Ivan Volkov, a Russian student in Beijing, discovers an unsolved puzzle in the writings of seventeenth-century astronomer Johannes Kepler. He takes the puzzle to a scientist in the Chinese space program and declares his intention to solve it. Volkov returns to Moscow and continues his secret work. The puzzle holds untold consequences for space warfare. The years pass, and they are not kind to Volkov. After the loss of his son and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Volkov makes the decision to contact the CIA. He writes: Satellites are your enemies, especially your own ... Hidden codes can make time stop and turn north into south ... If you are smart, you will find me.