Raina Lowery is kidnapped by insurgents in Sudan while on a medical mission's trip. HEART, a hostage rescue team from DC, rescues Raina and another hostage. Raina refuses to leave without Samuel, a 10-year-old boy who helped her and who was shot in the leg during Raina's escape. The HEART team promises to see to Samuel's medical needs in Africa and then bring him to the United States for recovery.

As Jackson Miller from HEART arrives a few weeks later at Raina's home with Samuel, he finds her running for her life through the woods by her house. She saw someone crossing her yard, followed them into the woods and that person began shooting at her. When Jackson gives chase, this perpetrator tries to back over him with his vehicle as he escapes the scene. The police believe someone is stalking Raina and she needs protection. She ends up with the entire HEART team at her home, seeing that she and Samuel are safe. When a week passes without another incident, Raina believes this nightmare is over, but then the stalker strikes again and takes Raina right out from under HEART's watch. She prays for another rescue. Can Jackson get there before her kidnapper kills her?

PROTECTIVE INSTINCTS is a story about holding onto your faith and letting God's love prevail even in the darkest times, about loss and getting second chances. Raina and Jackson are strong characters with an equally strong cast of supporting characters. The characters often butt heads with everyone wanting to be in charge of Raina's safety. Raina is already suffering from the loss of her husband and son just a short time ago and wants life to return to something that resembles normal. She and Jackson feel a spark between them, but can there be a happy-ever-after? This is an exciting new series by Shirlee McCoy entitled Mission Rescue. The upcoming stories will all be about members of the HEART team.