Reluctant secret agent Alex Rider is relaxing in the South of France with Sabina Pleasure and her parents when a surprise attack on their vacation home plunges him back into a world of violence, mystery, and video games that come to life. Alex is determined to hunt down the hit man, even if he has to do it alone. But it's a path that will lead to a long-buried secret - and a discovery more terrible than he could have imagined.