A teenager is recruited by a woman (Macy) who appears to be a police officer yet wholly partakes in both Chem 1 and Chem 2. She is much older, but they decide to date. He feels not like a lover but like one of her kids. She introduces him to Chem 1 and he experiences hallucinations, delusions, and thoughtful inspirations about the nature of death.Frightened and confused, he spends less time with Macy. Soon, he learns from one of the Captains that Macy intends for him to achieve some purpose as an "archetype." The captain, on Chem 2, explains that he's going to be famous. When Adam uncomfortably leaves his house, he is struck by a vehicle and sustains a brain injury.The book is about mental health and psychology, and contains those relevant depictions of what goes on in the mind of a unique boy dealing with a harsh science fiction reality.