One hundred and fifty years in the future, a walled city called The Estate lies in the forests of Montana. Some 100,000 people live inside the walls, and have all the food, water, services, resources, entertainment, and creature comforts that anyone could ever want.
Within the Estate, there are three strongly defined castes. The First Estate is the made up of the ultra rich that bought into the society. The Second Estate is made up of the professional classes: doctors, engineers, hydrologists, etc. The Third Estate is essentially the hired help.
Many in the Third Estate are smart and attractive as the First Estate have their pick of the "best of the rest."
As our story begins, Ford Hilliard, 18 years old, is at the beginnings of a relationship with Marie Hargrove, 21, the daughter of the most powerful person in The Estate. That night we learn that Baron Starr, a member of the powerful Council of Ten, is murdered at his fancy mansion.
The next day, Ford and his older roommate, Brent, are scooped by the Estate Police and charged with the accessory to murder of Baron Starr.