Seth, a young farmhand, witnesses a murder while working in the middle of a Missouri cornfield. He's captured by the killer and then forced to commit several crimes in and around Kansas City. The line between captive and accomplice quickly starts to blur as Seth finds himself persuaded by the man's dark logic. But as the good boy goes bad, he wonders how much his newfound freedom will truly cost.

Soon he's embarking on an epic adventure with the strangest, most dangerous man he's ever met. First they drive from Missouri to Montana where they load two canoes with homemade ketamine. Then Seth is tasked with leading a diverse group of young misfits down the Missouri River for two months-selling drugs along the way as they dodge thunderstorms, angry landowners, thieves and police.

Seth, however, quickly starts to doubt they'll ever make it-his hands blistered and his skin sunburned-his eyes focusing on Isabel too much when danger lurks around every bend in the river. But he knows the biggest danger lurking is what'll happen to them if something goes wrong-if the man doesn't get his cash in Kansas City.