After her inauguration, newly elected Vice President Natalie Maccabee is initiated into a covert world of danger by her chief steward, Malcolm Millar and Chief Justice Caleb Thorne. Contrary to what the public believes, the job of Vice President is far from ceremonial. In fact, enshrined in a secret version of the Constitution is a section endowing Natalie with her own secret agent, John Case, to be deployed in times of crisis. Natalie quickly finds herself in play when the daughter of FBI Director Stanton is kidnapped, and authorities are helpless in rescuing her.