When Andrew Hunter logs in to his favorite online game, he's escaping the pressure of school and family. In the world of Crucible, Andrew doesn't have to worry about what major to pursue, or whether he should get a summer job. All he has to worry about is whether or not he'll get eaten.
For programmer Wolfgang Wallace, though, Crucible isn't just a game; it's his job. So when a mysterious hacker begins using the game servers to transfer huge amounts of encrypted data, Wolfgang needs to act fast, before the FCC, the FBI, or the Better Business Bureau shut down his company for good. Unfortunately, the hacker seems to know all that, and has taken pains to lock Wolfgang out of his own system.
What Wolfgang needs is a player on the inside of the game. What Andrew needs is a reason to play or to stop playing. What the hacker needs is anyone's guess, but it's his game, and until they figure out the rules, they're going to have to play for their lives.