One ordinary afternoon, every single machine in sixteen-year-old Adam’s high school computer lab stops working. At first the problem seems to be an electrical outage, but it quickly becomes apparent that it is far more serious. Outside, cars won’t start, phones are down, and a blackout is widespread. Adam is surprised to find that his ancient, cyber-free car is one of the only vehicles to function. And he senses a rising storm tide of anger and fear as he drives home past hundreds of stranded motorists.

Soon Adam will discover that the problem has paralyzed not just his town but the whole region if not the whole country and beyond. Soon—as resources dwindle, crises mount, and chaos descends—he will see that his suburban neighborhood must band together for protection. Soon violence will erupt and Adam will understand that having a police captain for a mother and a retired government agent living next door are not just the facts of his life but the keys to his survival.