Summary

June Iparis wakes in the back of a railcar en route to Las Vegas and proceeds to wake Day Alton Wing from an apparent nightmare. Narrating from a first-person point of view, June reminisces on the assassination of their respective families at the hands of the Republic, the military government currently in control of what used to be the western United States, and the several anxious days following their escape from Los Angeles. June shifts between recounting memories and the present dialogue with Day, which centers on his desire to find the Patriots, the rebel group that facilitated their escape.

Day is determined to find the Patriots for personal and political reasons, in particular to see Tess, his close friend from his days of living on the streets, while June’s interest lies primarily in getting medical care for Day’s infected...