The fragile peace in the Spratly Islands is shattered when rogue elements of the Chinese Navy seize a Filipino fishing vessel. This seemingly insignificant event sweeps US President Randall Stuart and Navy SEAL Mike Rohrbaugh into the vortex of an escalating regional crisis driven by the quest for billions of barrels of crude oil hidden beneath the waters of the South China Sea. Stuart must contend with America's waning power in Asia when the People's Liberation Army challenges the United States Navy. He authorizes a clandestine special operation to confront the threat, risking any chance for a peaceful resolution of the crisis—and the possibility of world war—if Rohrbaugh's team is captured.