This is the story of Ahmed, born and raised in war-ravaged Yemen, recruited by Al-Qaeda, and sent to the US to attend college, and become an Islamic martyr by joining a terrorist cell planning a deadly attack on the Naval Training Station at Great Lakes.

On the way to fulfilling his oath to Al-Qaeda, Ahmed falls in love with Fida, likewise a Yemeni student who is a member of his cell. In need of supplemental funding, He seeks legal help to obtain a visa that would permit him to obtain off-campus work and thus enlists pro bono attorneys Sarah and Bruce Benson of Highland Park, Illinois. A list of Arabic names and phone numbers is inadvertently dropped by Ahmed in their office, causing the Bensons to become suspicious of Ahmed's and Fida's affiliations. Thus, with the help of their visiting Israeli close friends, Leah, and Ari Stern (a member of Israeli Intelligence), they attempt to resolve their suspicions through a developing mutual friendship with the young Yemeni couple.

This book describes the beauty and tragedy of Yemen; it is about the Islamic religion and those who would use it to justify terrorism; and it explores the effects of love and hate as part of the human condition. The story is told through the interactions of its colorful characters, describing their diverse lives, backgrounds, travels, thoughts, philosophy, and emotions, all of which lead to the story’s exciting climax - the Memorial Day terrorist attack on the Great Lakes naval base.