In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on Washington, DC and New York City, everyone is tense. The country is on a war footing, and this spells huge profits for defense firms. One such firm, Armcor, has a lucrative contract to supply armed drones to the Defense Department, but Sergeant Rory Lake, a military contract monitor, discovers they are falsifying test results and defrauding the government. His boss, Colonel William Raymond can't get the top brass to pay attention to the young sergeant's concerns, and when Lake disappears, turns to Al Pennyback for help. With millions at stake, and a man's life on the line, Al must penetrate Armcor's secrets and find a vicious kidnapper. He finds himself pitted against a ruthless woman who will do anything to succeed, an even more ruthless killer who enjoys inflicting pain on his victims, and uncaring bureaucrats more concerned with advancement than humanity. Failure is not an option, and those who would do wrong find an implacable opponent in the man known as the Brown Knight.