Community hub
0 subscribers7 pages, 0 posts
Recent from talks
All channels
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Contribute something
Welcome to the community hub built to collect knowledge and have discussions related to Tom Clancy's Net Force.
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Tom Clancy's Net Force
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
Tom Clancy's Net Force is a novel series, created by Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik and originally written by Steve Perry. The original series ceased publication in 2006. There was also a spin-off of young adult books called Net Force Explorers. The series was rebooted in 2019 with the Dark Web novel by Jerome Preisler.
General
[edit]Tom Clancy's Net Force is aimed at an adult audience, while the related series Net Force Explorers (which follows the adventures of a teen auxiliary of the Net Force in 2025) is aimed at the older teen market.
The initial Net Force concept was alluded to in the third Op-Center novel, Games of State; given that Net Force was created by the same two men who created the Op-Center series, it can be assumed that they occur in the same universe. However, no direct connection has yet been drawn between the two.
Main characters
[edit]These characters are in most or all books:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Commander Alex Michaels | Promoted to top spot in Net Force in the first book, resigns in Changing of the Guard; played by Scott Bakula in the NetForce TV movie |
| Toni Fiorella/Michaels | Has position under Alex Michaels and eventually marries him; played by Joanna Going in the NetForce TV movie |
| Jay Gridley | The main programmer for Net Force, often makes the key breakthroughs; played by Paul Hewitt in the NetForce TV movie |
| General John Howard | The leader of Net Force's military arm, plans and executes the extractions or incursions; played by Sterling Macer Jr. in the NetForce TV movie |
| Lieutenant Julio Fernandez | Friend of John Howard, also in Net Force's military unit |
| Commander Thomas Thorn | Took over the top spot in Net Force after Alex Michaels resigned in Changing of the Guard |
| General Abraham Kent | A lifetime Marine officer, he takes General Howard's place as the leader of Net Force's military arm in Changing of the Guard |
Original series
[edit]The books in the Tom Clancy's Net Force series so far are:
| # | Title | Publication date | ISBN | Plot | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Net Force | 1998 | ISBN 0-425-16172-2 | Russian hacker Vladimir Plekhanov is wreaking havoc using computers, to gain money from security contracts. With the money, he plans to buy governments so he will be rich and powerful. Net Force eventually track him down and capture him in a daring mission to Chechnya. As Director Steve Day was assassinated, Alex Michaels is promoted to Commander of Net Force. | |
| 2 | Hidden Agendas | 1999 | ISBN 0-425-17139-6 | Thomas Hughes is an aide to an important government minister. Using his position, he gains access to many secret passcodes and pieces of information. Using his racist assistant, Platt, he posts secrets on the web. All the time, he is diverting attention from his real plan: to steal $150 million and own the government of Guinea-Bissau. Again, Net Force find out his plan and manage to stop him. | |
| 3 | Night Moves | 1999 | ISBN 0-425-17400-X | Peter Bascoomb-Coombes, a brilliant scientist, has created a quantum computer capable of breaking into supposedly secure places. He puts Net Force's best programmer, Gridley, out of action by inducing a stroke over the 'Net. The action takes place in England and Net Force eventually apprehend or kill the people involved. | |
| 4 | Breaking Point | 2000 | ISBN 0-425-17693-2 | Morrison, another great scientist, uses Extremely Low Frequencies (ELF) to turn large groups of people mad, so they start attacking each other. The Chinese are prepared to pay $400 million for his information and Morrison is prepared to deal. He hires Ventura, an assassin turned bodyguard, to protect him. | |
| 5 | Point of Impact | 2001 | ISBN 0-425-17923-0 | Robert "Bobby" Drayne is a chemist who is far away from the competition. He deals in "Thor's Hammer" - a drug which can make people superhuman in strength and intelligence. He is making money by selling it over the 'Net. Net Force are asked to help investigate and locate the dealer. He is eventually killed, in a surprising twist, by someone working for a pharmaceutical company. | |
| 6 | CyberNation | 2001 | ISBN 0-425-18267-3 | CyberNation is an online world where people live and pay taxes. A controversial idea, it needs a lot more support before Congress will recognise it as a "real" state. Using a team of programmers, they launch attacks on the web that convince people that their ISP is unreliable, thus convincing them to join CyberNation. Net Force stop them before their main attack, but CyberNation does not go down. | |
