Fifty years after the events of Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle, a small group of scientists believe themselves to be the last people on Earth. They are still managing to eek out a living as they attempt to solve the mystery of ice-nine and reverse the effects, despite the hopeless conditions. But they aren't as alone as they think. There are some who believe the world should just be allowed to die, and they're willing to do horrible things to have their way.