In the year 2099, the free world is dominated by the European Union, climate change and gene therapy. Comprising 42 nations and over a billion people, the EU is more powerful than the United States, and while 'cloning' is not mentioned in polite society, it's happening, and seen as tremendous progress in the battle against ageing and disease. Although Bill Strether, America's representative, harbours doubts over its ethics, he comes to realise the full, breathtaking extent of the official genetic programme. But late one night, the true dangers become apparent