"Be calm," the voice said softly. "Take the black one first. Line up the wires just below the throat, and gently, gently..." So begins the nightmare that the world has long feared. What starts as an assassination becomes a civil war and the conflict spreads until half the African continent is threatened by annihilation. Mistrust and suspicion force the superpowers into confrontation as they strive to protect their interests in Africa. And as the terrorist leader responsible for it all watches his last and most dangerous gamble spiral out of control, rescuers struggle to reach the U.S. President. Trapped in an underground cavern, he is powerless to use his knowledge to prevent a nuclear catastrophe. Political conspiracy, an unusual love affair, and the threat to world peace will keep you hypnotized until the chilling conclusion. The Third Power takes place at the height of the cold war--but although the actors have changed, this is an all-too-possible blueprint for disaster in the current political environment.