"We are time, Lockwood. And you are but a nanosecond in the history of my species..."

The Millhampton Event has left an entire population at the mercy of the Nestene Consciousness. UNIT's only hope of halting an unstoppable Auton invasion is to find Lockwood. But UNIT's most enigmatic and talented operative is missing. Within his mind are the means through which the Consciousness will return to life and destroy the human race.
Lockwood will not be given up easily. Palmer knows that time is running out, as the world's computer networks break down he leads a desperate mission into the heart of Auton control. Sal and Ramsay can only hope they will survive to find Lockwood before the Nestene Consciousness takes over his mind completely and extinguishes all life on Earth...