Whosoever controls the Democratic Republic of the Congo controls some of the world's richest mineral deposits. A satellite launched for South Africa's military by Russia in 2015 has been hijacked. The satellite monitors rebel movements in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in order to protect United Nations and African Union peace-keeping troops. The Katanga and Kasai provinces of the DRC has the world's greatest mineral wealth, including one of the world's largest deposits of cobalt ― a 10% by weight prerequisite for every battery produced in the world for cellular telephones, tablets and laptops. Furthermore, between latitudes 5 N and 10 N immensely rich oil fields stretch across the middle of Africa, from South Sudan and touching the northern border of the DRC across the Central African Republic, Cameroun, all the way to southeast Nigeria.The situation becomes critical when rebels overrun these two provinces and hold AU and UN troops hostage, including a contingent of South African troops. They also hold hostage the government in the Palais de la Nation in the capital Kinshasa. Without the satellite a rescue mission becomes nigh impossible. Neighbouring states in the region are also now under threat. At the request of the UN Secretary General, Brigadier Rian Schröder is called in to investigate the hijacking of the 'eye in the sky'.Who has the most to gain from the missing satellite, Rian ponders, for therein lies the answer? He is not happy when told Major General Lahliwe Ngweni, of Military Intelligence, is being assigned to his unit, the National Operational Unit of the S.A. Police Services, to act as liaison between him and the military brass. Based on past experience he does not trust military intelligence.FBI Special Agent Carter Langfitt, 'Legat' at the American Embassy contacts Rian and offers their services. At the Embassy Shaun Throckmorton tells Rian the CIA believes the Chinese supplied the Congo Rebels with military equipment but it is not clear how this was done. Rian suspects that he knows, but keeps this to himself. The Chinese have the most to gain from the theft of the satellite. They, in conjunction with the Ukrainian crime syndicate Yuzovka operate one of the world's largest diamond mines in Zimbabwe. From there they have been distributing drugs, 'speed' and heroin in particular, as well as Chincom AK-47's throughout southern Africa. And his friend Larisa Kovrizhkna, head of Yuzovka flies all this in. That was how they armed the Rebels. Control of the eastern provinces of the DRC would give the Chinese access to some of the world's major mineral deposits.When Ch'en Xue of Chinese intelligence contacts Rian and tells him he is holding Rian's fiancé Mariechen Thiart hostage and she will be sold as a sex slave in Hong Kong unless Rian carries out Ch'en's orders, a shaken Rian recalls Larisa telling him not only is Ch'en dangerous, he is a savage who loves to brutalise a woman, beating her into submission with his belt before he has sex with her. Is this Mariechen's fate?Rian is at a loss. From where is the satellite being controlled? The Chinese Embassy? How can he regain control of it? Should he try to kidnap Ch'en? But Ch'en carries a diplomatic passport. Can he break Ch'en? Not according to Larisa. Can he save Mariechen? Not if he does not know where Ch'en is holding her? In the Chinese Embassy?But what is more important ― the satellite or his fiancé? If he fails to rescue Mariechen she becomes a sex slave (if that is not her fate already), the Chinese get control of the world's greatest deposits of mineral wealth, the AU and UN troops will be doomed, and the rebels who overran Kinshasa will destabilise the whole of central Africa for years to come.
