A group of freelance intelligence agents work together to steal a mysterious package, only to have a doublecross throw things into confusion.

In the 18th century, Blackbeard stood out among the lawless rogues as the most fearsome and notorious seafarer of them all. He killed for the reputation which is now legend. The true story of pirate Edward Teach, the man who terrorized the seas.

Julia is a college student studying psychology who, as a child, was haunted by "night terrors", now those nightmares begin coming back. Her friend Billy, who had similar dreams as a boy, also reports that his terrors have returned. Julia's boyfriend, Paul, is certain they're both just imagining things thanks to too much studying and too little sleep. When Billy turns up dead, Julia is convinced something really is out to get them.

After twelve years of suffering mysterious disappearances of society's most-productive individuals, the nation's economy is on the verge of collapse. As the government pursues policies imposing even greater brutality against those remaining, Dagny Taggart, Vice President of Taggart Transcontinental, must make a choice between saving the nation's collapsing infrestructure or the man she has come to love - the man who would stop the motor of the World....