The Golden Highway

When confidence in the US dollar breaks down as the currency for trading oil, the Oil Producing Countries (OPEC) demand payment in gold and, as a prerequisite, demand an audit of US gold reserves. Unfortunately, there is a large shortfall between published and actual gold reserves at Fort Knox and a great deal of the gold intended to fill the gap has been hijacked in transit from the United Kingdom. A year later it is still missing and frenzied diplomatic activity has failed to dissuade OPEC from its plan. If the US Federal Reserve does not agree to the audit then OPEC will demand payment in physical gold. Otherwise, they will accept paper gold - a return to the Gold Standard. The USA has no option but to agree to an 'immediate' audit. Ian Bailey has just seven days to get the gold back to the USA if the shortfall isn't to be discovered and a further, devastating loss of confidence suffered. Of course, he's got to find it first.