Clear and Present Danger

A United States Coast Guard vessel intercepts and boards the Enchanter in the Caribbean Sea. The Coast Guardsmen discover evidence suggesting that the ship's previous occupants, American businessman Peter Hardin and his family, were murdered by the occupying Colombian crew. Jack Ryan discovers through Hardin's computer that the businessman had connections to the Cali Cartel, and embezzled $650 million from them, who subsequently killed him for it under orders from drug lord Ernesto Escobedo. United States President Bennett, who was a close friend to Hardin, discreetly authorizes his National Security Advisor James Cutter to begin covert operations in Colombia to bring down the cartel.