President Gerald Fitzhugh (Gossett Jr.) lives in a different world -- everyone does. A year and a half ago hundreds of millions of people vanished. In the chaos, Nicolae Carpathia offered hope and now rules the entire world. But after Fitzhugh is nearly killed, he suspects Nicolae. Desperate, Fitzhugh forces journalist Buck Williams (Cameron) to help him, but soon they're both running for their lives as the world is plunged into World War III.