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.