"Every catastrophe begins with a small problem that goes unresolved." This is the belief of American President Pauline Green. Her own problems also start small - with her daughter and her husband's demand that she take better care of her. But where is Pauline supposed to find the time when the world around her is in turmoil? A drying oasis in the Sahara. A stolen American drone. An uninhabited Japanese island. And a country's secret pursuit of deadly chemical weapons - all of this plays a role in the crisis that is rapidly escalating. A deadly race against time begins...