Something is happening in the small town of New Athens. residents are leaving in droves,scared off by a band of seedy cut-throats gathering just outside the town limits. And then there's Michael Trayne,back in town after three years in jail. Can Jim and Arte figure out what's happening and save the town before everyone leaves permanently?

The plans of The Raven seem to be successful as they have hypnotized Jim West and had him assassinate the Mexican Ambassador. Unfortunately for the group,Frank Harper had been impersonating the ambassador to test whether Jim had been conditioned. West and Harper work together to infiltrate and undermine the group and capture everyone except for the huge-headed Tycho.