Police Detective George Chen lives in a world devoid of want. A small device implanted in his brain joins him to every other human being on Earth through The Connection, a massive system shunting thought and emotion instantly around the world. It allows him to contact any person, anywhere, with just a thought. Cerbdramas are fed directly into his brain for entertainment. Automated robots anticipate his every want and bring food, clothing and other items directly to his apartment. There is no need for people to physically leave their homes.George is assigned to investigate a man who has committed the most heinous of all crimes, cutting himself off from The Connection. What he finds is a conspiracy that threatens the existence of the human race, but not the conspiracy he was seeking.