Description
This is a novel of Africa. It begins in the Rhodesian bush near the end of the war. The story follows Frank Burnham, an American officer, serving in the Rhodesian Army commanding African soldiers as they fight the communist-inspired enemy. He and his platoon are sent on a mission to capture an important tribal leader in a particularly dangerous part of the country . During the mission, a bloody contact occurs with elements of the terrorist forces. The leader of the terrorists escapes, but witnesses Burnham killing his brother. He is forever scared by the event and vows to seek revenge.
After the election that produced the new nation of Zimbabwe, the former Rhodesian Army soldiers and the former terrorist forces begin an integration process. The terrorist leader who had vowed to kill Burnham is now a Lt. Colonel in the new National Army and tries on several occasions to get his revenge on Captain Burnham, but without success. Meanwhile, Captain Burnham has decided to remain in Zimbabwe and marry his Rhodesian girlfriend as soon as his contract is over. During his last patrol near the South African border, he has a contact with hostile forces in an area he had been specifically prohibited from operating. He is quickly recalled back to the capital of Harare to explain his actions that could cause a serious political problem for the regime. He is threatened with court martial, but is expelled from the country instead. It is feared that the reasons for the court martial would be leaked during the proceedings. His silence is assured by a serious threat upon his Rhodesian girlfriend whom he had intended to marry and is prohibited from leaving the country to follow him.
Embittered by the experience, Burnham embarks on the path of a mercenary soldier for many years. In 1999, Burnham is now employed as an "expeditor" for a well-known arms dealer. HIs employer is also a gem smuggler, and Burnham is dispatched to the war-torn Congo to deal with a problem with his employer's gem smuggling operation. While in Lubumbashi to work on the problem, he meets and gets involved with a French widow whose father, a Former Foreign Legionnaire officer, is his contact in the gem smuggling operation. Burnham eventually resolves the problem, but unexpectedly comes into conflict with an American Intelligence operation to retrieve stolen nuclear materials. Burnham is coerced into helping in the operation. His new mission takes him back to Zimbabwe where old scores soon re-surface. While there, he re-unites with some old comrades; his former Platoon Sergeant Major who is now a Colonel in the Zimbabwe Army, the colonel's brother, a former terrorist commander who is now a Lt. General and some white former Rhodesian Army comrades. He also meets an old British Army friend he knew from the old days who is now an MI6 operative at the British Embassy in Harare. The British are also involved in retrieving the stolen nuclear contraband. Burnham finds the contraband, but is captured and tortured. But he does discover that the person who has the contraband is General Chinyoka, now the Commander of the Zimbabwe Army and he plans to sell it to terrorists. The contraband is eventually secured by a Seal Team while in transit through Mozambique, but some is missing. General Chinyoka has kept some of the nuclear material to use in a "dirty bomb" to explode during a political rally of the opposition party. Burnham escapes and is able to stop the detonation. General Chinyoka's involvement leaks out and he flees the country, heading north to the Congo. Chinyoka discovers Burnham's involvement with the French women and kidnaps her to punish Burnham. Burnham pursues Chinyoka back to Kinshasa where they have a final showdown.