Alex Desero wakes up in a sumptuous hotel suite with all his possessions gone and no memory of how he got there. Determined to discover the identify of his abductors, he travels to northern California; a journey that will change his life forever by thrusting him into an astounding world of powerful men, beautiful women, unbridled carnality, and unimagined peril. His quest to find answers only leads Alex to deeper and more dangerous mysteries as he enters a world of affluence few ever see, meets people who will change his life forever, becomes involved in a hunt for lost gold, and confronts his own debilitating, personal demons. As the stakes rise and the players in this colossal chess match shift from side to side, Alex realizes he has been a pawn on both sides of the board, and that the cost of taking part in this treacherous game may be his life.