FBI agent Cameron Daggett has for years been on the trail of an international triggerman responsible for planting at least two nearly undetectable explosive devices on airplanes. When a strange murder takes place in a Seattle aircraft training installation, Daggett suspects that his nemesis is involved.

The man who was murdered was a specialist in training pilots to fly the Duhning 959-600 – a new breed of ultra- sophisticated aircraft – and he was killed in a Duhning flight simulator. Was the killer trying to be taught to pilot one of these super jets? How is this connected to Daggett's recent discovery of sophisticated altitude detonators? Is Anthony Kort – Daggett's prey – about to strike again?

Using the most intricate and complex forensic techniques, the aerodynamic and technical principles that make monster jets stay aloft, and sheer cop's reasoning – Daggett picks up Kort's trail. He is joined by forensic experts, aerodynamic engineers, and criminal psychologists – but it comes down to Daggett and Daggett alone to see the pattern in the seemingly endless technical detail, and stop a tragedy before it takes place. But Kort is smart, and driven by a motivation that Daggett cannot possibly understand. And when Daggett gets close, Kort makes it personal.