The energy crisis that erupted at the end of the twentieth century due to climate change led to the depopulation of America. A century later, a small group of European explorers sets off on an expedition to an abandoned continent. They discover that much of the country has become a desert, inhabited by scattered communities performing bizarre rituals. The expedition travels from Manhattan through Holiday Inns and theme parks, and ends up encountering a surprising new force that has formed in the heart of Las Vegas.