| 7 | State of War | 2003 | ISBN 0-425-18813-2 | This follows directly on from "CyberNation". We find that after Net Force ended the attacks on the web, the legitimate side of CyberNation continues to flourish and has even launched legal action against Net Force, claiming excessive force during their storming of the CyberNation cruise ship. This however is only a stalling tactic, and CyberNation's famous lawyer instead finds himself on the wrong side of the law as his hired hitman spins out of control. | |
| 8 | Changing of the Guard | 2003 | ISBN 0-425-19376-4 | The Net Force leadership is in transition. An encrypted message is intercepted and partially decoded by Net Force, revealing a list of Russian spies. Samuel Cox, a powerful American businessman, fears that his name is on the list and will stop at nothing to prevent its discovery. | |
| 9 | Springboard | 2005 | ISBN 0-425-19953-3 | A top secret Pentagon wargame is hacked. Only Net Force has the expertise to track down the culprit, but they are tied up with other priorities. Due to shifting budget priorities, Net Force is moved onto the DoD budget. That means that as a military operation, they can now give top priority to the Pentagon's problem. They soon make a connection between the attack and a Chinese general in Macau. | |
| 10 | The Archimedes Effect | 2006 | ISBN 0-425-20424-3 | An army base is attacked and NetForce is called in to track down the culprits. It turns out that the bad guys are using a massive online VR game to have people test ways of getting into the bases. Captain Lewis, an attractive computer woman who works with Jay on the case turns out to be the criminal though she tried to seduce Jay throughout the book. She is finally caught in the end. | |
| 10.5 | Code War | 2013 | novella |
Relaunch series
[edit]The books in the Tom Clancy's Net Force Relaunch series so far are:
| # | Title | Publication date | ISBN | Plot | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | Eye of the Drone | 2020 | ISBN 1-09-415001-0 | Prequel novella to Dark Web | |
| 1 | Dark Web | 2019 | ISBN 1-335-91784-5 | ||
| 2 | Attack Protocol | 2020 | ISBN 1-335-08084-8 | ||
| 2.5 | Kill Chain | 2021 | ISBN 1-66506-884-1 | Novella taking place between Attack Protocol and Threat Point | |
| 3 | Threat Point | 2021 | ISBN 1-335-65288-4 | ||
| 4 | Moving Target | 2023 | ISBN 1-335-66654-0 |
In other media
[edit]The first book of the series, Net Force, was adapted and altered into a made-for-TV film in 1999, starring Scott Bakula as Alex Michaels and Joanna Going as Toni Fiorella.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ IMDB TT 0158423
Works by Tom Clancy | |
|---|---|
| Ryanverse |
|
| Other novels |
|
| Non-fiction |
|
| Franchises | |
Tom Clancy's Net Force
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Overview
Creation and Development
Tom Clancy's Net Force is a techno-thriller series created by Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik in the late 1990s, drawing inspiration from Clancy's established military fiction to explore emerging cyber threats in a near-future setting.[1] The franchise was conceived as an extension of Clancy's collaborative works, emphasizing digital warfare and computer security as the new frontiers of national defense, much like the geopolitical tensions in his earlier novels.[8] This development occurred amid growing real-world concerns over internet vulnerabilities, positioning the series to address hypothetical scenarios of cyberterrorism and global hacking networks.[9] The original series launched in 1998 with the novel Net Force, published by Berkley Books and written by Steve Perry under the creators' oversight. Over the next eight years, Perry authored or co-authored the first ten novels, with Larry Segriff contributing to the final entry, The Archimedes Effect, released in 2006, after which the series entered a hiatus. Aimed primarily at adult readers, the launch coincided with the introduction of a young adult spin-off, Net Force Explorers, also debuting in 1998 to engage younger audiences with similar cyber-themed adventures.[3] The Net Force concept had roots in the shared universe of Clancy's collaborations, first alluded to in the 1996 Op-Center novel Games of State, establishing loose connections between the series and other Clancy properties focused on crisis response.[10] Following the hiatus, a 2013 novella, Code War, written by Jerome Preisler, bridged the gap and tested renewed interest in the franchise.[11] The full relaunch began in 2019 under Hanover Square Press (an imprint of Harlequin Books), with Preisler taking over as lead author for six works through 2023, including novels like Dark Web (2019), Attack Protocol (2020), Threat Point (2021), and Moving Target (2023), plus novellas such as Eye of the Drone (2020) and Kill Chain (2021).[12] This revival updated the storyline to contemporary cyber issues, reflecting evolving digital threats while maintaining the core premise of a specialized FBI cyber unit.[13] As of 2025, no new releases have been announced for the series, with the last publication in 2023 marking a pause.[14] The transition to Preisler ensured continuity in style and themes, building on Perry's foundational work while adapting to modern cybersecurity narratives.[15]Setting and Premise
