When Jack Burroughs, a brilliant young computer programmer, is given his pink slip, he is offered the opportunity to use his skills for a little industrial espionage. Donning the guise of his online alter ego, Max Kool, Burroughs transforms himself into one of the hippest cybernetic surfers on the InfoBahn.

When Joshua Victor discovers a team of permanent Net users who are intent on controlling the Net for their own purposes, he confronts them, but they turn on him to prevent him blowing the whistle.

Manhattan is now a Cyberpunk urban hell called Night City. Here, the Ravengers, a gang created of rejects from other gangs, roam the streets, headed by leaders byteboi and bytegirl. They agree to help the Digital Librarians create a new world, but are thwarted in their attempts by corporate soldiers who will not tolerate threats to the reigning pop culture of sex and violence.