It is the year 1967 and a series of brutal murders is occurring in the City of Chicago, Illinois and other major cities around the nation. The victims are all poor Black children and there is no apparent motive for the crimes. The killer is reputed to be the troubled spirit of an overseer who died before the Civil War. The Black Community of Chicago is angry with the FBI and the Chicago Police Department over the lack of progress in the investigation. There are accusations of racism in the air with fingers being pointed at the Chicago P. D. and the FBI. In addition there is also the suggestion that the Mayor's office is more concerned about losing the Democratic National Convention than it is about the Black Community. Tension and pressure are about to ignite the City of Chicago into a racial war of epic proportions. Phillip Rigby is now on disability and trying to get reinstated back to his job with the Chicago P. D. A sudden, unexpected visit from representatives of the the Nation of Islam places Rigby in the awkward position of investigating a politically sensitive case. The Chicago P. D. and the Nation of Islam are engaged in a War of Words with Rigby caught in the middle. Rigby has been informed through the grapevine that if he wants his old job back then he must decline assisting the Nation of Islam. The Nation of Islam views Rigby as an "Uncle Tom" police officer that they do not entirely trust. Rigby finally enters the investigation and discovers a conspiracy with national implications involving the FBI. The FBI keeps tight surveillance on Rigby trying to obtain intelligence information on the Nation of Islam. Rigby becomes incensed as he discovers the FBI is trying to infiltrate the Nation of Islam by using him as an innocent pawn in the process. As Rigby enters the investigation, a young Black girl is murdered in Fort Worth, Texas. A mentally challenged white man is immediately arrested and charged with the crime by a politically motivated District Attorney. Rigby is invited to come to Fort Worth and join in the investigation where he is reunited with his friend, David Garcia. Upon arrival, Rigby finds a hostile situation in Fort Worth where an innocent man is about to be put on trial for a crime that he did not commit. Rigby soon discovers that the investigation trail leads back to Texas where he and Garcia are on the trail of a serial killer who calls himself the Pied Piper.

It is the Winter of 1967-68 and the City of New Orleans is operating under a siege mentality caused by the sudden appearance of a Predator dubbed the " French Quarter Vampire." The news media is in a frenzy as they continue to report the dismal failure of the New Orleans Police Department to catch the killer. In every instance, the victims are drained of their life's blood and the bodies are discarded in the Garden District. The police are stunned by the fact that there are no puncture wounds on the victims and the killer seems to disappear very quickly with no evidence left behind. Phillip Rigby is now settled into a dismal winter in Chicago filled with nightmares and dark depression. He has been turned down by the Chicago Police Department for reinstatement. Night after night Rigby has a reoccurring nightmare in which he is being pursued in an cemetery during a driving rainstorm. An old family friend and mentor, Pastor Hubert Berry suggests that Rigby journey to New Orleans and have "Mama" Addie Lereaux interpret his dream. Upon arrival, Rigby becomes involved in the investigation at the invitation of the New Orleans Police Department. As he becomes involved in the investigation Rigby discovers a hidden agenda involving the supernatural and a series of unusual suspects in the Crescent City.