ABoeing777landsatJFKafteraflightfromBerlinandisonitswaytothegate-whenitsuddenlygoesdark.Juststopsdead.Thecontroltowerlosescontactwiththepilotandallelectricalactivityshutsdown.Nomovementorcommunicationfrominside.Nada.Anemergencycrewgathers,everyonewatchingthesilentplanenowbathedinfloodlights.Thenasliverofblackquietlyappearsonthefuselage.It’sadooropeningfromwithin.
Dr.EphGoodweather,headoftheCDC’sNewYorkteam,entersandfindsacabinlookinglikeawingedgraveyardwhereeveryoneappearstobedead.Ashebeginstoremovebodiesfortransporttothemorgue,fourvictimsarediscoveredmiraculouslyalive-andrelativelyunscathedapartfromcomplaintsofdisorientationandastrangesoreness.
Butthisisjustthebeginning
Atthesametime,EldrichPalmer,directoroftheglobalStoneheartGroup,monitorstheJFKsceneonTVfromhissickbedinVirginia.Pleasedwithwhathesees,hesendsforahelicopterforimmediatetransporttoaManhattanpenthouse.InQueens,Eph’sex-wifeKelleyandtheir11-year-oldsonreadythemselveswiththerestoftheEasternUnitedStatesforthefirsttotallunareclipseinmorethanfourhundredyears.InapawnshopinSpanishHarlem,aformerprofessorandsurvivoroftheNaziconcentrationcampsnamedAbrahamSetrakiantakesitallin.Heknowsthathistimehascome,thatawarisabouttobegin,andthattheMasterisHere.
Sobeginsanescalatingbattleofepicproportionsasthevampiricvirusthathasinfectedthefoursurvivorsbeginstoravagethecity.Eph-guidedbySetrakian,andjoinedbyVassily,aexterminator,Nora,Eph’sCDCcolleague,andGus,aHarlemgangbanger-fightshiswaythroughthenexthorrifyingdays,determinedtosavehiswifeandsonbeforetheMastersucceedsinhisunholymiss