In 1946, the aliens came to earth and brought with them a virus that changed everything. A virus designed to enhance the psychic powers of a race genetically identical to humans, the Wild Card virus created Earth's first metahumans, giving superpowers to aces, and deformities to jokers.

Technology hasn’t caught up to the gifts that the wild card can give, yet. That’s the new arms race: to make your own wild cards. Both the government and free science – if science can be said to be free in an age of corporate control – want that power.

Both are on the brink of getting what they want.

People have adapted.