear weapons maintenance, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), and counterintelligence-a unique combination of disciplines that gave him a front-row seat to how governments operate, how they fail, and how the truth gets buried.Throughout his distinguished career, Hicks specialized in technical surveillance countermeasures and investigated major criminal activities, including violent crime, espionage, and large-scale fraud by defense contractors. He commanded major investigative offices in Arlington, Los Angeles, and San Antonio, and was selected to teach leadership and management to senior commanders worldwide. In 2013, Hicks was inducted as the 39th member of the AFOSI Hall of Fame-the highest honor the organization bestows.The Shadow Senator: The Missing Zero draws directly on the tradecraft Hicks lived and taught while instructing at the AFOSI Academy. While the characters are fictional, the foundation upon which they stand is not. Hicks is also the author of the acclaimed personal memoir, Failure Not an Option, which launched in late 2025 to unanimous five-star reviews and prompted a second edition just three months later. The Shadow Senator is his first novel. The tradecraft is real. The corruption is real. Only the names have changed.