The most dangerous elements of today's world-international terrorism, geopolitics, diplomatic intrigue, secret nuclear weapons, and a global oil crisis-are stirred into a brew that threatens global peace and security. A shadowy terrorist mastermind conceives a plot to reshape and dominate the Middle East. His weapons are subtle deception and shocking violence. As his plan unfolds, he launches ruthless terror strikes against hapless civilians with surgical precision, exploits cancerous diplomatic tensions between Europe and America, and manipulates a gullible global media. Who can find him-let alone stop him-before it is too late? Israeli intelligence agent Moshe Bechman and Major Maria Menendez of the United States Marine Corp are drawn together as they unveil the plot, pursuing leads from Afghanistan and Riyadh to Paris and Washington DC. But they are distracted from the crisis by internal demons and emotional entanglements. Will they be able to prevent the world from plunging into economic and diplomatic chaos?