Six years after a terrorist known as "the Laughing Man" tore through a string of nanotechnology firms, leaving a trail of kidnappings, computer hackings and general mayhem in his wake, the Japanese authorities are still looking for a suspect. But when Yamaguchi, the detective who's been doggedly working on the case, mysteriously dies in a freak accident, Maj. Kusanagi of Public Safety Section 9 finds herself helming a new investigation.