Kit's continuing search for a way to save his father leads to some interesting revelations about Max Madison Sr., Mr. Cairo, and the 23rd Phantom, and puts Cairo in the worst danger he's ever encountered. Meanwhile, the Madisons and Gorda continue wreaking havoc while Rebecca attempts to put a ""positive spin"" on their scheming.
Kit and his friends return to his lair and find the mysterious message left by Kit's father, as the Madisons scheme to escape the dome with the assistance of Gorda (who may or may not be helping...). However, when Kit has to choose between the life of a person he loves and the life of Metropia itself, how does he decide?
Having been convinced by his friend Guran to go to Africa, his ancestral home, Kit finds deeper truth than even he imagined in the Phantom's fight for justice through the ages. Meanwhile, the truth behind Max Madison, Sr.'s original plan and the cause of the train wreck are revealed and lead to a shocking conclusion -- and the beginning of the Maximum Era.
Rebecca launches what may be the first physical attack in her bid to begin the Maximum Era by destroying Dykstra Platform, home of Sean 1. Meanwhile, Max finally is lured out of VR and Pavlova cannot take working for Dr. Jak anymore, exercising her free will to resign. Vaingloria joins the Maximum security force as Sagan is knocked into a coma.
When the Egyptian Queen Nia returns to defeat the Phantom, she brings along ace marksman Gunnar to assist. However, while they hunt him in the Ghost Jungle, Gunnar cannot pass up the chance to hunt the rare, supposedly nonexistent Shadow Panther. Meanwhile, Max, Jr. remains blissfully trapped in VR - and Rebecca schemes to coax him out of his reverie by giving Baudelaire the boot...