Stead is back in his haven, all's right with the world. But his quiet trip to the Caribbean on a Mogul supertanker produces unexpected developments.

Stead's visit to a Mogul refinery in Africa causes problems for Peter Thornton. The simple job of organizing a ceremonial event becomes highly dangerous when a sacked engineer threatens to blow up the refinery.

A world famous leprosy hospital lies in the path of Mogul's exploration teams in East Africa. The ageing Dr. Hoffman who runs it is idolised by millions, including Willy Izard, who, with Thronton's help, has to cope with the problems involved.

What is the price of a bride? When the government of the African state of Manzaya decide to throw out Mogul's manager three men are faced with this question: Ralph Grant, the manager with a South African wife, Jack Robbins, who lives up country with an African girl, and Peter Thornton himself.

What is it like to be captured by dangerous mercenaries in an African civil war? Willy Izard finds out when he replaces Thornton on a trip to Ebon. Mogul's frantic attempts to free him centre on Jane Webb, Stead's former secreatary.

When management efficiency experts arrive, rumours of redundancy sweep Mogul's head office.

In the desert water can be just as valuable as oil - and just as explosive, as Peter Thornton finds out to his cost.

The attempts of Stead, Thornton and Izard to pin down a multi-millionaire take them to a health farm, the Cannes Film Festival, a continental casino and a Scottish cattle sale.

Haiti is notorious for its voodoo and its secret police. Stead becomes involved in a desperate and dangerous battle for control of Mogul's local company.

Alec Stewart is involved in an explosive situation. Mogul's drilling rig on a Caribbean island has been sabotaged. Stead send Alec's old rival Thornton out to investigate.

Tribal quarrels, witch doctors, political double-dealing, a drunken hotel-keeper and a mysterious blow-back on a decrepit drilling rig - all hundreds of miles from nowhere in the African bush.

Mogul's experiments in shipping oil out of Alaska under the ice in giant submarine tankers have gone well. Now Izard, Stead and Thornton visit their submarine, not in Alaska but in the Caribbean. But even there things can go wrong, as Stead finds out on his first underwater dive.

Industry, pollution, overcrowding - Stead is feeling the pressures of them all when he gets to Nova Scotia. Here he finds the perfect site for Mogul's new refinery. But is it perfect? In the peace of a small country hotel, Stead finds time to think.

Stead, Thornton and Izard are on trial tonight. State secrets have been leaked to a foreign power, and the Ministry of defence investigator, Commander Frayne, says the leak must be from one of these three men.