Ramcon is an american consultant firm located in egypt to plan and develop the egyptian government's proposed new city of "ramses," fifty miles north of cairo. a lengthy series of errors in soil and survey data from egyptian government sources has been hindering the ramcon team's progress for several months. ramcon's head office in new york sends a senior engineer to cairo with a technical solution for this problem, but he inexplicably disappears after landing at cairo airport, and egyptian police are baffled by his disappearance. next morning, ramcon manager mike harrington receives an unexpected phone call from an engineer friend in scotland, claiming he has vital information on ramcon's problem, which is too delicate for phone or telex communication. this is the start of the exposing of a revolutionary scheme against all the countries of the middle east. more ramcon professionals are kidnapped in this harrowing story prior to the surprising climax involving all 22 arab nations and israel.