An emotionless teenage assassin in post-war London attempts to free himself from dictatorial rule with help from the princess of England: The Country dictates international policy, Keepers rip young people away from their families to transform them into lethal weapons, a place where the fundamental understanding of what constitutes a human being has been blurred beyond distinction; 20-year-old, Colman Cai, battles with the fact that he is a puppet of the government that created him.
As the world's beloved Alpha Spike, Colman is their god. He has no emotion and his euphoria during Encounters makes him a celebrity. The Country, the totalitarian dictatorship ruled by the maniacal Kendall Khan, is the power source keeping Colman at the top of the food chain. Khan lets ordinary citizens, Sivs, attack Spikes for tax. While no Spike has ever been defeated in battle, the hope that a Siv could achieve the same fame and popularity spur thousands of people to try their luck in the deadly battles.
But what happens when the Alpha Spike realises that he is not a god?