The Gatekeeper

In "The Gatekeeper" by James Byrne, retired mercenary Desmond Aloysius Limerick, affectionately known as Dez, finds himself drawn back into action when a group of mercenaries targets a military contractor during his vacation in Southern California. After thwarting their kidnapping attempt against Petra Alexandris, the daughter of the CEO, Dez takes on an unexpected challenge: uncovering the embezzlement of over a billion dollars from her company. As he investigates, he uncovers a dangerous conspiracy involving media manipulation and an armed coup, positioning him as the key obstacle to those intent on destabilizing the nation.