In a future plagued with natural disasters, criminals known as “scavs” raid damaged cities. Their most important rule: don’t help the survivors.

Bear, a twenty-nine-year-old engineer, breaks that rule when he takes Salix, a Native American college student, back to his scav team’s flying ship for medical treatment. Captain Baxter allows her to board but will not let her leave.

Salix hopes to escape, but Baxter’s growing obsession with her makes that impossible. As the situation grows tense, a tsunami in Portugal prompts a scav raid. During that raid, Bear discovers blueprints for a device that could change the world. When it becomes clear that Salix’s life is in danger, Bear flees with her, along with the blueprints, but Baxter follows, and he is more dangerous than either of them realize.