As Darkmind threatens to take over Vaya Sage's consciousness, the assassin considers suicide to rid the world of this threatening evil — all while engaging in a lethal shootout with the Dark Uzzit.

When the dust settles, Vaya Sage discovers that Darkmind has been driving his decisions ever since the Treiliki hit. Had he been nothing more than an elaborate puppet in Darkmind's macabre theater?

Even his desire to retire as an assassin proves to be part of Darkmind's plan. Vaya Sage would do it anyway — just to forget what he'd done to Midi Ella and other innocents but it turns out his role involves far more than curbing the pace of human trafficking. The stakes are much higher than he'd ever imagined and a bizarre development may actually give him the upper hand for a change.

Once again,

reality is far less believable than memory implants

ever hoped to be.