New York Times -bestselling author Stephen Coonts returns with a riveting tale of espionage, assassination, and a plot that could destroy the U.S. Navy.

"His command of aerial action and geopolitical intrigue is unmatched in the genre." - The Washington Post

"When it comes to military fiction, Coonts remains on every fan's A-list."-Booklist The Chinese dragon is flexing its muscles. As its military begins to prey on neighbors in the South China Sea, attacking fishing vessels and scheming to seize natural resources, America goes on high alert. But a far more ominous danger lurks closer to home: A nuclear weapon has been planted in the harbor at Norfolk, Virginia-site of the biggest naval base on the planet. The target: a secret rendezvous of the Atlantic Fleet aircraft carriers and their battle groups. When the CIA director is assassinated and Jake Grafton is appointed to take his place, Jake gets wind of the conspiracy but has no idea when or where the attack will occur. Meanwhile, a series of assassinations-including an attempt on the life of the President of the United States-shakes the nation and deliberately masks a far more sinister objective. Can Jake and his right hand man, Tommy Carmellini, prevent a catastrophe far more devastating than Pearl Harbor and stop a plot to destroy the U.S. Navy? "Coonts makes us see, smell, hear, taste, and feel battle." - Cleveland Plain-Dealer "Exciting and realistic-Coonts's best." -Admiral Jay L. Johnson (Ret.), former Chief of Naval Operations

"When it comes to military fiction, Coonts remains on every fan's A-list." - Booklist