When Japanese shipping magnates whose fortunes are being threatened by brutal pirates in the waters of Southeast Asia turn to Captain Juan Cabrillo for assistance, he soon learns that the pirates' predations hide a deadly international conspiracy--a scheme of death and slavery.

Part way through integrating their first female member into the Shadow Squadron, Lieutenant Commander Ryan Cross and his team are called upon to investigate the possible kidnapping of a powerful senator's son in Mali--and find themselves confronting an infamous slaver called the Spider.