Karate, kung-fu, aikido—Jason Striker was a master of them all. His entire body was a finely honed weapon, capable of destroying even the most skilled antagonist. But Striker was a man of peace; his school of martial arts was dedicated to defense, not aggression.

Then came the tournament, a fight-to-the-finish matching of the top representatives of the world's leading martial arts. There would be no rules, no fouls called, no techniques forbidden, no repercussions if men should die. No such meeting could ever occur in the United States, for here there are laws against manslaughter. But in the far reaches of his estate in Nicaragua, Vincente Pedro was the law . . .