Relic - Book #1 in the Indian Hero series  (Paperback, Douglas Misquita)

Rescuing a woman from mercenaries and the police was not part of the itinerary when Izak Kaurben set out backpacking in Croatia. With bodies and destruction in their wake, the only way to exonerate himself is to find out who is targeting her and why. The quest reveals an adversary - ruthless and influential - a suspected war criminal, Ivan Drago, who exploits refugees as human landmine detectors. Izak needs leverage. It takes the form of a relic - missing since the 16th century, now resurfaced and on the black market. But if the rumours that the relic has a mystic power over the mind are true, then it is beyond valuable! With hostages in the mix, Izak is in a race against time and competition and... totally unprepared for the connection the relic has to his homeland, India.