A shocking medical-political thriller by the New York Times bestselling author and master of suspense, for fans of Robin Cooke and Michael Connelly.

The fate of the country lies in the hands of one man.

On the eve of his State of the Union address, President James Allaire is ready to give the speech of his career. But when a terrorist group lets a deadly virus into the Capitol building, horror is unleashed and the 700 people present must be quarantined.

Virologist Griffin Rhodes - currently imprisoned for alleged acts of terrorism - is the only person who could combat the strain. Enemies are closing in, and every presidential successor - but one - is trapped inside the Capitol. With the security of the nation at stake, can Griff unravel the mystery before time runs out?