1869: In his prison cell in The Tombs, Robert Gillian has countless days to reflect upon his story, a journey which began years earlier, the time of the Great Hunger in Ireland. So destitute that burying his young twins in rented coffins was the best he could afford—their bodies re-interred in burlap sacks in the middle of the night—he knew he must take his landlord’s offer: paid passage to America for the rest of his family. Life in New York City was difficult in its own way—for kind and gentle Robert and his remaining clan. But he finds dignity and friendship when he joins the all-volunteer fire department. As more tragedy strikes, Gillian grows bitter with his lot in life, until he earns the attention of a mysterious figure, The Fire Marker Man. This man’s a tortured soul, burned to disfigurement, vengeful to those who cross him, and strangely, a source of prosperity for those chosen to play his game. Gillian is handsomely paid for the pleasant task of placing brass fire marks on the facades of newly insured buildings, markers guaranteeing the protection of the Chelsea Surety Company. He gleefully pads his bank account for five years, never having met the Fire Marker Man – in the flesh. Suddenly he’s passed the test, and he’s trapped into playing the real game. Can he live with himself as both fireman and arsonist? Finally, the day comes when he must decline an assignment. But is it too late?