The Terminal List

Katie is a journalist known for hard-hitting exposés of military scandals. Originally from Czechoslovakia, her family came to the United States with the help of Reece’s father. Reece knows her because of an exposé she wrote about Benghazi. While she works for primarily conservative media outlets, she is known for being fair and just and critical of both political parties.

There is some sexual tension between Katie and Reece, leading her to operate as a subtle romantic interest for him. Reece is often surprised by her beauty, especially when she dresses in ways that are unlike a stereotypical reporter. She hugs Reece, which makes Reece nervous and uncomfortable at times. When he’s with her, he is often reminded of early dates with Lauren, suggesting that he could see a romantic future with Katie. This is left unresolved by the end of the novel, as Reece reveals that he prioritized his mission over the assurance of saving her life. Carr refutes a conventional romantic arc for Katie to focus the ending on Reece’s triumph and his sense of injustice about his wife, Lauren.

Ben is a former teammate who “migrated to the black side of Naval Special Warfare” before switching gears and working for one of the United States’ intelligence agencies (43). It is unclear what exactly Ben does, but it is evident from the beginning that whatever he does is most likely illegal or morally unjust. Ben serves as Reece’s foil, both physically and morally. Reece is clean-cut, while Ben is tattooed; Reece became an officer, while Ben reenlisted and became rich; and Reece has a strong moral code and sense of loyalty, while Ben has no loyalty and uses people for his individual gain. Ben uses Reece to eliminate many people involved in the Project under the guise of helping his friend seek revenge. Additionally, Ben is viewed as an anti-family man: He has had multiple wives, and Liz suggests that he attempted to cheat on one of them by flirting with her.

Liz takes on the role of sidekick for the majority of the novel, quite literally acting as Reece’s wingman and pilot. While she and Reece flirt at times, it is clear that they are just good friends working toward avenging Lauren and Lucy’s deaths. She is scrappy and often blunt. Reece is fascinated by how Liz expresses her gender: “She flew like a man but drank like a girl. Reece always thought her to be an odd paradox of tomboy and girly-girl and he was constantly surprised by things that she said or did that made her seem too much of either one or the other” (299). Reece is unable to view Liz outside of strict gender stereotypes, leading him to be confused when she acts in complex ways.

While Liz is extremely tough, she sometimes takes on the stereotypical role of damsel in distress. She meets Reece when he comes to her rescue and saves her from being raped and tortured by insurgents, a fact that she brings up often. Reece’s heroism saved her life and created a power imbalance between the two. When the two get pulled over in Miami, Liz plays dumb with the cop, exposing her cleavage and flirting with the man. Liz knows that she is attractive and uses her good looks to get her and Reece out of situations.

Marco del Toro is a Mexican businessman who funds much of Reece’s exploits. The men bond over their mutual love of family, something that Carr uses to signal the morality of a character. Marco is unfazed by Reece’s mission, and it’s hinted that whatever line of work Marco is in is not legal. He often references the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu when talking to Reece. Tzu wrote The Art of War (fifth century BC), and by referencing the philosopher, Marco highlights that he finds what Reece is doing just and philosophically sound. Additionally, Marco is extremely loyal and promises to provide Liz with a job and home after Reece finishes his mission and escapes the United States.

Steve Horn is the CEO of Capstone Capital and serves as the novel’s primary antagonist, mainly because he spearheads the Project. He is power-hungry and obsessed with foreign luxury goods such as clothing and alcohol, indicating that he is un-American both in taste and in morals, which Carr associates with villainy. Additionally, he never plays fair and often orchestrates situations that will give him the upper hand. His hubris is his ultimate downfall because he assumes that Reece will obey him when he comes to Lorraine’s home; however, Reece outsmarts and kills him. Horn remains a flat and static character throughout the novel: He is purely motivated by power and money.