Secrets of the past hold the key to the future. Joseph Bridgeman is now an official member of the Continuum, a group of time travelers that heal the past to protect the future. When a rare focus object is stolen and put up for sale, Joe jumps at the chance to retrieve it, but a simple auction turns into a dangerous new mission that takes him farther back in time than he's ever been before. Alone and unprepared in ancient China, Joe must not only complete the mission, but also unravel the mystery of a secretive organization known as Extempero. Who are they? And why do they seem intent on destroying everything the Continuum has achieved so far? When all hope appears lost, an unexpected ally helps Joe unlock a unique form of time-travel loop that sees him flung into the past yet again. Caught up in a shocking natural disaster, Joe must face a terrible choice, a decision that will have far-reaching consequences for the Continuum and a delicate future that hangs in the balance.