In La Veta, Colorado, Kenshiro found more than he bargained for. He found a friend. Not that he was looking for one, or even wanted one. But now, because of a dead woman's note, Kenshiro has accepted the responsibility of keeping Elliott safe and whole. Now comes the hard part, actually doing it. After a devastating encounter with the undead that leaves the pair wounded, exhausted, and broken, Kenshiro begins to question his ability to keep the boy safe. Soon, the pair are forced to face the hard realities of the new world, and are forced back onto the forgotten roads of an undead America. Where they will face their ultimate test. Meanwhile, in New York, Elle is haunted by the scars, both physical and mental, from the La Guardia mission. While recovering, she concocts a covert plan to establish a viable food source for the residents of The Prescott, and in doing so, discovers a disturbing truth. Some of their protectors are not who they seem.