Bill is a retired police detective who runs a private investigation firm called Finders Keepers. He resists fully letting go of his law enforcement identity and actively pursues unresolved elements of his past cases. Following a severe medical diagnosis, he chooses to dedicate his remaining energy to stopping a wave of suspicious suicides rather than seeking treatment. He acts as a dedicated mentor and loyal friend to his younger associates.

Holly is a meticulous and highly observant private investigator in her late forties. She operates with an unconventional processing style, often drawing associative connections from film and culture that traditional detectives miss. Having survived severe mental health challenges in her youth, she offers deep empathy to vulnerable people while growing into a confident, self-reliant adult.

Brady is the notorious mass murderer responsible for the City Center massacre six years prior. After suffering severe head trauma during his capture, he is confined to a hospital bed under heavy medication. He maintains a deep, malicious fascination with manipulating others into self-destruction and harbors an intense desire for revenge against the detective who stopped him.

Doctor Babineau is a narcissistic and highly ambitious neuroscientist treating patients at Kiner Memorial Hospital. He administers unapproved experimental drugs to severe trauma patients in pursuit of medical breakthroughs. He views his charges entirely as test subjects rather than human beings, prioritizing his own potential fame and success over medical ethics.

Jerome is a tall, highly intelligent Harvard graduate currently building homes for Habitat for Humanity in Phoenix. He possesses a strong sense of empathy and a desire to use his upper-middle-class advantages to assist marginalized communities. He remains deeply loyal to his former employers in the private investigation business and protective of his younger sister.

Barbara is a sixteen-year-old high school student working through the difficulties of adolescence and social identity. Raised in a comfortable suburban environment, she experiences friction attempting to understand her racial identity in relation to her socioeconomic status. She receives a free electronic device that severely affects her mental state.

Pete is a veteran police detective nearing his retirement. He tries to balance his traditional police training with the highly unusual elements of his current caseload. After making poor judgments in past investigations, he strives to remain open-minded, though he frequently clashes with his overly rigid current partner.

Isabelle is an ambitious and highly competent police detective focused on eventually becoming Chief of Police. She demands concrete evidence and clear-cut solutions, actively resisting any theories she considers unusual or damaging to her career prospects. She aggressively dismisses private investigators who attempt to insert themselves into official police matters.

Freddi is a skilled computer technician who struggles with personal finances and frequently makes poor interpersonal choices. She visits her old coworker at the hospital out of an initial impulse of sympathy but continues going primarily for financial compensation. She recognizes the danger of her actions but lacks the conviction to immediately stop them.

Martine is a woman who suffered a severe spinal injury during a mass casualty event six years ago. Her paralysis requires full-time care from her mother. Her sudden and highly suspicious death at the beginning of the story initiates the central investigation.

Janice is an eighty-year-old woman who serves as the full-time caregiver for her paralyzed daughter. Generally a steady and dedicated parent, she began exhibiting uncharacteristic signs of depression following an encounter with a stranger handing out promotional electronics at a grocery store.

Nancy is the observant housekeeper for the Ellerton family. She provides investigators with critical information about an unusual gift Janice recently received and reports seeing a strange vehicle frequently parked outside the residence.

Ruth is the cold and strict head nurse at the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic. She harbors intense animosity toward violent patients and actively attempts to suppress superstitious rumors among her nursing staff. She suspects the facility's lead doctor is conducting illegal experiments.

Al is a hospital employee who manages the library cart for trauma patients. He distributes reading materials and electronic entertainment to residents of the clinic. His access to the patient rooms makes him a vulnerable target for manipulation within the facility.

Dereese is a direct, assertive teenager from Lowtown who steps in to prevent a fatal accident. He desires upward mobility and provides a contrasting, less sheltered perspective compared to the middle-class peers Barbara usually associates with.

Cora is the wife of a prominent neuroscientist. She is familiar with her husband's intense obsession with handheld electronic devices and assumes his strange colleague is visiting regarding his research.

Dr. Stamos is a medical professional tasked with delivering a grave pancreatic cancer diagnosis to a retired detective. He strongly emphasizes the necessity of immediate medical intervention.

Dinah is a high school student who obtained a free gaming console online. She provides crucial information to investigators regarding a website targeting attendees of a specific concert.

Cynthia is the daughter of a head nurse. She contacts the police for a welfare check after receiving ominous digital communications hinting at self-harm.