Matthew Bennett, a freelance investigative reporter, is caught in the middle of the growing political and cultural polarity of our society with deadly consequences.
Until recently, his beat has been political extremists, specifically white supremacists embedded in the Canadian military. With the help of an anonymous source, he's written award-winning articles that have prompted a Parliamentary investigation. He's anticipating more revelations when his source goes dark.
Having an abundance of research and unverifiable information, he decides to turn it into a manuscript for a novel.
Frustrated by the lack of success, he begins to wonder if the zeitgeist of the times is working against him as literary publications unabashedly declare their preference for BIPOC writers and those from other marginalized groups. The perception among industry professionals, supported by the public, is these stories have been dismissed because of prejudice.
Using his investigative skills, he discovers the perception is wrong, these groups are not underrepresented, in fact, it's just the opposite. Feeling vindicated, he submits an op-ed piece declaring his findings and is immediately condemned by the groups he's outing, the liberal establishment and his partner, Raminder, an acclaimed South Asian author.
He wants a chance to explain but the only people prepared to give him that opportunity are the right-wing media and they don't want him to repudiate what he's said but rather reinforce it.
Amidst this firestorm of criticism, his source reappears and warns of an imminent terrorist attack during Canada Day celebrations. But domestic harmony takes priority over national security when the queen of the BIPOCs, the wealthy, powerful influencer, Binta Agu, threatens to renege on writing the foreward to Raminder's upcoming collection of short stories because of Matt's article. If he wants to redeem himself with his partner he'll have to perform a mea culpa in public at Binta's upcoming soiree. But his planned capitulation goes spectacularly wrong and turns into a raging public confrontation.
The following day, Binta is found brutally murdered, and a warrant is issued for Matt's arrest. About to give himself up, he gets an urgent call from his source who wants desperately to meet. When Matt arrives at the rendezvous he finds his source murdered but is able to retrieve a flash drive with promised information about the attacks, but before he has an opportunity to access it he's apprehended.
In desperation, Matt accepts the pro bono legal counsel of a flamboyant conservative lawyer and the support of the right-wing leaders. It's not until he's released on bail and seemingly converted to the dark side, that he's able to return to the flash drive and decipher the information it contains.
What it reveals is a plot that threatens the lives of civilians, the stability of the country and compromises the leaders who are providing his legal defense on the murder charge.
He's now faced with a choice, expose the plot and betray those who support him or stay silent and risk the lives of hundreds of innocent citizens.