HELIOS Corporation, the nation's most powerful gas and energy conglomerate has done something technologically amazing to continue its strangle hold on the oil market. Its engineers have built a vessel that can reach the 1.8 trillion barrels of oil and unlimited natural gas reserves discovered at the base of the Marianas Trench, more than six miles below the surface of the Pacific Ocean.
The deep-sea mining submarine “Goliath” is a monstrous behemoth armed with rock-slicing blades, stone pulverizing drills, and an armor-plated, crush-resistant hull. With Goliath, mining the oil in this unreachable area of Earth will galvanize HELIOS as the sole owners of the nation's future energy supply.
But during one of the sub's experimental dives, something goes horribly wrong and now Goliath has disappeared in the trench.
Suddenly, the U.S. Pacific Fleet goes on full alert when the nuclear attack sub USS Texas goes missing while pursuing an unknown contact in the waters off Guam. Cargo ships, tankers and a billionaire's yacht are also reported missing. Floating debris and remains show that these vessels were not 'lost' but shredded by something of horrific size and strength – something man-made! Evidence shows that whatever it is, it's lurking somewhere in the crushing depths of the trench.
The Defense Department must now seek the help of Dr. Joe Salas, an anti-military protester and renowned oceanographer whose contempt for the Navy is legendary. He designs the heralded Dolphin submersibles capable of operating deeper and longer than any US Navy submarine in existence. Despite years of mutual contempt, CINCPACFLT, SUBPAC commanders and Salas' staff are forced to work together to find out how to find and stop this juggernaut which continues to grind the Pacific Ocean into a bloody graveyard.
