Christopher Stone has fallen, and Peyton's coup has succeeded. In a city under martial law only a few pockets of resistance oppose his ambitions. When Peyton issues an ultimatum, one final gambit remains to secure a safe haven for everyone. Yet far to the south, another threat is growing. The Afflicted were never an accident, and amidst the ruined cities devastated by the initial outbreak someone has been waiting, and planning. Soon, it will be up to the survivors to make a stand against the mounting threat, to push back against the threat of enslavement, or worse, from their new enemy. With time running out and their options limited, each must consider how far they'll go, and what they might have to become in order to survive.