Colonel Jack Adams crashes an AV-8B Harrier in the middle of a North Carolina bean field. The task of sorting out the cause of his friend’s accident falls to Colonel Dan Breakheart, the Second Marine Air Wing’s Safety Officer. Within days of the start of his investigation, Breakheart realizes that not only sabotage was indeed a factor regarding his friend’s death, but that it may be murder as well. Using information Jack’s wife provides, Breakheart begins delving into the last few days of Colonel Adam’s life. With the help of a young and lovely NADEP engineer and his best buddy, Major “Snake” Burns, he must solve the mystery quickly, but to do so, places himself in harm’s way while smoking the malefactor into a confession.