Lanxi Hahn, a wealthy Hong Kong businessman and, by family tradition, part time junk captain and smuggler, must emigrate his extended family from Hong Kong before it reverts to the People's Republic of China at midnight on 30 June, 1997, under threat of retaliation for his father's involvement in Chiang Kai-shek's move of the national treasury to Taiwan. Part of his extended family, twin daughters and their mother are still in mainland China. He agrees to carry some black market military equipment out of the PRC for a powerful Chinese general who will protect his exit with the children. Before sailing into China, he learns from British MI6 that a terrorist-bound nuclear bomb is secreted in the general's cargo. He agrees to attempt to extract it from the rest of the cargo and deliver it to British Intelligence. While in China, his daughters are kidnaped, he is severely wounded and, with only four days left, is confronted with even more life-threatening obstacles.