Vocabulary

Sobriquet

The fact that he was willing to go to some pretty extraordinary lengths in his interrogations had earned him the amusing and also chilling sobriquet of Peaches.

Hidden Order Brad Thor pg. 98

I think sobriquet refers to a nickname based on the statement "had earned him the amusing and also chilling.."

Inference Clue

The older generation called them kettles, a now out of date sobriquet.


Reconstituted

Either Durkin's old team has reconstituted and is operating on behalf of someone else, or Durkin and others at the CIA are running the team in direct contradiction of the President's orders.

Hidden Order Brad Thor pg. 114

I think reconstituted means to rebuild or recreate based on what follows the word: "and is operating on behalf of someone else,"

Inference Clue

Only the President was allowed to reconstitute the group of agents.


Obfuscation

They don't want you to understand anything about what they're doing.  It's purposeful obfuscation and it's brilliant.

Hidden Order Brad Thor pg. 117

I think obfuscation means to mislead or obscure, a purposeful deception, based on the first sentence where they state they don't want anyone to know what they're doing.

Inference Clue

Stephen King is a master at obfuscation.