Vernon has a quest and Harold has a secret. They have gone to the desert in search of the source of the missile that destroyed the Diamond City. But this is no harmless expedition. As they go into the depths of the desert, they learn that not only are their love and lives at stake, but so is the fate of everything they hold dear.

As the sands blow them off course, Harold grapples with the knowledge that he has been changed by his experiences in the Diamond City. Infected with the technology of the Ancients, he feels himself changing, becoming something other than human. Does Harold have the courage to tell Vernon the truth about himself? Does Vernon love Harold enough to accept that he might no longer be human? They might not have time to find out as the sleeping Progenitors stir.