Jason Stone, Southern Californias premier plastic surgeon, has been through hell and back. While administering life-saving surgery during a mission to South America, his tent is held hostage by two international drug dealers, resulting in slain staff members and heat from the DEA. But it isnt over yetStone returns to his charmed life in Palm Springshis successful clinic, his beautiful wife and kids, his palatial homeonly to discover that he contracted HIV from the hostage victims contaminated blood. But before he has the chance to comprehend this devastating news, tragedy strikes again: Stone narrowly misses his flight to attend a medical conference, only to learn that it crashed ten minutes after takeoff. Stone uses this as an opportunity to spare his family and business partner from disgrace, and disappears to Mexico.While Stones family is left to unravel the mystery of his disappearance, Stone is thrust into the seedy underworld south of the border and must fight for survival by doing what he does best: sculpting new lives, both for himself and for the many unlikely patients he encounters.