The year is 2040. Mark Chadwick is a brilliant psychiatrist who is on the verge of a major scientific breakthrough. By combining functional imaging of the brain with computer technology, he can not only predict intentions but also decode human thought processes. It is this discovery which immediately attracts the attention of Robert Dufresne, a senior officer in Home Security who is determined to use this novel technique in the fight against the enemies of the Surveillance State. As Mark is relentlessly pursued by Dufresne, the changing relationships with his family, friends, and colleagues come sharply into focus. Tragedies of the past cast shadows over Mark's present conundrum. This is a story of loyalty and betrayal, guilt and forgiveness, blackmail and courage. And the impossibility to reach an unequivocal moral judgment against the shifting values of modern society. "Chilling projection of the evolution of the national security state and its attendant encroachment on human liberties."-Publishers Weekly