Dave Jackson, no James Bond, but just another intelligence type with the Defense Intelligence Agency, is sent on a simple fact-finding mission to Asia. The mission becomes less routine and far more exciting when there are attempts to kill him - for no apparent reason. His adventures take him to Taiwan, into mainland China, and to the Philippines - and gradually the reason becomes more clearly an effort to control the oil in the South China Sea. An unlikely teaming of Taiwanese, Chinese and Filipino intelligence agents adds to the mystery - and a surprise solution and ending.