John Berger is a computer crytographer in Los Angeles, who arrives at work on Monday morning to find his building destroyed by an explosion. He is soon a suspect and, when questioned about the weekend before the explosion, vividly remembers playing in a chess tournament. A chess tournament that did not exist.

Jill Landis, a young FBI agent, is assigned to investigate the explosion. Berger finds her so attractive he's tongue-tied, and she is puzzled why he continues to insist that he played in a non-existent chess tournament. She also feels that his reactions are similar to something she's experienced in the past, though she can't quite place it.

The former director of Mirage is moving forward with a terrorist strike, based on the Mirage principles. His only problem is that Berger was not killed in the Los Angeles explosion. A problem he intends to remedy.

Soon, Berger is hearing voices in his head, which are growing more threatening, and Jill learns that his symptoms may not be reversible. In the short time remaining before the terrorist attack, Jill and Berger must work against his growing insanity to avert an event that could kill thousands of people.