Leah feels human, but she's actually a "Wit"a factory grown human whose brain is the host of an organic processing unit that regulates her actions and emotions. As a non-Born, she's property, owned by a handler named Jacob whose cruel temperament often leaves her fearing for her life. Jacob's lust for gladiatorial violence brings her into the acquaintance of De Leon, the rising star of a no-holds-barred fight club for the technologically altered. She's captivated by the champion's skill and drive toward a life unlike any she's ever imaginedand when he introduces her to a unique method of Wit-only communication, their forbidden relationship blooms. Their only hope is a daring escape that takes them through the back alleys of New Dallas and deep into the desert wastelands, toward a mythological figure known only as The Mother. They hope she holds the key to a peaceful existence, but getting there won't be easy. The desert is full of perils, and their sinister guide and captor, La Hoya, is driven by a singular agendaharnessing the special powers of the Wits that could prove crucial in a war for freedom from the Bornno matter what the price.