During a business trip to Taranga, a Pacific Island nation, Douglas Van Ekeren, a second generation Australian, is mistakenly invited to a clandestine meeting held by a group planning a coup d'état. The mistaken identity is due to a similarity in surname to another coup member, who is flying into Taranga from overseas and scheduled to stay at the same hotel but who has been delayed. Initially Douglas believes the meeting relates to his business trip, but slowly realises the true situation, feigns illness and manages to get out without arousing suspicion.
He flies back to Australia from Taranga the next day, but the coup plotters have realised their mistake. To ensure the coup is not betrayed, they kidnap him from Sydney Airport on his arrival and hold him captive, but after several days he escapes.
But with no money or means of communication, deep in country Victoria and pursued by his late captors, unable to contact police because his captors have incriminated him, can he reach ASIO in Canberra and forestall the coup?