
In a glittering, multi‑leveled capital built after the atomic wars, Jon Saxon moves through deserted streets, his muscles tense and his mind buzzing with an unfamiliar, prickling sensation. A brilliant scientist turned reluctant telepath, he alone perceives a presence that is felt rather than seen—something alien lurking in the shadows of the city’s sleek architecture. The atmosphere is heavy with the hum of silent conveyors and the distant glow of a rising moon, hinting at a world where humanity’s technological triumphs sit atop deeper mysteries.
When a nervous young woman named Ileth, a covert operative for General Atomic, appears, Saxon instinctively shields her from the invisible threat. Their uneasy alliance is tested by a sudden, wordless message from the unseen entities, warning that the coveted secret of the stellar drive must never fall into corporate hands. The encounter forces Saxon to confront the limits of his newfound telepathy and the hidden forces that watch humanity from the dark.
As the alien minds communicate in pure thought, Saxon realizes he may be the first human to truly hear them. The tension between his scientific curiosity, the spy’s hidden agenda, and the enigmatic outsiders sets the stage for a tense, mind‑bending chase through a city that never truly sleeps.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (135K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2021-02-27
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1914–1975
Best known as a Kentucky historian, this versatile writer also built a lively side career in pulp science fiction and adventure magazines after serving in the Merchant Marine during World War II. His work moves easily between regional history, frontier subjects, and fast-paced speculative fiction.
View all books
by Robert Emmett McDowell

by Robert Emmett McDowell

by Robert Emmett McDowell

by Robert Emmett McDowell

by Robert Emmett McDowell

by Robert Emmett McDowell

by Robert Emmett McDowell

by Robert Emmett McDowell