International ecology-terrorists are murdering government officials in Kenya, saying they want to "protect" the elephant herds. Swept into the investigation are Sam Hawthorne, an American journalist, and Maya Saito, a dedicated scientist who studies animal behavior. Former lovers, Sam and Maya have been separated by both their ambitions and different cultures. When James Wangai, an unorthodox detective obsessed with the case, identifies the killers and begins tracking them down. Sam and Maya join forces with him and the three embark on a relentless pursuit of the terrorists. Thrown back together by events, the former lovers find their unorthodox love affair rekindled and struggle to resist its destructive attraction. This action-filled novel stampedes through the African wilderness to the metropolis of Nairobi, from unspoiled natural habitats to a world of greed, revenge, and overpowering love.