Tom Clancy's Net Force series is set in a near-future world during the early 21st century, specifically around the year 2011 for the original novels, where advanced computer networks, known as the "Net," dominate global society and serve as the primary arena for conflict.[16] Later relaunch entries update the timeline to contemporary settings to reflect modern cybersecurity challenges. In this fictional universe, the internet has evolved into a vast, immersive digital realm accessible through virtual reality interfaces, blending physical actions with virtual operations to create hybrid battlegrounds for crime and warfare.[16] The premise centers on the formation of Net Force, a specialized division within the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), established by Congress to enforce the "Net Laws" and counter emerging threats from cyber-terrorism and virtual crimes.[1] This organization emerges in response to the recognition that computers have become weapons of mass destruction, capable of disrupting national security through sabotage, espionage, and information manipulation.[8] The Net Force operates as an elite cyber-security agency, integrating technical experts, military personnel, and intelligence operatives to investigate and neutralize digital threats that extend into the physical world.[16] Its structure includes a director overseeing operations, supported by top computer specialists and ex-military commandos who employ cutting-edge tools such as virtual reality "skins" for navigating the Net and "virgil" devices for secure communication and positioning.[16] The agency reports directly to high levels of government, including the President, reflecting its critical role in addressing threats that transcend traditional law enforcement boundaries.[17] Over the course of the series, Net Force evolves through leadership transitions, adapting to increasingly sophisticated cyber challenges while maintaining its mandate to protect against global digital vulnerabilities.[18] Recurring themes in the series emphasize cyber espionage, information warfare, and the ethical dilemmas posed by pervasive technology and government surveillance.[16] Unlike Tom Clancy's earlier works focused on conventional military engagements, Net Force prioritizes digital confrontations over kinetic action, exploring how virtual hacks and AI-driven attacks can precipitate real-world chaos, such as infrastructure failures or political instability.[19] The narrative highlights the blend of physical and cyber elements in conflicts, often featuring state-sponsored hacks and ransomware-like disruptions that foreshadow contemporary issues in cybersecurity.[18] These elements underscore the urgent need for specialized defenders in an interconnected world where digital threats endanger lives and national sovereignty.[16]Characters
Primary Characters
Alex Michaels serves as the original commander of Net Force, a specialized FBI unit combating cyber threats, after being promoted from deputy director following the assassination of his predecessor. As a computer expert, he oversees strategic operations and navigates intense leadership challenges, including defending the agency's mandate before congressional oversight. His tenure involves managing high-stakes investigations into cyber-terrorism, but he ultimately resigns in Changing of the Guard, transitioning leadership to a successor amid personal and professional strains. In the relaunched series (2019–present), Michaels returns as Deputy Director. Michaels' personal life is marked by a marriage to Toni Fiorella, adding layers to his character amid the demands of his role. His ex-wife, Megan Michaels, appears in early novels, representing unresolved personal conflicts amid professional crises.[20][21] Toni Fiorella, later known as Toni Michaels, begins as deputy commander and assistant to Alex Michaels, evolving into a co-leader within Net Force. A skilled field operative proficient in martial arts, she demonstrates exceptional physical prowess, capable of subduing opponents with ease despite her compact build of five feet five inches and approximately 110 pounds. Her role expands from administrative support to active participation in operations, reflecting her growth from assistant to integral partner in both professional and personal spheres. Fiorella's arc includes navigating family dynamics, such as her pregnancy, which influences her involvement in field missions. Of Italian heritage and a trained martial artist, her combat skills prove essential in both virtual and physical confrontations while concealing deeper emotional layers.