Got a problem with a violent superhuman outlaw? Connor Rix is the guy you call to set things right. Up until now, the relentless development of human Modifications has been primarily centered on physical attributes: Superhuman strength, blinding speed, unprecedented endurance and almost instantaneous healing powers. But suddenly a new Modification has been bio-engineered that allows people to induce specific emotions in others. The pioneers of this process, the "Transcendents," move serenely through the population while enraptured followers revel in the profound feelings of joy and purpose they project. Some believe it is the beginning of a glorious new epoch for mankind as the Transcendents begin to spread their uplifting gift. But there are others who see the development in an entirely different light. And they won't hesitate to spill blood to contain it. Modified private investigator Connor Rix is called from the Texas Republic to the Pacific Union to solve a brutal murder and kidnapping involving the Transcendents. But before this mystery can be unraveled he'll have to confront a monstrous terror that he himself unleashed upon the world.