The year is 1900 and China is plunged into barbaric chaos. The Boxers, a cult of young peasants who blame the foreign barbarians living in their country, particularly the missionaries, for the nation's ills, are rampaging through the country, killing foreigners. China's Dowager Empress The Dragon Lady secretly encourages them into this maelstrom land, Simon, Alice and Jenkins, as they are enroute to visit Alice's uncle, a country missionary. Threatened by the Boxers, the three escort the missionary and his family to the safety of Peking. En route, the party is attacked by the red-bannered Boxers and the missionary is killed. The survivors reach Peking only to find that the capital is no sanctuary. The Legations of the foreign ministers within the city is surrounded and the Siege of Peking begins. Fonthill, Jenkins and Chang, the missionary's adopted son, volunteer to slip through the enemy lines to bring help. It proves to be Fonthill's most dangerous mission...