9The time is January, 1964. Robert Kennedy and his wife, Ethel, are visiting the Philippines on a diplomatic mission.
The main character in the story, Carter Redding, a Peace Corps Volunteer in The Philippines, happens to be in Manila at the same time. Carter decides to go out to the Manila International Airport and see, if by chance, he could be in the crowd greeting the Kennedys. Carter's hopes are exceeded when he is also able to squeeze into the back at the press conference at the airport. While there, he prevents an attempt on Kennedy's life by a nearby gunman disguised as a photographer. In the process Redding is himself wounded.
Those that wanted Kennedy assassinated are furious at Carter's intervention and are convinced that Carter's real bosses (assumed to be the CIA) must be discovered before the would-be assassins can move ahead with their plans. This leads Carter to a rabbit hole of meetings with people from several backgrounds that he might not otherwise have encountered, including politicians, journalists, a mysterious retired military of?cer, and an exotic lady of the evening.
Carter, at the same time, attempts to carry on his duties as a Peace Corps Volunteer, but violence and strange sexual encounters and interactions with spirits follow him and interfere with his responsibilities.
Finally, a violent encounter in the jungle of the Philippines island of Palawan brings his story to an alarming conclusion.