Elisha “Eli” James, a reporter at the Washington Chronicle, breaks the story that Yale University alum, Olympic gold medalist, and best-selling author Nate Sterling is running as an independent in the upcoming presidential election. His opponents are the unpopular Democratic incumbent and Senator Patricia Turnbull, a Republican who, if elected, would be the first female president of the United States. Eli befriends her idol, Nick Booker. She tells him that she has uncovered a conspiracy.