Jackson Stafford, the main character in the series, is being transferred from the Pandora Project back to the recruit training command near Chicago when a winter storm causes one of the jet engines on the plane owned by the investors to flame out. Ice freezing on the fuselage creates a situation causing the jet to plummet to the ground with no hope of recovery. During the descent, Ben, Jackson’s mental friend who lives in the inner room, creates a way that the passengers may be saved. The creation of a creature from his own personal inner room will save the three once the plane crashes into a lake in the middle of Indiana.

Sarah, Deb, and Matt are on their way to Trenton, NJ, to find the mysterious La Tulipan, who has been mentioned in several of the briefs at the Pandora Project. Gustavo, the pretend bartender who’s actually an NSA agent, will travel to Trenton as well to keep an eye on the three adventurers. Dr. Jennings, one of the directors of the project, has placed trackers on Sarah and Matt made for her by the Research and Development department of the project.

Dr. Brody and Amanda join forces to rescue Mrs. Claire Melborne from the cryotube at the Sister Location. As Amanda attempts to convince Hank to join them to help prevent mankind’s destruction, Mrs. Melborne relives her time of the abduction. Carl is projected from the inner room into the real world, where he saves the two pilots from the cockpit, but the whereabouts of Jackson Stafford is a main concern of Captain Davidson. Jackson Stafford regains his control of the inner room and surfaces down the lake from the two pilots, who have already swam to shore and are walking to an encampment where Jesse and Walt are attempting to enjoy a fishing excursion away from their wives. The project’s investors have located Jackson by means of an old flip phone’s signal and have sent a helicopter to pluck them from the campsite.

Dr. Brody has found a memory storage device that holds a secret unknown to anyone at the facility except for the intended employee. He will find out the secret that will help his rebellion.