There's been an outbreak. Inside a New Mexico cavern, a colony of bats is perishing, and viral infection is suspected. Genetic specialists Clay Owen and Maya Paz are charged with characterizing the responsible entity and formulating a solution before the human population is contaminated. Applying the latest recombinant techniques to decipher the pathogen's DNA code, they discover features that appear to be designed, rather than evolved. Now they must not only contend with a dangerous biological threat, but also determine if an intelligent source is behind this lethal new strain.