When the outgoing President grants a controversial last minute pardon to Joel Backman, a notorious power broker languishing in a federal prison, rumour has it that the CIA is responsible. Apparently, Backman, in his power broker heyday, may have obtained secrets compromising the world's most sophisticated satellite surveillance system. Backman is quietly smuggled out of the country, given a new name, a new identity, and a new home in Italy. But just as he settles into his new life, the CIA leaks his whereabouts to the Israelis, the Russians, the Chinese and the Saudis. The question is not whether Backman will survive - there's no chance of that. The question the CIA needs answered is, who will kill him?