DARKER THAN BLACK

A new and deadly breed of covert agent walks the streets. Known as Contractors, these assassins and spies wield bizarre supernatural powers to carry out the dirty work of others. It's a new age of confusion, and the rules of engagement have changed.

Hei's latest task is to keep his fugitive companion, Chiaki, at ease - a woman harboring government secrets and in search of freedom. Hunted by Contractor and cop alike, Hei might keep her safe for now. But nobody can run forever in a world of deception.

The Contractors weren.t the only product of Hell's Gate and Tahara is the only human to have ever survived a journey into the void. Now in isolation, Hei is willing to chaperone his daughter, but a suffering and lonely child is likely to act out.

Mai now wields the powers of a Contractor. Unaware of her dangerous state, she staggers through the streets with deadly fire lighting her path. The roots of her new skills bloom from the sins of her father, and his guilty confession offers no absolution.

After suffering a fall from grace, notorious Contractor Havoc is back on the scene. And it seems every agency with an interest in the Gate wants to bring her in. With red tape slowing things down, Hei has the skills to cut through the diplomatic mire.

The infamous Havoc's powers have vanished, but she may still be able to help Hei solve the riddle of his vanished sister. The two enigmas with the mysterious bond will travel to the strangest place to seek a solution? Hell's Gate.

For private-eye Gai Kurasawa, a simple lost pet case quickly turns into a web of death and suspicion. But a sultry woman's charms hold much sway, and he will do what he must to solve the case. It is likely not by chance that Hei happens to be around.

What began as a search for a lost pet has turned into an investigation of a freshly discovered corpse. The detective stumbles upon a suspect, but the crimes committed by the man are far more incredible than those of which he is accused.

In order to get to the bottom of multiple gangland murders, Kirihara gets all dolled up and mingles with the highest ranks of the local mob, courtesy of a childhood friendship with the boss's daughter, Alice, who shares a weighty secret with Kirihara.

The freaks of Hell's Gate wage supernatural war high above the city. Blood and electricity jump through the air. One trap becomes another and Kirihara and Saito enter a nightmare. The one tapped to protect Alice now becomes her undoing.

Black Reaper's new mission is to infiltrate PANDORA and recover a much-desired artifact that might hold the answers to questions that haven't even been asked. When Hei goes undercover, he is subjected to risky research. It seems there's been a murder.

The Gate once more offers new riddles to those who investigate its power, and the fresh mysteries lead Hei to even more questions. Clues are popping up in the chaos surrounding Corinna's death, and the signs point to Contractor involvement.

The somber Doll, Yin, has no idea that so many are seeking her company after an encounter with a rival faction leaves her wandering the streets. Faces from her past and present comb the city, but not all who search for Yin are looking to keep her safe.

A would-be savior offers a chance for Yin to abandon the life of espionage and murder, and return to her home. But there can be no peace for Yin. She carries the burdens of personal tragedy heavy upon her back, and atonement could very well last forever.

A wave of terrorism is washing over Tokyo. With so many secret agencies vying for control of the mysteries of Hell's Gate, blame might be tough to assign - though the reappearance of a Contractor named Amber might serve to narrow the list of suspects.

Tokyo is locked down as chaos follows Amber and the members of Evening Primrose. The Black Reaper knows the destruction that can be unleashed if Amber isn't stopped - and he's willing to risk the wrath of his own team to thwart her.

Kirihara's questions remain unanswered. BK201 and Amber. Are they friends or foes? Hei doesn't have a lot of people he can call confidant, but low level gangster Sakurai Kenji will do for now. Kenji is charged by his boss to care for a black-market Doll.

The Black Reaper's team is hunting for a missing black-market Doll - and the prize appears on his doorstep, care of his new friend, Kenji. The mafioso has developed feelings for the girl, inciting him to make the dangerous decision to leave the family.

BK201 has a new mission: Assassinate the prophet of a religious cult devoted to worshipping Hell's Gate. But this will be tough. The leader of the sect is mysterious, appearing only once a year - and it is suspected that she has supernatural abilities.

After the botched attempt on Alma's life, Black Reaper's team must regroup and try again, and they've added a new name to the kill list. Shihoko must go away for good. Should she survive, Huang will pay with his life.

The Contractor underground is waging war, and the violence is escalating. A valuable Gate researcher has been abducted. The American Embassy is under attack. Kirihara will have to reach into her reserve of determination to keep pushing for justice.

Members of many factions have gathered in EPR headquarters, and the fate of the world is the topic of discussion - at least the world as Amber sees it. The Black Reaper will have to face the fact that his most hated rival might be his only hope.

The Black Reaper was there the day Heaven's Gate vanished, and some think he might be responsible. His team is paying the price for the suspicions. Amber offers to fill in the blanks of his memory as both sides prepare for their final acts of war.

Kirihara has searched long and hard for BK201's true identity, and what she discovers of his past is shocking, but the impending destruction of Tokyo is foremost on the minds facing off in this final battle.

Some call the Contractors the next step of human evolution, but their kind has changed even since they first appeared. The remorseless calculation at some point began to reform. BK201 has been chosen by fate to usher in a new era within this new age.