Iris and her sister Hope are living in a safe community from the walkers in Campus Colony. This community is part of an alliance between Civic Republic, Omaha, and Portland. Their father Dr. Leo Bennett went to the Civic Republic to help them find a cure. Hope is reluctant to believe that the Republic is so nice as they want everyone to believe, because no one knows where they are or no one can visit them. The sisters have secret communication with their father through a machine, and he makes them worry about what he is going through and how bad the situation is there. Lieutenant Colonel Elizabeth Kublek of the republic, reveals to them that their father is New York to reassure them, but instead the sisters decide to go and find him and rescue him. Their friends Silas and Elton join with them. The girls’ guardian Felix and his friend Huck are going after them.