Avery Keene, a brilliant young law clerk for the legendary Justice Howard Wynn, is doing her best to hold her strained personal life together. But when the shocking news breaks that Justice Wynn--the cantakerous swing vote on the Court--has slipped into a coma, Avery's life turns upside down. She learns that Wynn has appointed her to serve as his legal guardian and hold his power of attorney, plunging her into an explosive role she never anticipated. Avery finds that Justice Wynn had been secretly researching one of the most controversial cases before the Court--a proposed merger between an American biotech company and an Indian genetics firm, which promises to unleash breathtaking results in the medical field. She also discovers that Wynn suspected a dangerous conspiracy was infiltrating the highest power corridors of Washington. As political wrangling intensifies to replace the ailing judge, Avery begins to unravel the carefully constructed, chess-like sequence of clues Wynn left behind for her. His labyrinthine puzzle threatens to lead Avery directly into harm's way--and to a stunning truth.