The novel begins with a series of inexplicable events: important industrialists and inventors are disappearing without a trace, leaving their businesses to falter and collapse. Dagny finds herself at the center of this mystery as she attempts to keep her railroad running amidst the chaos.
As the novel progresses, Dagny begins to uncover a complex conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of government and industry. She discovers that the disappearances are not random, but rather a deliberate plan orchestrated by a secretive group of brilliant minds who have gone on strike against a society that they see as unjust.
