Part One, The Pilottown, Chapters 1-5 Summary

The Coast Guard cutter, Catawba, is sitting off the shore of Kodiak Island investigating a distress call from a ship called Amie Marie. A boarding party is sent to the Amie Marie where they find the entire crew has died from some mystery ailment. The Catawba's doctor is sent to the Amie Marie to try and diagnose the illness, only to find that the boarding party has also died. The doctor becomes ill himself, confirming the Catawba captain's worse fear, some sort of quickly spreading illness. At the same time in Washington, D.C., Secret Service agent Owen Lucas arrives at his office in the White House. Lucas is in charge of the detail that protects the President. Most Presidents are creatures of habit, but the current President likes to do things on...