He recruits lawyer Cal Dexter, the main character in Avenger and a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran who served in the élite tunnel rat unit, to help him with this task.

Together they set up a joint Anglo-American task force operating from 2 converted grain carriers transformed into Q-ships to intercept cocaine shipments, destroy the ships and to detain the crews on a remote island.

Since this leads to out-of-hand gang wars with innocent bystanders getting killed, Devereaux is eventually asked by the White House to stop all operations.

Dissatisfied by the White House decision, Devereaux cuts a deal with a drug lord promising him the cocaine captured by the task forces.

The novel has been lauded for its background research, but the Washington Post reviewer found the characters lacking in depth, and the plot often unconvincing, "a fantasy that spins out of control".