Fenton Wilkes had always dreamt of being famous. Now he had his chance. Wilkes pushed his thick black frames up his nose and brushed a lock of stringy brown hair away from his forehead in annoyance. He finished typing, read over his message, and hit "Send." He picked up the documents emblazoned with "CONFIDENTIAL, PROPERTY OF GLOBAL MOTOR CARS" and slipped them into the envelope addressed to The Chicago Tribune. The doorbell rang. Irritated at the intrusion, Wilkes reluctantly went to the door and opened it, then flew backward, propelled by the force of the slug that slammed into his chest. Five men swarmed into the apartment and began picking it apart, casting emptied drawers and rifled books over their shoulders as they went. The shooter looked past them all and moved swiftly toward the computer, never taking his eyes off the screen, sidestepping with a professional's practiced dispassion the widening circle of blood seeping into the ragged carpet. He scrolled down to "Sent Items" and read, a dark shadow stealing across his face. They had another stop to make. Julia Kelly is a dark beauty with a fierce sense of justice and a driving ambition. A weathered Italian from the streets of Brooklyn, Jack Vincente's sense of justice is equally strong but less idealistic. Both will soon be tested. Jack and Julia have been drummed out of their law firm, and their reputations have been shattered by the managing partner, all out of jealousy over Jack's legendary career and humiliation over Julia's rejection of his advances. Both see the Stirling acquisition as a shot at redemption. But others have their own dark motives for wanting the infamous Stirling engine: a shadowy mercenary and a secret society; the ex-FBI agent who works for them; and the two men who sell their souls to them, a CEO desperate to save his dying wife and a senator who sees the Stirling as his legacy. When their paths collide, the few who survive will change the world forever.