In the not-so-distant future, an ocean liner called the Crescent Queen, carrying a group of gifted American students, is suddenly vaporized in the Mediterranean by a nuclear weapon of unknown origin. Soon after, a deadly disease appears in the United States and around the world. With no known cure or treatment, the plague-like affliction paralyzes its victims and creates a terrifying physical deformity that causes it to be called "the Pinocchio Syndrome."Already reeling from intense political pressure, the president is heatedly denounced by an ultra-right-wing self-made billionaire, Colin Goss, who is determined to force him out of office. When word spreads that the well-liked vice president is incapacitated by the Pinocchio Syndrome, the search for a replacement to quell the nation's fears leads to Senator Michael Campbell, a former Olympic gold medalist whose youthful charisma marks him out for high public office. Meanwhile, as scientists and health authorities struggle to contain the epidemic, hard-hitting journalist Karen Embry uncovers a shocking mystery behind the Pinocchio Syndrome - one that opens the door to a forgotten past and hints at a terrifying future. Read Less