A global plague of addictive nanobots called Shiva is sweeping the Earth. The bots are controlled by the cartel Red Harmony, giving the cartel unlimited access to millions of minds, enough to take control of entire countries. A recon mission proves that a drug company named Vivonex is deeply implicated and that an antidote exists, but the antidote is well protected in a Chinese biowar lab in western China.
Quantum Corps assigns a covert penetration mission to Johnny Winger and quantum trooper Stella D'Garza: enter the compound disguised as Chinese scientists, find out what Red Harmony is doing there and grab the antidote, known as X-Shiva.
Thrown into the middle of a well-protected enemy base, armed only with their disguises and their training, the troopers must rely on their wits and Winger's ability as an angel to assume almost any shape. They manage to seize the antidote and, while accompanying others on a special trip to release experimental upgraded versions of the Shiva device in the atmosphere, Winger and D'Garza make good their escape.
The plan is to make their way west into the forbidding mountains and deserts of Tajikistan and rendezvous with an extraction force coming from below ground, by geoplane. But dogged pursuit by Chinese forces, aided by Red Harmony, puts the plan in jeopardy.
Only a daring, last-minute ploy by Johnny Winger enables the troopers to get away. But after debriefings back at their Quantum Corps base, Stella D'Garza learns she has a new mission nobody knows about...a mission assigned her by her new employer...Red Harmony itself. Unknown to anyone else, the Corps now has a traitor in its midst.
Eighth episode in the Quantum Troopers Return serial.