Sixteen. Isolated. Naive. Proto craves freedom from his overbearing parents and AI-controlled life. But when extremists destroy his city's protective storm dome, throwing him into the flooded wasteland, he finds his freedom falls short of expectations. Too many cannibals, for one thing. The Wi-Fi is terrible. Plus, chatting with strangers is terrifying.

Sufi, a streetwise scavenger, becomes Proto's unlikely lifeline in this brutal new world. Together, they must overcome their differences and utilize Proto's tech-implanted mind to save a dying city and bridge the chasm between their warring societies.

But dark secrets lurk beneath the surface. Secrets that challenge Proto's worldview and force him to confront horrifying truths about his people and upbringing.

Proto and Sufi grow closer than either would imagine as they fight an extremist movement. But to achieve a just and equitable society, Proto must overcome an even more herculean effort—making new friends.