Cassy has joined with Frank and his group, and the group members declare themselves a Clan, pitting themselves as a group against the rising tide of darkness around them. Then the death of one of their own creates new tensions that may tear the Clan apart before it ever reaches the promised oasis of Cassy's homestead farm. Worse, they are followed by a man bent on their destruction, who would take her farm for his own group if he can find it. As the Clan continues its trek, invaders solidify their iron grip over the Eastern Seaboard, opposed by a Resistance aided by a mysterious group known only as "the 20s," whose identities and ultimate goals remain unknown. Events begin to unfold that will determine the future of Cassy and her new family, and possibly the future of America.