Alexander J. Burns, a seasoned field operative, was stationed abroad and tasked with eliminating America's most dangerous terrorists. Four years ago, he was injured en route to a critical mission and was sent home. With no memory of prior trainings and missions, his former handlers, the Department of Defense Foreign Intelligence Agency Operations Center, want him sedated and watched very carefully. Burns knows too much. They hope he never recovers, and that his secrets will remain forever undisclosed.

With the help of Dr. David Caulfield, Burns does begin to remember—and the agency is doing everything it can to stop him. Everyone Burns comes in contact with gets hunted down. Samantha, his nurse at the hospital, is almost murdered for asking too many questions; David, his hospital-appointed therapist, loses his sight; and David's wife is killed as the result of a car bomb explosion.

But Burns is not to be deterred. He creates a team with the people who are on the run as a result of contact with him, and they set out to compromise the security of the government on May 2. If he is successful, he and his friends might live on the run for the rest of their lives. If he fails, at least they will die quickly.