His father was a successful commercial real estate agent, and his mother a prominent federal judge. Seth Boone had everything a young boy could ask for. He was the brightest of students, with the ambition of someday becoming a doctor. Leaving a bar drunk one night, Seth's father crashes the family SUV. He loses both legs and suffers tremendous damage to his lower abdomen, but survives. Returning home after surgery and months of rehab, everything changes in the Boone home. Seth becomes the victim of unthinkable and unimaginable abuse. Late one night, Seth peeks into his brother's bedroom and witnesses something that will haunt him for years to come. He loses control and takes matters in his own hands, committing an act that ends his parent's lives and forever changes his own. Demonized by the media, shunned by the community, and ostracized by the family lawyer, Seth's only hope lies with a rookie defense attorney and a stunningly attractive psychologist named Rita Logan. The next three years becomes a daily struggle for survival in a world filled with hardened criminals, corrupt politicians, dirty cops, and a government organization that isn't supposed to exist. Seth's only reason to go on living is Rita, but he can't reach out to her - because he's supposed to be dead.