Arthur Ward survived becoming the impossible—the first male Empowered.Now he must survive being a hero-in-training.

By day, Arthur learns to control his volatile powers. By night, he hunts weapons traffickers and drug dealers through the neon-soaked streets of Neo Elysium. With Solaris's warmth and Blitz's lightning-fast grin at his side, he finally believes he might have a place in this world.

Until a mission spirals into disaster and a choice results in unthinkable tragedy. Arthur's path irreversibly changes, and he's suddenly reminded of the true weight of his powers. Hands bloody and old ghosts sinking their claws back into him, he must force himself to evolve again. Both in heart and in mind.

The mad scientist behind Arthur's transformation, Doctor Bellreve, escalates from the shadows. A warrior-goddess turns the sky into a warzone. A hacker with unclear motives reaches straight into the heart of the Association. And Valentine, the assassin with devotion in her eyes and cruelty on her tongue, has decided that Arthur belongs to her.

To get to him, however, they'll have to face Blitz. The free-spirited and joyful southern belle speedster refuses to let Arthur face the dark alone. As the villains close in, Arthur finds himself caught between love, loyalty, and the crushing pain of failure.

In a world where desire can be as dangerous as any supervillain, he must answer a very hard question: What does it mean to be a hero?