Sheik Rashid bin Zayed al Gandi knows if he can control the global availability of fresh water he will control the world. And nothing will stop him from achieving his goal. A 9/11 hijacker, a seemingly random murder in Washington, D.C., an assassination of the respected scientist Jonathan Wiley, and international research into fresh water production are all strangely connected to the sheik's plans, but no one knows how. Erica Wiley, the scientist's daughter and his protege Matt Stanton are determined to find out what his secret research was and why it led to his murder. As they travel around the world pushing to find answers, the trail of subterfuge and death grows as they get closer to understanding the fatal intersection between the sheik and professor Wiley . As the pieces slowly come together, Matt and Erica are thrust into the struggle for power and control over The Hydrogen Protocol and eventually uncover Professor Wiley's critical role in its development and deployment.