The inhabitants of the city are pinning all their hopes on a final desperate gamble for survival. Behind the scenes there are jealous factions at work, secretly contesting for the chance to shape the destiny of a new world. Beneath its ordered surface, Arkhaven is a city of secrets and mysteries where outward appearances can be deceptive. Is the thing they call the "Creeper" really at large in Arkhaven's eerie outer zone — and is it beast or machine? What is the hidden force at work that has acted so strangely upon Susan?