Unvirtual

The world economy has fallen into its deepest recession in history. Unemployment figures, already at record highs, are steadily rising while a disenfranchised population, living off meager government handouts, is forced to survive from one day to the next in huge run down city ghettos. Riots are regular occurrences that face off struggling, underfunded police forces that have also descended into thuggery. There are rising fears of governments losing control, the collapse of civil society and the outbreak of global anarchy. Into this scenario enters Buchanon, an enigmatic billionaire who made his fortune manufacturing gaming consoles. He has a covert plan aimed at protecting the top one per cent of society from the outcome of such a breakdown and has persuaded rogue government elements around the world to support him. The plan is diabolical, cold blooded and horrifying; it will kill over 95% of the global population. Finally the plan is ready for activation, or would be if Mark Wittig, one of Buchanon's R&D engineers, had not disappeared with an important piece of software in an attempt to thwart the plan. Laske, a government minister in the EU government and one of Buchanon's most ardent collaborators, is tasked with retrieving the software and kidnaps Wittig's sister, Gabi, to this end. But Laske has not reckoned with Gabi's resourceful friends who commit themselves to rescuing her and in doing so uncover something nobody had bargained for, something that will change the course of history in ways that nobody could ever have imagined.