[22][23] Jay Gridley functions as Net Force's chief programmer and hacker, specializing in virtual reality simulations crucial for cyber investigations. He frequently innovates elaborate VR environments—ranging from Wild West scenarios to high-speed chases—to track digital threats and outmaneuver adversaries. Gridley's technical expertise drives key breakthroughs, such as decoding complex encryption during pursuits of elite hackers, making him indispensable for the unit's virtual operations. His arc highlights vulnerabilities, including a stroke sustained while immersed in a VR hunt, underscoring the physical toll of his innovative work.[1][24][25] John Howard leads the military arm of Net Force as a colonel and field general, drawing on his background as a former Army officer to handle physical security and tactical extractions. He plans and executes incursions against real-world threats tied to cyber plots, coordinating with civilian elements to dismantle terrorist networks. Howard's focus on operational precision complements the unit's digital efforts, emphasizing teamwork in hybrid cyber-physical operations. As a father, his personal life intersects with Net Force activities through his son Tyrone, who occasionally aids in investigations and features prominently in the young adult spin-off Net Force Explorers.[26][27][23] Thomas Thorn succeeds Alex Michaels as Net Force commander in later books of the original series, bringing his expertise as a billionaire tech innovator to the role. A key player in multinational corporations, he reviews personnel and strategizes from a high-level perspective, shifting Net Force from FBI oversight to military alignment under General Hadden. Thorn's arc involves leveraging his technological savvy and resources to combat advanced encryption and global threats, lamenting the intellectual isolation of his superior intellect while facing successive challenges.[28][29][30]Supporting and Recurring Characters
Supporting characters in the Net Force series include key allies within the organization who provide technical and operational expertise. Steve Day serves as the initial Director of Net Force, a pivotal figure whose assassination in the inaugural novel sets the stage for the agency's leadership transition and underscores the dangers faced by its members.[31] Other allies, such as Jay Gridley's assistants, offer specialized support in virtual investigations, often drawing on young talent for innovative problem-solving.[23] Family members add personal depth to the primary characters' lives, highlighting the toll of high-stakes cyber operations.[32] Recurring antagonists drive the series' cyber plots, emphasizing ideological and technological threats without a singular arch-villain. CyberNation, a transnational hacker collective, emerges as a prominent foe, advocating for virtual sovereignty and launching multifaceted attacks to demand global recognition as a digital nation-state; their ideological motivations root in anti-establishment cyber-libertarianism, persisting across multiple installments. Various terrorist groups, such as those orchestrating hybrid cyber-physical assaults in novels like State of War, exploit network vulnerabilities for geopolitical disruption, often allying with rogue programmers or state actors. Thematic adversaries, including rogue artificial intelligences and criminal syndicates, provide ongoing tension, evolving from isolated hacks to coordinated global campaigns that test Net Force's expertise.[23]Book Series
Original Series
The original series of Tom Clancy's Net Force consists of ten novels published from 1998 to 2006, all written by Steve Perry and created by Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik, along with a 2013 novella that concluded the initial run. These works established the foundational narrative of Net Force as an elite FBI cyber-security unit combating early 21st-century digital threats, such as hacking, virtual reality exploits, and information warfare. The series achieved commercial success, with multiple entries appearing on the New York Times bestseller list, reflecting public interest in emerging cyber risks during the late 1990s and early 2000s.[1] The novels focus on Commander Alex Michaels and his team addressing escalating cyber incidents that blend technology with real-world violence, often involving international actors and corporate intrigue. Brief plot overviews for each entry are provided below, emphasizing the core conflict without revealing key resolutions.| Title | Author | Publication Date | ISBN | Brief Plot Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net Force | Steve Perry | 1998 | 978-0-425-16172-1 | In 2010, following the assassination of the FBI director, cyber-terrorists launch attacks on mainframe computers, causing nationwide chaos; newly appointed Deputy Director Alex Michaels leads Net Force in identifying the perpetrators amid a web of digital sabotage.[31] |
