When an unforeseen environmental disaster causes enormous destruction and loss of life, the consequences are far reaching for the Prime Minister. The subsequent investigation leads Sutherland and his team to realise that all may not be as it appears. Embarking on a quest to discover the truth, they find something disturbing and disruptive underneath. The crisis spirals to encompass not only the urgent threat of environmental destruction but also the malignant corruption of the arms industry and the rise of shadowy corporate security firms. The cabinet is faced with the inconvenient reality of the UK’s historic relationship with a global superpower. All these elements combine to lead the Prime Minister to a crucial decision, about who he is personally, and what – ultimately – he is willing to sacrifice in order to remain in power.