Running away from the sudden revelation of his wife's marital infidelity, 35 year old Al finds himself surrounded by a murder investigation headed by the Monroe County Colorado Sheriff's Department. While at times it appears that Al is the suspect, it becomes clear instead that he is the target of a secretive foundation headquartered off the road to Cottonwood Pass. The foundation is chaired by a reclusive multibillionaire who has cobbled together an operational philosophy using the thoughts of Plato, Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals," and something called a "manufactured crisis." While suspicion and danger surround him, Al tries to resolve his relationship with his wife and keep his job, both of which he appears to have abandoned. Set in the stunning Rocky Mountains, Al also comes into contact with a beautiful, red-haired detective, Sandy, who is with him through much of his adventure. It is the most intense and dangerous seven days of his life, as not all things are as they appear.