Claude Lebel serves as the deputy chief of the Brigade Criminelle of the Police Judiciaire. Known as a quiet, unassuming investigator, he lacks the aristocratic pedigree of his colleagues but works with extreme thoroughness. Given unlimited powers to catch a phantom assassin, he immediately activates an informal network of international police contacts.

A pragmatic English mercenary who operates without a known identity. He agrees to carry out a highly dangerous assassination in exchange for half a million dollars. He treats his work without political attachment, relying heavily on custom-made equipment, forged documents, and layered disguises.

An aristocratic member of the French security services who relies on his social connections rather than actual competence. He is pompous and deeply resents officers of lower social standing who receive more authority. He routinely complains to his mistress about government secrets, ignoring basic security protocols.

The President of France and a major figure in the country's mid-century politics. His strategic choice to grant independence to Algeria incites extreme political resentment among his own military veterans. Highly arrogant and protective of his public image, he explicitly forbids his security detail from altering his public schedule despite known threats.

A lieutenant-colonel and early leader of the Secret Army Organization (OAS). He holds deep anti-government sentiments and organizes early, emotionally driven attacks against the president. He remains completely confident that French soldiers share his ideology.

A shrewd former military officer who takes over the Secret Army Organization (OAS). Hardened by brutal campaigns in Vietnam and Algeria, he decides that emotionally driven French soldiers are incapable of executing the president. He pivots the organization's strategy to hiring a foreign professional.

A hardline OAS member who previously served in the French Foreign Legion. He carries deep personal trauma from the loss of his son in Algeria and assists in organizing the staggering funds required for a professional mercenary.

A civilian who formerly worked as a bank manager in Algeria before turning radical. He acts as the underground coordinator for the OAS movement within France, managing logistics and communication.

A giant Polish ex-legionnaire serving as a bodyguard for the OAS command. Shaped by a violent youth and displacement during World War II, he operates as a violent enforcer. Despite his brutal exterior, he harbors a soft spot for his estranged child.

A young girl living in Marseille under the care of a family friend. She suffers from a serious illness, which becomes a major point of concern for her absent father.

A resident of Marseille tasked with raising a friend's daughter. He monitors the young girl's health and communicates her status across borders.

A young woman working with the OAS to avenge the deaths of her brother and lover in Algeria. She weaponizes her proximity to power by carrying on an affair with a high-ranking government official to extract sensitive information.

A disgraced schoolteacher operating in France. He acts as the central communication link between underground agents and their overseas leadership, managing secure telephone drops.

A former Resistance fighter who now operates as an illegal arms supplier in Belgium. He approaches weapon crafting with immense professional pride and is commissioned to build a highly specialized, easily concealable firearm.

The Minister of the Interior for the French government. He coordinates the high-level security response upon discovering a credible threat to the state, operating with strict loyalty to the president.

The chief of the Brigade Criminelle of the Police Judiciaire. Recognizing the unique nature of the threat against the government, he assigns his own deputy to manage the investigation.

A youthful and capable police officer assigned to assist the primary investigation into the presidential threat. He efficiently handles international communications and logistical demands.

A detective in the British Special Branch. As a Welshman in a predominantly English institution, he faces mild classist prejudice but proves to be an astute, methodical investigator when tasked with tracking stolen passports.

A British citizen and former employee of a suspicious firm whose background matches the profile of a professional mercenary.

A middle-aged married woman who feels neglected in her current marriage. She seeks affirmation and company, catching the attention of a young English traveler passing through her town.

An elegant, middle-aged Parisian man who enjoys the city's nightlife. He invites a foreign student back to his apartment for company.