He finds himself in a quandary as his own relief efforts have left him destitute and owing his friend Canadian diplomatic officer Carl Pimmler a large amount of money.
Pimmler has realised he will never be adequately rewarded for being a minor government diplomatic officer and offers Kernan a piece of his action.
Kernan will drive an army truck loaded with medical supplies into Cambodia where he will be paid in gold bullion by a local warlord.
Accompanying Kernan will be Pimmler's wife Johanna a surgeon who has recently returned from Burma where she provided medical aid to the local populace.
Kernan faces danger from mined roads, thieves, the Royal Thai Police, the Khmer Rouge as well as from Colonel Shan and his Australian mercenary Rodger Crawley.