Victor is a young, idealistic, nanobot researcher. He is concerned about the potential for disaster from his work, but he should be much more worried about his friends. Roger, high up in the government, takes a paternal interest in Victor, encouraging him to be a loyal, responsible citizen. Brilliant but secretive Cassandra seems the ideal doom crier to prevent his research from destroying humanity. While Victor enjoys her company, he gets glimpses of secrets behind her secrets, and an intelligence beyond human. As she and Roger come into more open conflict, revealing a vast conspiracy, Victor has to choose sides, with friendship, patriotism, the survival of humanity and maybe even love in the balance.