| Hidden Agendas | Steve Perry | 1999 | 978-0-425-17418-7 | Classified information is leaked online, resulting in real-world casualties; Net Force Commander Alex Michaels investigates the source, uncovering a scheme tied to political insiders exploiting the internet for espionage and disruption.[21] |
| Night Moves | Steve Perry | 1999 | 978-0-425-17432-3 | A deadly hacker disrupts global networks, causing computer experts to suffer strokes in virtual reality pursuits; Net Force pursues the culprit, whose advanced encryption and virtual traps threaten international stability.[33] |
| Breaking Point | Steve Perry | 2000 | 978-0-425-17846-8 | Top-secret military data is compromised via a virus targeting joint Air Force-Navy projects; amid personal turmoil, Commander Michaels races to contain the breach, which risks exposing U.S. defense vulnerabilities to foreign powers.[34] |
| Point of Impact | Steve Perry | 2001 | 978-0-425-18011-9 | A designer drug enhancing aggression spreads via digital distribution, turning users into violent threats; Net Force uncovers a connection to a rogue AI program that manipulates online sales and user behavior on a massive scale.[35] |
| CyberNation | Steve Perry | 2001 | 978-0-425-18267-0 | A virtual nation-state called CyberNation disrupts global web services through coordinated attacks; Net Force confronts the group's demands for recognition, as their digital infrastructure hijacking escalates to physical sabotage.[36] |
| State of War | Steve Perry | 2003 | 978-0-425-19518-2 | Minor viruses and legal distractions plague Net Force while a mastermind prepares a larger assault; the team navigates internal threats and a plot aiming to destabilize U.S. alliances through manipulated online propaganda and hacks.[37] |
| Changing of the Guard | Steve Perry | 2003 | 978-0-425-19542-7 | A computer disk reveals a prominent U.S. businessman as a former Russian spy; Net Force investigates his network of influence, which spans corporate espionage and potential economic sabotage to protect hidden assets.[38] |
| Springboard | Steve Perry | 2005 | 978-0-425-20758-3 | A classified Pentagon wargame simulation crashes due to external interference; under Department of Defense oversight, Net Force traces the intrusion to a Chinese military officer, leading to virtual and real-world confrontations in Macao.[39] |
| The Archimedes Effect | Steve Perry | 2006 | 978-0-425-21073-6 | Terrorists bypass security at high-tech U.S. Army bases, detonating explosives and prompting red alerts; Net Force collaborates with military intelligence to counter a sophisticated software piracy ring enabling the attacks.[40] |
| Code War (novella) | Jerome Preisler | 2013 | N/A (digital exclusive) | In 2018, a foreign prince faces cyber-terrorists targeting global financial systems; the re-formed Net Force defends against an AI-driven virus that threatens economic collapse while pursuing international operatives.[41] |
Relaunch Series
The Relaunch Series of Tom Clancy's Net Force began in 2019 under the authorship of Jerome Preisler, reviving the franchise after a 13-year hiatus from the original novels. This revival shifts the focus from the early 2000s emphasis on virtual reality and early internet threats to contemporary cybersecurity challenges, including drone warfare, artificial intelligence manipulation, deepfakes, blockchain vulnerabilities, social media disinformation campaigns, and heightened surveillance concerns in the post-Snowden era.[7] Commander Alex Thorn leads the Net Force team, with returning elements like cyber expert David Gridley integrating into plots that blend high-stakes field operations with digital espionage.[15] The series comprises four full novels and two novellas, published by Hanover Square Press (an imprint of Harlequin Enterprises). These works maintain the techno-thriller style while addressing real-world tech evolutions, such as autonomous weapons and state-sponsored hacking. Brief plot summaries highlight key threats:| Title | Author(s) | Publication Date | ISBN | Brief Plot Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Web | Jerome Preisler | November 26, 2019 | 978-1-335-91784-5 | Newly revived under President Harlen Palmer, Net Force uncovers a traitor within its ranks amid a surge of dark web-fueled cyberattacks by extremists exploiting global instability, forcing Thorn to combat internal betrayal and external digital assaults.[42] |
| Attack Protocol | Jerome Preisler | December 1, 2020 | 978-1-335-08084-4 | Following international terrorist strikes, Net Force targets a shadowy figure coordinating drone hacks and AI-driven disruptions from Moscow's dark web allies, racing to prevent a catastrophic blow to U.S. infrastructure.[43] |
| Threat Point | Jerome Preisler | November 30, 2021 | 978-1-335-65288-1 | When a U.S. naval vessel disappears in contested waters, Net Force investigates cyber intrusions linked to foreign adversaries, navigating geopolitical tensions and advanced surveillance tech to avert escalation into open conflict.[44] |
