The book opens with a very young little Hero leading her younger brother Yorrick through a field to a statue with a hood over it's head. She starts talking to it, making as if the statue is yelling at Yorrick which makes him cry.

Cut to, she's fifteen at a college party and has he first sexual encounter

Cut to : At the dinner table Hero discussing her plans to be a paramedic.

Cut to : Hero's reaction to the plague

Cut to: Her first meeting with Amazons, and meeting the leader Victoria for the first time.

Cut to: Hero in the womens prison at Marrisville

Cut to : She meets her mother the congresswoman, who sends her out to find Yorrick.

cut to The Oldenbrook facility. Hero sees the male baby for the first time and we find out the programming Victoria had laid on her hasn't gone away completely. As she contemplates killing the child.