Corbyn, an NYPD detective, is paired with ex-CIA agent Maria to track a ghost operative called STONE who's running a hostage operation in New York. They trace him to a decommissioned Cold War facility beneath Roosevelt Island, not knowing STONE believes the entire thing is a training simulation. At the midpoint, STONE discovers the truth — he's been weaponised by a private contractor called ARDENT without his knowledge. The real villain has been hiding in plain sight since the first chapter. Now all three must take down the organisation that played them all.