Tag Line: Scientists
discover a way for humans to communicate telepathically. They must combat
devious forces that want to abuse the technology.
An accidental discovery reveals that some children can sense
each other’s thoughts. Some kids can receive thoughts while others can convey
them. The protagonist initiates a project to further explore this phenomenon. He
assembles a team that includes his best friend and a psychologist. They
discover that a few autistic kids have similar, but varying, abilities. Gradual
progress is made in understanding the phenomenon and building a device that
enables ordinary people to communicate telepathically. Initially, very few
individuals are compatible with the technology. Only very basic desires, primarily
love and other strong emotions, can be deciphered. The story details much of
the science that is involved.
The core team hires a CEO to represent the company, but they do not disclose all their secrets. The CEO attempts to raise funding but is not very successful. The team begins developing a prototype device that is capable of "reading minds."
A Russian criminal gang in NYC hears about this project and has a desperate need for the technology. They approach the CEO, and offer him millions. The core team resists this funding opportunity on ethical grounds, but the CEO hands over design secrets to the gang in exchange for bribes. The gang uses this information to steal the prototype device. However, they misuse the device and fry the brain of a gang member.
The gang subsequently kidnaps a child to force the team to assist them. Unknown to them, the FBI has a mole within the gang. She gets involved and attempts to help the good guys, on the condition that the FBI obtains the technology. The team resists this as well, aware of the dangers and value of the research.
The kidnapped child can communicate mentally and provides useful information about her location. She is rescued with help from an unexpected quarter. During the rescue operation, the FBI mole is caught in the crossfire and is killed. However, she has not yet reported the discovery to her FBI handlers. The leader of the Russian gang is also killed. The secret is safe for a while.
Progress is made in identifying likely subjects and in discovering ways to chemically amplify signals, among other advancements. They develop the capability to record and play back thoughts, allowing subjects to revisit the same thoughts. Attempts to impose thoughts on others yield only vague memories of the imposed items. Various ethical issues arise and are addressed.
In the background, some of the main players develop feelings for each other. There is a happy ending where the good guys win and the bad guys die.
Three children are playing music at a daycare center. The caretaker listens to the music appreciatively, but realizes that the kids are not verbally communicating with each other. She concludes that they must be communicating telepathically.
Alexi and Tatya are the parents of the main protagonist, Mike. They move from Russia to New Jersey, in the USA. Alexi’s brother, Vasili, helps them settle in. They raise Mike well, but they themselves find it difficult to be happy in their new country.
After earning his Bachelor's degree, Mike continues his graduate studies in California. His PhD thesis involves designing a device that can automate the clinical testing of newly developed drugs. He joins a company called Noordkuur after completing his PhD.
Jay is born to Indian immigrants. He grows up as a bright child in a hotel managed by his parents. He meets his girlfriend, Lola, while attending college. He gets a job at NoordKuur after graduation.
Sue grows up in Chinatown in San Francisco. Her marriage fails after they had twin girls, May and Amy. Her husband seems to have delusions and often becomes frightened of her. Sue moves to the East Coast and studies to become a child psychologist.
NoordKuur is a biotech company that has a promising new technique for dealing with cancer. Mike’s job is to build a device that can help test new chemotherapy drugs. Mike and Jay meet and they become good friends.
Vasili helps Mike find a wife from Russia. Her name is Yulia. Yulia and Mike have a child named Dimi. Yulia is unhappy in America and returns to her mother in Russia. Mike must raise Dimi by himself.
Vasili borrows money from Viktor, a Russian gangster. He meets a woman named Daria, who works for Viktor. Vasili becomes obligated to carry out some criminal acts for Viktor.
Mike and Sue discuss their kids’ seemingly reading each other’s minds. They set up some experiments and are able to confirm that the kids’ abilities are real. They invite Jay and Lola to come and witness the experiments. Mike and Sue feel an emotionally attraction to one another.
This chapter lays the foundation for the rest of the book. It discusses evolution and brain functions.
Skul is a computer hacker who prefers to be alone. He devises schemes to scam people without exposing himself. Unfortunately, he attempts to blackmail Viktor, who locates and captures Skul. Viktor needs to destroy any data that Skul has taken from him.
Mike and his team form a company called NeuraSense to study the kids’ mind-reading abilities. They find more gifted kids. They follow the scientific process to investigate it. They achieve a major breakthrough in understanding how it works.
This chapter describes the Phased Array Radar technology used in the device that NeuraSense builds.
How various individuals move on with their lives.