The episode centers on sisters and Hope Bennett , whose father, a brilliant scientist, is away at a secret research facility working for the Civic Republic Military (CRM) .

While the Campus Colony celebrates "Monument Day" to honor the fallen, the sisters receive a series of distressing secret messages from their father indicating his "safety is not assured".

Driven by fear for their father, Iris and Hope decide to leave the safety of their walls and trek 1,100 miles to New York. They are joined by two classmates: Elton , a curious intellectual, and Silas , a quiet teen seeking a fresh start.