In this, the first book of a trilogy, reporter Bruce Martin stumbles upon a most subtle but lethal terrorist attack. He discovers that for months a confederacy of America's enemies have been smuggling high grade cocaine laced with the deadly Spanish Influenza virus. The secretive nature of the drug culture has allowed the virus to explode across the country without anybody realizing what has actually happened. Martin attempts to sound the alarm but a corrupt and paranoid government moves to silence him forever. With the aid of a coworker, Leah, Martin arrives at an old church property and seeks refuge. Here a little band of strangers unite in a common effort to survive in their sanctuary while the world around them descends into violence and anarchy.

Eventually the virus finds its way to the church with the same lethal results. A priest also arrives, having been recalled from the Caribbean. But this is no regular priest, he is the Vatican's chief exorcist. Through conversations Martin and Leah come to realize that this is a far darker event than even the terrorist attack. The destabilization of the world's governments has set the stage for the arrival of a very dark future indeed.