The Shanghai Incursion, Sojourn Series by Robert P. Fitton

Tom Loftus is accepted in the elite special ops Panther Unit. By taking the position, he leaves the love of his life Kath behind in the rural town of Appleton Vermont. They had planned to have a family and settle down in Appleton. Loftus leaves on a bus out of town watching Kath slowly fade as he begins his time in the Defense Secret Service. After intensive basic training Loftus meets his lifelong buddy Zach Grasso. Their adventures, battles with advanced technology and transhuman beings, are formidable in the Chinese conflict but the old Loftus luck runs out on the Asian Continent culminating in the Shanghai Incursion. Loftus and Zach are then specially assigned around the world. Something nefarious is happening in Africa and spills over to Loftus and Zach working security in the Allsworthy campaign. Loftus becomes friends with the blonde Jen Faucher from the campaign and strives to protect his mentor, Nathan Allsworthy. In life, friendship, goals, and ambition is sometimes not enough.