In the town of Manasquan, where autumn leaves dance in the breeze, Mike Allen's world shatters when two Marines arrive at his doorstep bearing news of his brother's disappearance in the heart of Vietnam. As the Allen family grapples with the agony of uncertainty, Mike, now eighteen, shoulders the weight of their grief, determined to be their pillar of strength. But fate has more in store for Mike than he could ever anticipate. Amidst a celebratory banquet honoring him and his friends for their remarkable discovery of Live Oak artifacts, chaos erupts in a thunderous explosion. Mike's instincts kick in as he uncovers a sinister plot to steal the priceless treasures they've unearthed. Unraveling the strands of this nefarious scheme, Mike soon realizes that his old adversary, the enigmatic international fugitive known only as The Professor, is pulling the strings. Hungry for the key in Mike's possession-a key unlocking a mystery of unimaginable riches-The Professor stops at nothing to seize it for his sinister purposes. Determined to outwit his foe, Mike embarks on a dangerous journey with his loyal friends, venturing to the sun-drenched streets of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. But as they dive deeper into the heart of corruption and danger, Mike finds himself torn between safeguarding those he loves and unraveling the secrets of the past. In a race against time, Mike must navigate treacherous waters where every step brings him closer to the truth and to the clutches of his relentless adversary. With the fate of ancient treasures and his loved ones hanging in the balance, Mike Allen faces his greatest challenge, where the line between ally and enemy blurs, and the past holds the key to an uncertain future.