Summary

In the Prologue, the disease Haden syndrome is described as starting out with flu like symptomes but eventually progressing until the body is completely paralyzed and the mind is "locked in." The disease is usually fatal, but for those who survive, some are "locked in" to their bodies, having full mental capabilities. Others who survive have the ability to allow the ones who are "locked in" to enter their body and use it as their own and are called Integrators. As time goes by, the government sets up funding for cure research as well as the development of the Agora, the online reality space for use by all Hadens, personal transports for Hadens to move around with, and funding to help these people live. Eventually, the Abrams-Kettering bill is signed, cutting funding and assistance to the Haden community.

In Chapter 1, Chris Shane...