From deep within the Venezuelan rain forest emanates the legend of a white goddess and a mysterious tribe with startling technical accomplishments. Few believe the tribe exists - and fewer suspect its deity can change the course of history.

For National Underwater Marine Agency crew leader Kurt Austin, an investigation into the sudden deaths of rare whales leads him to the Mexican coast. Meanwhile, in South America's lush hills, a specially assigned NUMA crew turns up the white-goddess legend - and a murderous cadre of bio-pirates intent on stealing medicinal secrets worth millions. Soon Austin and his crew realize they're working the opposite ends of the same grand scheme. A California agribusiness tycoon is posed to rise to power by monopolizing the earth's depleted fresh-water reserves and dominate the world.

Austin has a hunch the mythical tribal goddess may be the key to locating a secret formula that could turn seawater into fresh. But with each step into the bush, he and his NUMA team feel like fish out of water - and must fight a trail of enemies through a dense jungle of treachery and murder.