Bodyguarding a TV crew on the streets of war-torn Basra, ex-deniable operator Nick Stone seems certain to die when insurgent gunmen attack. Only the reporter's swift action saves his life. When the reporter vanishes within hours, presumed kidnapped, Stone is asked by the Intelligence Service to find him. The trail leads from Iraq to London, Dublin, and ultimately Kabul - the dark and brutal city where governments, terrorism and big business inexorably collide. Caught in the crossfire, Stone's nightmare is only just beginning - for the hunter has suddenly become the hunted, in a heart-stopping race against time. . .