The Satan Bug is a film about the theft of germ cultures for the purpose of bioterrorism. The theft takes place at Station Three, a top secret U.S. biological warfare laboratory located somewhere in the Mojave desert. Stolen are 1200 grams of Botulinus toxin, and the only extant culture of a new designer virus. This new virus does not have a scientific name yet, but is referred to by the scientists at the station as the Satan Bug. It is aggressively reproductive, transmitted through the air, and attacks all forms of life. It is considered powerful enough to kill the planet. At the time of the theft, Washington officials were debating whether to destroy it or not.The director of security and one of the laboratory's top scientists, Dr. Baxter (Henry Beckman) are murdered in the course of the theft. The thief escapes by cutting through the perimeter wire of the compound.The recently-fired head of Station Three security Lee Barrett (George Maharis) is rehired to manage the search for the missing cultures. He is assisted by Ann Williams (Anne Francis), who plays the daughter of a high-placed intelligence official (Dana Andrews) known only as the General. He is directing the operation.Maharis is sure that someone in the lab is implicated in the theft. While he tries to learn who an anonymous telegram is received warning that an "incident" will take place soon. Within hours one of the flasks of Botulinus toxin is crushed on one of the Florida Keys, and everyone downwind dies. Then, an anonymous telephone call is received warning that Los Angeles will be next.