A country descending into civil war... A young artist forced to cross a nation in chaos to retrieve her stolen masterpiece... Her guide and guardian-whose past remains strangely obscure... Georgie O'Halloran created an artistic and literary wonder-only to have it stolen from her and published under the thief's name. Worse, it's the inspiration for a wildly popular video game that's become a favorite among the militants seeking to transform America through bloodshed.

To confront the plagiarist, Georgie must cross an entire continent erupting in violence. Her only companion: Shane Riordan, "Irish as wet grass," a fiercely loyal friend with a beautiful singing voice, an oddly encyclopedic memory-and impressive fighting skills.

It turns out, however, that Georgie isn't the only one on a cross-country quest. Shane is on a journey all his own, far beyond even Georgie's imagining.