Heat. Politics. Romance. Sand. War. Bad Coffee. It can only mean one thing. Ellen Martin is off to the Middle East. On the eve of her impromptu wedding and her rapidly approaching 40th birthday, Ellen is sent to Qatar on an urgent assignment, contract in hand, to save her company, Cowley&Tate. Plans and alliances are formed to thwart the agreement between the state of Qatar and the company, and destabilize the upper echelons of power. Extremists kidnap Ellen for a planned execution. Time ticks down. Who will save Ellen this time?