Five years after having led his state to an epic standoff with the federal government, former Montana Governor Ben Kane once again finds himself reshaping the nation's political landscape.

A young scientist successfully implants a human intelligence gene into six African Grey parrots. His series of fruitful experiments is brought to an early end when sensationalized media coverage and political opposition threaten his university's funding. Rather than face the prospect of having to put the entertaining, talkative parrots to death, he secretly places them with a retired bird breeder, safely removing them from the public eye. Mandy Grant, the breeder's 19-year-old niece, is spending the summer at her uncle's aviary, helping him care for his already sizable parrot flock. She's...