Charlie has grown up with two undeniable truths: Earth is running out of time, and the people in power have no intention of trying to save it. A scientific breakthrough has revealed a distant, Earth-like planet, and governments are resting all of humanity's hopes on it. But no one has figured out how to send humans there, and the race is on to be the first to reach it.

Charlie lives in a secure corner of the world with her brilliant parents, who are consumed by their work on the American colony ship. In their absence, she's grown to be strong and independent, and aside from her one friend who lives an ocean away, she's learned to rely on no one but herself.

When she stumbles across something she was never meant to see, Charlie uncovers a secret that could change everything. With the help of her best friend and an unexpected new ally, she must stay one step ahead of a powerful enemy to save an innocent life - and maybe the future of humanity.