One year after the death of Mao Tse-tung, the Politburo is mired in a struggle between the hard line right and several groups of moderates unable to coalesce into a unified opposition. A brilliant man who stays mainly in the shadows, and is unknown to Western Intelligence, is looked to by the rabid generals of the right as the only person capable of giving them what they want - a plan to establish China as a world leader. His exceptionally gifted mind finally does this. His plan will take advantage of the divided Politburo and includes duping the leaders of Vietnam and North Korea as pawns in his scheme. He regards it as a bonus that his plan will kill millions of people. One apparently minor consequence of this plan comes to the attention of, and intrigues, the CIA's head of operations in South East Asia. The more he digs the more he becomes convinced that, although his analysis is still extremely vague, his gut is correct and America is in grave danger. But Washington dismisses his conclusion. Two years after defeat in Vietnam, the last thing they want to countenance is another entanglement in Asia. In frustration he contacts a retired soldier and begs him to investigate.
Colonel Philip Melville was the most successful leader of Special Forces in the Vietnam conflict. The trail begins by his infiltrating back into Ho Chi Minh City and leads to Hong Kong and Beijing. Along the way, vague pieces of analysis become unthinkable catastrophic possibilities. Still Washington refuses to intervene, leaving Melville as the only barrier to Armageddon. His nightmare turns to chilling reality when he learns time is rapidly running out.