Ben Locke is a recent graduate of Spy School and anxious to succeed on his first assignment. Like everyone in the Agency, he's heard the stories about Contact Zero. When you have nowhere left to turn, when all is lost, only Contact Zero can save you. Some say it's an isolated hideout run by ex-members of the Agency. Others say he's a father figure, ready to protect and care for the dispossessed. To most, it's an old spies' tale, a myth to be whispered about behind closed doors and quickly dismissed as fantasy.

But during Ben's operation in South America, he is brutally framed for a crime he didn't commit. Barely escaping with his life, he finds himself suddenly cast out by his handlers in London. On this same day, across the globe, seven of his fellow classmates have been found dead. The three left behind - Ben, Lucy, and Nat - must join forces and quickly discover that, myth or no myth, Contact Zero is their only chance for survival. What ensues is a spellbinding quest that takes them from South America to the capitals of Europe in search of the most elusive treasure a fugitive spy can attain - sanctuary.