When British and American intelligence catch wind of a major Al Qaeda operation in the works, they are primed for action, but what can they do? They know nothing about the attack - the what, where, or when. They have no sources in Al Qaeda, and it's impossible to plant someone. Or is it?

The Afghan is Izmat Khan, a five-year prisoner of Guantanamo Bay and a former senior commander of the Taliban. The Afghan is also Colonel Mike Martin, a 25-year veteran of war zones around the world - a dark, lean man born and raised in Iraq. In an attempt to stave off disaster, the intelligence agencies will try to do what no one has ever done before: pass off a Westerner as an Arab among Arabs; pass off Martin as the trusted Khan.