Top Secret (in French Secret Défense) is the fourteenth album of the comic book series XIII. It was published in 2000.
The American authorities accuse XIII of being Seamus O'Neil, an Irish terrorist working for Fidel Castro. O'Neil is supposed to have encouraged Carrington to kidnap President Wally Sheridan and to have killed him. XIII is sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court. On the way to the prison, NSA agents are ordered to kill him, but Jessica, a mysterious profesional killer, shows up and saves him.
Top Secret provides examples of:
- Bond Villain Stupidity: Irina could have killed XIII easily, but instead she offers him a dinner and a Death Trap.
- Ceiling Cling: XIII hides on a beam below the ceiling when one of the hitmen enters the house where he was hiding.
- Chained Heat: XIII and Danny are handcuffed together and they have to escape from three experienced hitmen.
- Death Trap: Irina's plan to kill XIII: XIII is handcuffed to an unexperienced guy. They are given a six-hour lead, then three experienced hitmen are sent after them with a helicopter.
- Depraved Bisexual: Jessica tries to seduce XIII, then she sleeps with Irina. She is a cruel professional killer.
- Disney Death: Danny is hit by a bullet in the back. XIII and the Japanese hitman think that he is dead. A bit later, XIII sees him staggering. He is wounded, but still alive.
- Dive Under the Explosion: XIII and Danny do hit when their dinghy explodes.
- Femme Fatale Spy: Jessica is an NSA agent. She uses her charms to gain Danny Finkelstein's trust and she abducts him.
- Follow That Car: Danny Finkelstein asks Jessica to follow the car that brings XIII to the prison.
- Genre Savvy: When Danny has two flat tires, Jessica offers to help him. Danny then says that he thought this kind of things only happened in the movies. When Danny tells Jessica to Follow That Car, Jessica says the same.
- Gilded Cage: The stay of XIII on board of the boat of Executor is comfortable, but he cannot escape.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: The butler of Executor boat has an evil scar going from his forehead to his cheek through his right eye.
- Hunting the Most Dangerous Game: Irina orders three professional killers applying for a job in her organization to hunt XIII and Danny. The preys are given a six-hour lead.
- Intrepid Reporter: Danny Finkelstein. Like his brother, he takes a lot of risk to investigate the Mac Lane case.
- Kangaroo Court: The court which sentences XIII. XIII has no lawyer and Giordino, the main judge, is responsible for the main crime attributed to XIII.
- Knockout Gas: The so-called FBI agents use it against XIII to bring him from the desert to the boat.
- Murder, Inc.: Executor is an international company of professional killers. Their customers are private persons and governments.
- No, Mr. Bond, I Expect You to Dine: When XIII is caught by Executor, its leader invites him to dine and shows him round the boat.
- Not Quite Dead: Irina was left for dead after her fall in The Trial. She survived and she is now her own boss.
- The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: The reason why Irina did not let the NSA agents kill XIII.
- Previously on…: The previous episodes are summed up in two pages in the beginning.
- Professional Killer: All the people working for Executor: Irina, Jessica, and the three guys sent after XIII and Danny.
- Psycho Lesbian: Irina is a cruel profesional killer and a lesbian.
- The Reveal: Sean Mullway tells that XIII is not Jason Mac Lane, but a friend of his.
- Soft Glass: When he is chased by three hitmen, Danny jumps through a window and he gets no injury.
- Soft Water: XIII and Danny jumps from a high cliff into a river. XIII is fine. Danny is unconscious, but he recovers quickly.
- Stern Chase: XIII has to flee constantly because Executor hitmen, then NSA hitmen are after him.
- Surprise Witness: Sean Mullway testifies at XIII's trial and tells that XIII is not Jason Mac Lane, but a friend of his.
- Terminology Title: Top Secret and Secret Défense refer to levels of classified information.
- Villainous Rescue: XIII is going to be shot down by the NSA agents, but Jessica and so-called FBI agents rescue him. They all work for Executor.
- We Can Rule Together: Subverted. Irina acknowledge that XIII is a Worthy Opponent and says that she would hire him if she did not have to take revenge.
- You Have Failed Me: Irina threatens to kill Jessica if she does not kill XIII.
- You Wake Up in a Room: After being abducted by Jessica, XIII wakes up in a cabin on the boat of Executor.
