In June 1963, several men, including former intelligence operative James Farrington, Professor Paulitz, Mr. Smythe and Mr. Halliday, meet at the home of wealthy Robert Foster in hopes of convincing oil magnate Harold Ferguson to financially support their political conspiracy to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. Paulitz describes the left-leaning politics of the Kennedy family and the Democratic coalition that appears poised to secure the presidential election the following year. Ferguson scoffs at this prognosis, pointing out that Kennedy has appointed numerous Republicans to key government positions, that his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, once worked for right-wing anti-Communist Joseph McCarthy and that the family patriarch, Joseph Kennedy, is more conservative than any of the men in the room. Undaunted, Paulitz states that President Kennedy is moving farther to the left politically and predicts that within a short time three major events will occur to confirm this dangerous shift: first, Kennedy will declare support for civil rights for blacks, then he will pass a nuclear test-ban treaty with the Soviet Union and, finally, he will approve the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam, leaving it to fall to Communism. Farrington then outlines the assassination plan to Ferguson, explaining that, unlike in Europe, where assassinations are accepted as political conspiracies, in America they are committed by individual fanatics willing to die for their cause. Knowing no professional hit men will agree to self-sacrifice, Farrington has concluded that the best manner of striking is to frame a lone assassin with credible motives for the murder while the actual assault will be done using professional marksmen. Farrington’s intelligence has also surmised that the best chance for success would be to act during a motorcade, because they are always planned well in advance, allow for firing from three angles under cover and provide clean escapes during the following confusion. When Ferguson inquires about the identity of the expert marksmen, Smythe indicates that several anti-Castro covert agents were fired after the Bay of Pigs debacle and are eager for the assignment. Farrington then states that he has two groups of three men, practicing in the field for a motorcade-style hit. Over lunch, Smythe, Halliday and Farrington answer Ferguson’s questions about Secret Service involvement, with Farrington pointing out that American presidents are traditionally the least protected of all world leaders. In addition, the plan will take advantage of the long history of hostility between the FBI and CIA and the increasing use of private security contractors who have no political allegiance. After receiving a phone call, Foster relates that Kennedy has confirmed he will travel to Texas that November to curry votes for next year’s election and recommends using Dallas for the hit. When Ferguson remains uncommitted, Farrington assures him that they would not have gone so far in planning had it been possible to discredit Kennedy in any other way, but Ferguson recommends that the group wait. Over the next several weeks, Farrington proceeds with the plan and, after reviewing the results from the contracted marksmen, selects Team A. Meanwhile, Ferguson grows increasingly uneasy following news reports of Kennedy reaching an accord with the Soviet Union and supporting civil rights. Some time later, Farrington meets with Foster to relate that ex-Marine, pro-Soviet sympathizer and volatile activist Lee Harvey Oswald has proven the ideal candidate to set up for the assassination. Not only will Oswald’s own private and political actions be suspect, but a look-alike double will place himself in conspicuous positions around Dallas and make sure Oswald’s name is mentioned. In August, Ferguson is dismayed when Kennedy signs a test-ban treaty with the Soviets, yet by September, continues to remain uncommitted. Undaunted, Farrington and Foster continue establishing suspicious movements for Oswald and hope that Kennedy’s own actions will finally convince Ferguson. Team A travels to Montana where, using special telephoto lenses that mimic a rifle sight, photograph Kennedy in an open car motorcade and make three successful “hits.” The Team then meets with Farrington, who presents them with route options the motorcade might take in Dallas. The route most suspected to be used will take them through Dealey Plaza, which will force the car to slow down to fifteen miles per hour as well as provide a perfect “triangle” set-up preferred by the marksmen. In October, Oswald’s double takes a job at the Book Depository overlooking Dealey Plaza. As November approaches, Foster contacts Farrington to tell him that Ferguson must be committed no later than a week before the 22 November Dallas visit. When Kennedy delivers a speech indicating his intention to withdraw American troops from Vietnam and all of Southeast Asia by 1968, Ferguson contacts Foster with his approval. Waiting in a Texas hotel, the Team A leader receives a coded message informing him that the mission has been approved. Members of the Team then secretly break into Oswald’s garage to steal the aged, surplus, Italian military rifle that he ordered through the mail several weeks earlier using an alias. After United Nations ambassador Adlai Stevenson visits Texas to a score of protests and accusations of being a Communist sympathizer, news reports state that Stevenson will advise Kennedy against visiting the hostile state, but the trip remains confirmed. Just days before the president’s arrival, the motorcade route is approved and publicized and Foster reports to Farrington that intelligence has not noted that a pro-Communist, Oswald, is working in the Book Depository. On 22 November, the carefully orchestrated plot goes exactly as planned and President Kennedy is mortally wounded in Dealey Plaza. The complex plans for Team A to make its escape are assisted by a brief, triggered news blackout in Washington, allowing the hit men to leave the country just as the president’s death is announced from Parkland Memorial Hospital. Oswald is arrested and taken into police custody where he is interrogated. Nightclub owner Jack Ruby, deeply affected by the president’s death, is approached by one of Farrington’s men. Two days later as Oswald is being transferred, Ruby shoots him, the attack captured on live television. As the police publicly announce they believe Oswald was the sole assassin, Foster plays pool with Paulitz and Halliday and assures the men that Robert Kennedy is too grief-stricken to investigate the killing just now. Later, Foster receives a phone call that Farrington has had a heart attack at Park Memorial Hospital.