In forced trials, an experimental neural implant allows Joshua to push the boundaries of control over the Maelstrom’s nanomachines. Meanwhile, grueling simulations test his mental endurance, blurring the line between the Virtual and reality. The added threat of a permanent neural link to the Maelstrom only strengthens Joshua’s resolve to escape the most secure military installation on Earth.
Caught between two formidable entities who want to exploit his talents for their own purpose, Joshua has one option: join the Siuping Clan as an enforcer. Instead, Yee surprises Joshua with an unexpected offer—the opportunity of a lifetime and a way out of the killing and the death he’s known his whole life.