Life is sweet for Levantine Michael Howell - an apolitical mongrel of Armenian, Lebanese, Greek Cypriot, Syrian and fractionally British' blood possessing profitable business throughout the Middle East - until on night in Damascus when he discovers that his factories have become the clandestine opertaions base of the Palestinian Action Force. The PAF, a fanatical terrorist organisation devoted to the destruction of Israel, is the last squatter anyone would want to find inhabiting their business concerns - anyone except Howell, programmed to survive and ready to act.'