Now in paperback and soon to be a major motion picture--the terrifying techno-thriller in the bestselling tradition of Michael Crichton! When the first planes go down -- in Europe, in California, in Asia--authorities blame terrorists. All flights are grounded as world leaders try to figure out how the global assault has been coordinated. And when cars, ships, and factories stop running too, it becomes clear that the common link is oil. Somehow a microbe, genetically engineered to destroy petroleum, has infected the world supply. As the world's economy grinds to a crashing halt, Dr. Gregory Gillette, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control, races against the clock before more havoc, devastation, and terror is wreaked. Utilizing his skill as a seasoned Hollywood screenwriter, Reiss weaves the plot into a page-turning, blockbuster thriller.