Gilles is on the run again, without access to the Ambit. He risks getting online through his old friend Boral, but soon he's abducted by Corporate Consortium agents. They weave an unbelievable story of conspiracy and rogue artificial intelligence.

They send Gilles to the Event Horizon, where the mysterious E-Eddie contacts him. Gilles fears that E-Eddie may, in fact, be an AI. Which is odd, because E-Eddie is the only one who seems to be helping Gilles.