Harlan O'Brien, Chief Security Officer at the nuclear power plant in the small town of Sorrel, is shot by a policeman after going berserk in a restaurant. After his death, Burke goes to investigate the death of his old war buddy and finds the townspeople all seem to be under some form of mass hypnosis. Expressionless, they refuse to discuss anything but their great loyalty to their town. Burke tries to uncover the truth about an orgnanization known as The Friends of Progress. The town leader, ex-Congressman Jed Hawkes, seems sane enough until he suddenly orders the citizens to kill Burke. A mob forms and they finally corner Burke in a laundromat. Five of the seemingly "normal" people enter with shotguns and come after Burke...