After William starts to suffer from mysterious fits that leave him unable to control his body--let alone crack codes--he worries that the metal inside him is acting up. There's only one place he can go for answers: the Institute for Post-Human Research.

But nothing at the Institute is the same. His room is more like a cell, and outside the window, huge searchlights sweep the skies and robot vehicles roam the grounds. William's old teachers won't tell him what's going on although it's obvious that everyone is frightened of something--or someone.

When his friend Iscia finally arrives, William thinks he may have found an ally, but she's hiding things as well. As more secrets are revealed, William realizes that no one has been telling him the truth and that he may not be able to trust anyone. He's going to have to rely on his wits and his abilities to solve the mystery of what is behind the strange events at the Institute and what it all means for him.