Having altered his physical appearance and living in the state of Nevada, he coordinates his massive operation as leader of terrorist organization Umayyad Revolutionary Council (URC), codenamed Lotus.

After successfully foiling a hostage situation in the Swedish embassy in Tripoli, John Clark and Domingo Chavez are forcibly retired from their duties in the CIA and Rainbow.

They suffer a tragedy, when operative Brian Caruso dies due to wounds sustained during a firefight with his brother Dominic, against URC terrorists in Tripoli.

After further investigation and at one point cooperating with National Counterterrorism Center deputy head and Clark's longtime friend Mary Pat Foley, The Campus later deduce that the Emir is in the U.S.

When he finds out that the Kealty administration are planning to prosecute U.S. Army Ranger Sam Driscoll for killing sleeping Middle Eastern terrorists in a cave during their fruitless search for the Emir, he decides to announce his candidacy for President of the United States in the next election.

URC terrorists destroy a Petrobras oil refinery outside Paulínia, São Paulo, Brazil and trigger a series of attacks on small towns across the United States.

After returning to Virginia, they interrogate him by injecting him with succinylcholine and simulating a heart attack, allowing him to confess his crimes and reveal the plans behind Lotus, which involves the cooperation of Pakistani intelligence in conquering the country and securing their nuclear inventory (this plot point would be continued in Locked On).

Penguin USA president David Shanks stated: "Tom's genius for telling a story with exceptional realism and cutting edge authenticity are his hallmarks as a writer.