Even the Head of Her Majesty’s Secret Service seems to dismiss the rumours of a shadowy yet powerful mercenary spy network as folk tales. But Captain John Fletcher, a Royal Navy stalwart and MI-6 agent, is having doubts. He has just been despatched on a luxury yacht searching for lost pirate ships.

His brief is to protect the yacht’s high-profile passengers from a potential terrorist threat. He is soon embroiled in suspicious events. Why would mysterious strangers warn his fellow passengers of impending dangers, or why would he get the impression that the expedition is being discreetly shadowed? And why would his presence on board the Nereid appear to elicit so much hostility from some of those on board? As the yacht sails from the turquoise waters of the Caribbean to the dangerous islands off war-torn Mozambique, Captain Fletcher struggles to tell friend from foe, and his conviction becomes stronger by the day.

The International Consultancy exists, as does its mysterious Senior Adviser. If Fletcher does not stop them, events could unfold that might threaten the very heart of the Western World’s political and military stability.