In STEP OVER RIO, a teenage boy, a hardnosed female reporter, and a federal agent uniteto bring down the brutal kingpins of a child trafficking ring. This triumphant adventurebegins in the fall of 2011, when Alex Sifuentes steps from the back of a human trafficker'struck onto US soil.Alex and his brother, Fernando, have lived in an orphanage in Guatemala City. Everyevening, they help a priest feed homeless street kids until the fateful night when a deathsquad murders Fernando, and Alex sees the face of one of the assassins. He is forced toflee to Houston, Texas, where he believes he will work in a cantina as a waiter, but Aleximmediately discovers the despotic cantina owner is part of the Latin Angels, a gang thattraffics drugs and prostitutes kids.During a cantina raid by federal agents, Alex escapes and finds his way to an exotic shaman,Obispa, who shelters immigrants. She ensures Alex's safety by convincing Elizabeth Grant,an investigative reporter, to take him into her home. Elizabeth regularly knocks heads withLuke Santa Maria, special agent in charge of the countywide trafficking case, but Alex formsa special bond with both of them.When Luke and Elizabeth's investigations lead to the murder of innocent people, Alex goesundercover to help discover who is running the child sex slavery ring. Ultimately, the threeof them unveil the crimes of rich and powerful men. This saga of fierce friendships anduncommon courage transforms the lives of Luke and Elizabeth, staunch witnesses to theagony of Alex's boyhood, as he begins anew in America, just a step over rio.