Brooklyn-born artist Clyde Williams has spent his life obsessing over comic books and chasing his big dream to one day break into the industry as a hot new artist. But chasing the dream isn't easy. It's tiring, dispiriting work.

And that was before the ghost of his recently murdered best friend and roommate, Kev Carpenter, showed up at their apartment. Shocked and confused, the pair have been trying to establish some sense of their old status quo, of normality, but normality left town and isn't coming back. Instead, they get a knock at their front door. Rose Hadfield, agent of Hourglass, has some understanding of what it's like to commune with the dead, living with the ghosts of her former military unit, and offers them the choice to educate themselves and train their abilities, or remain under Hourglass' scrutiny in the name of public safety.

Clyde's long-held distrust of all things military and federal, has him prepared to decline Rose's offer. Kev, however, has other ideas. Being restless and detached from the world, he sees this as his only real option. A purpose. Wracked with sympathy for his best friend's plight, Clyde accepts Rose's offer on one condition: upon completion of his training, he will remain a civilian. A fair compromise.

Unbeknownst to Clyde and Kev, their acceptance of Rose's offer has catapulted them on a collision course with an ex-KGB officer turned necromantic monk, and the ancient, wealthy, and morally dubious Cairnwood Society. Clyde and Kev will soon learn that death is only the beginning.