Carter Kain, a curious but bored 13-year-old, works for this grandfather’s PDX Delivery Service on the Ganymede Spaceport. During a routine delivery, he “accidently” opens a package and discovers a secret that turns his world upside down: Everything he thought he knew about his parents is wrong. To uncover the truth, he’ll have to dodge goons, thwart assassinations, and elude the intergalactic gangster, Szel’zar.
As they try to escape the space station, Gramps is captured by the mysterious assassin, Kravlon. Unable to save Gramps, Carter heads to Titan with is cousin Sarah, and the tech-whiz Git-C to seek help from the vaunted Interstellar Union Corps (IUC). There they meet Commissioner General Trueblud and Special Agent Williams who assure them that the group will help Gramps. Carter suspects these cops know more than they’re willing to tell and its only after he presses them that he realizes Trueblud and Williams knew his parents.
Carter discovers that his parents were two of the corps’ best agents until they were betrayed by Averson, who was one of their own. When Carter’s mother disappeared, his father went to find her, going deep undercover working for the ruthless gangster Szel’zar as the assassin, Kravlon. As Kravlon, his dad managed to relay info to IUC, keeping them partially aware of Szel’zar’s plans.
Stunned to learn that his father is alive and never contacted him, Carter goes outside to clear his head, when he witnesses a massive explosion at the IUC. Carter races back to their ship, where Sarah’s been worrying about him. They hear from Williams, who tells them that the explosion was an intentional attack and Trueblud is missing. Williams – Carter’s only link to helping Gramps and finding his folks – joins Carter’s crew.
Meanwhile, Szel’zar has learned that Carter’s father is the assassin Kravlon. The gangster tosses him in the same cell as Gramps. Kravlon explains that his wife is locked up, too, and that Szel’zar is extracting information on both the IUC and shipping around the system from her. Szel’zar has a plan to invade the system and make it all his territory. Dad tells Gramps that he managed to get a message to Williams before he was captured, and the kids are safe with him. Now all they need to do is wait for the IUC to save them.
Upon reaching Szel’zar’s base, Carter and the others meet up with a group of resistance fighters, who agree to help. Even with their assistance, the plan does not go well because Szel’zar is tipped off. Just as all seems lost, Trueblud arrives with reinforcements and turns the tide. Carter, Sarah, Williams, and Git-C make it into the base, where they discover that the invasion plans involve thousands of eggs being shipped across the system. Git-C stays behind to gain more information, while Carter, Williams, and Sarah leave to find Gramps.
Inside, Williams sends the kids to Gramp’s location while he confronts Szel’zar. Carter and Sarah find Gramps and Dad in their cell, but the reunion is cut short as Gramps races down the hallway. Dad mentions that mom should be in the last cell so Carter rushes after Gramps. The cell is empty, but Carter and Gramps discover a new path to the main room of the base. There, they find Averson, who is dragging an alert but weak Mom. Gramps rushes to save his daughter and is shot by Averson. Torn between chasing after his mom and trying to help Gramps, Carter stays to help Gramps, allowing Szel’zar and Averson to get away. Sarah and Dad find Carter on the floor with Gramps. Gramps reassures the boy that it’s not his fault, and he tells Sarah not to hold any of this against Carter, but to remember that he loves them both. He then dies in his arms.
After the rescue, the air is solemn, but they meet up and discuss what they’ve learned. Git-C has info on the eggs but believes there’s more they are unaware of. The attack on the IUC was just the beginning, and Szel’zar still has Mom. Trueblud mentions that with some help, he’s confident they can overcome the invasion and get Mom back. Carter then stands up, and asks, “So where do I sign up?”
In book 2, Sarah joins the IUC and holds Carter responsible for Gramp’s death. Git-C helps the IUC, in an unofficial capacity. Git-C sends updates on everything she finds to Carter, who is stuck on Titan, back to being a delivery boy. Carter and Dad constantly butt heads as they try to make up for lost time, but Dad can’t seem to fill the hole left by the death of Gramps. Eventually, Williams asks for Dad’s help on a mission involving the new assassin, and Carter manages to stowaway and go with them. By the end of book 2, they’ve saved Mom, but the invasion has begun.
Book 3 has Carter and the gang doing all they can to stop Szel’zar and the invasion.
