The story follows William Sandberg, a brilliant but troubled former military cryptologist whose life is in ruins after the collapse of his career and marriage. He is abruptly abducted by a shadowy, top-secret organization and given an impossible task: decode a hidden message within the human DNA sequence.

The stakes are raised when a potent and deadly virus begins to spread rapidly around the world, causing thousands of deaths. William’s ex-wife, Christina, suspects foul play in his disappearance and begins her own investigation, which leads her to a mysterious chateau in the Alps, where the organization is operating.