The year is 2030. Temple Gates, son of the president of Elysian Enterprise, and Bet– an employee at Elysian – gain unauthorized access to Elysian's research labs and experimental drugs. Every Sunday they conduct reckless experiments into the nature of consciousness. One Sunday, in Elysian’s Virtual-Reality lab – primed by visual cues and a drug known to induce out-of-body experiences – Temple is, unwittingly, bilocated through space-time to London, January 29, 1774. The first man he encounters there is Benjamin Franklin. Temple believes he is trapped in a virtual reality ... and lives accordingly. Temple’s audacity and unconventional worldview attracts Ben’s legendary curiosity. Within months, Ben contrives to make Temple his grandson, thus he becomes William Temple Franklin. Temple serves as Ben’s secretary and confidant during the American Revolution, having many adventures throughout.