When everything climate survivalist Joe Cole holds dear in life is ripped from him, he will have to reclaim what he loves or die trying.
In a period of severe drought and near extinction of humanity, survivalist Jack Cole returns from scavenging to find his parents slaughtered, and Denverines soldiers have abducted his pregnant wife and child as birther stock for the citadel of Denver.
He vows to enter the citadel fortress of Denver to rescue them. But first he will have to overcome his own psychological demons, his lack of trust, and the bleak environment, in a journey filled with danger at every turn and to defeat the Denverines who have new orders. New communities are to be formed outside the citadels. To protect them, the president commands the Denverines to slaughter those on the outside with knowledge of the old ways of society.
When Jack teams up with and leads a group of exiles in his quest to rescue his family, if they fail, Jack's failure will be a death sentence, not just for himself, but for all survivors in the wastelands.