| Moving Target | Jerome Preisler | February 21, 2023 | 978-1-335-77766-9 | Net Force pursues bio-enhanced assassins targeting a political leader in Europe via AI-orchestrated deepfakes and social media manipulation, crossing international borders to dismantle a hacker network threatening global stability.[45] |
Net Force Explorers
The Net Force Explorers is a young adult spin-off series from the Tom Clancy's Net Force franchise, comprising 18 novels published from 1998 to 2002 and aimed at readers aged 10 to 14. The books center on a club of technologically adept teenagers known as the Net Force Explorers, who assist the adult Net Force organization in addressing cybercrimes and digital threats. Set in the near-future year of 2025, the narratives highlight adolescent protagonists navigating virtual reality environments, online espionage, and high-tech challenges, often drawing on their superior computer skills to support mentors from the main series.[3] Key contributors to the series include authors Diane Duane, Bill McCay, and Mel Odom, who crafted stories emphasizing themes of friendship among the teen characters, ethical dilemmas in emerging technologies, and the responsibilities of digital citizenship. The plots frequently connect to the broader Net Force universe through recurring young characters like Mark Gridley, who bridges the youth group and his father's role in the adult task force. The series concluded with its final installment in 2002 and has seen no revivals or continuations since.[48][49] The following table lists all 18 books in publication order, including titles, primary authors, release years, and brief plot overviews focused on the teen protagonists' cyber adventures.| # | Title | Author(s) | Year | Brief Plot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virtual Vandals | Diane Duane | 1998 | A group of teens joins the Net Force Explorers and uncovers virtual vandals using historical personas to sabotage websites and disrupt virtual reality events. |
| 2 | The Deadliest Game | Bill McCay | 1998 | Young explorers enter a virtual war game simulation that turns deadly when hackers manipulate it into a real-life threat.[49] |
| 3 | One Is the Loneliest Number | Diane Duane | 1999 | The team investigates a cyber isolation plot targeting a lone teen hacker, exploring themes of online loneliness and digital manipulation.[50] |
| 4 | The Ultimate Escape | Marc Cerasini | 1999 | Teens aid in a virtual prison break scenario that blurs lines between simulation and reality, testing their escape skills against sophisticated AI. |
| 5 | The Great Race | Bill McCay | 1999 | Net Force Explorers compete in a global virtual race to design and pilot a spaceship, sabotaged by corporate rivals seeking technological secrets. |
| 6 | End Game | Diane Duane | 1999 | At an exclusive virtual resort, the group uncovers a high-stakes endgame conspiracy involving elite hackers and stolen resort data. |
| 7 | Cyberspy | Bill McCay | 1999 | The teens infiltrate online games to expose industrial espionage, where spies use gaming platforms to steal corporate intelligence.[51] |
| 8 | Shadow of Honor | Mel Odom | 2000 | A teen questions his father's legacy while battling shadows of online dishonor in a plot involving falsified virtual war records. |
| 9 | Private Lives | Bill McCay | 2000 | Young members protect their personal data when hackers invade private virtual spaces, revealing the risks of oversharing in cyberspace.[52] |
| 10 | Safe House | Diane Duane | 2000 | The Explorers create a digital safe house to shield a scientist and his son from a conspiracy of corrupt agents hunting them online.[53] |
| 11 | Gameprey | Mel Odom | 2000 | At a gaming convention, virtual monsters from a new game escape into reality, turning the event into a hunt for the Net Force teens.[54] |
| 12 | Duel Identity | Bill McCay | 2000 | Teens duel in virtual arenas to unmask identities behind a wave of online suicides linked to a dangerous punk rock web community. |
| 13 | Deathworld | Diane Duane | 2000 | The group enters a deadly virtual world where players face lethal challenges designed to eliminate rivals in a twisted competition. |
| 14 | High Wire | Mel Odom | 2001 | Explorers walk a digital high wire against a black market selling cybercriminal tools, balancing ethics and action in high-tech thefts. |
| 15 | Cold Case | Bill McCay | 2001 | In a mystery simulation, the teens solve a cold case murder of a socialite, applying detective skills to virtual and real clues.[55] |
| 16 | Runaways | Diane Duane | 2001 | A member tracks runaway friends through underground virtual networks, confronting dangers of unsupervised online escapes. |
| 17 | Cloak and Dagger | John Helfers & Russell Davis | 2002 | The team uses spy tactics in a cloak-and-dagger intrigue where a teen operative uncovers espionage in shadowed digital realms. |
| 18 | Death Match | Diane Duane | 2002 | During virtual sports playoffs, Explorers protect a star player from death threats by big bettors rigging the high-tech matches. |