Thirteen-year-old Lovena, an undocumented immigrant of Haitian descent, has just been crowned chess champion in French Guyana. Her next rival will travel to Brazil to challenge her at a match. The preparation of this duel and unexpected events will drive her into a corner.

A brutal mugging leaves Grey Trace paralyzed in the hospital and his beloved wife dead. A billionaire inventor soon offers Trace a cure — an artificial intelligence implant called STEM that will enhance his body. Now able to walk, Grey finds that he also has superhuman strength and agility — skills he uses to seek revenge against the thugs who destroyed his life.