A new reality. Coming soon to a pod near you. In this near future what-if, the dizzying pace of technological innovation outpaces our ability to deal with the inevitable unintended consequences Fifty odd years removed from a transformational invention; the economy is managed by artificial intelligence that provides all of mankind's needs and wants. Goods and services are delivered by armies of robots, freeing humans to enjoy a lifetime of leisure. A revolutionary chip is developed that bypasses the five senses, communicating directly with the brain. The chip tells you that you see a tree and you do, even though no tree or image of a tree exists. You smell a flower, taste a strawberry, all because the chip fires the proper synapses in the brain. The technological breakthrough allows creation of alternate realities each tailored to the individual. The alternate life soon usurps the real one. No more disappointment, failure, boredom. Happiness is off the charts. A pod is developed that can accommodate longer stays - days, weeks at a time. The pod revolution fundamentally changes the status quo. With the vast majority opting for the perfection of the pod, society as we know it collapses. Nations wither away. Pop culture is frozen in place. Families fall apart. The powers that be mandate a strict on/off schedule - four days in the pod and three out each week. For Joe and Jess, the three out is nothing but a restless waiting period. Their normal routine is shattered when the Yellowstone caldera erupts, spawning an earthquake that topples their apartment building. From a safe and secure life in their pods, they are plunged into a fight for survival. Their ordeal leads them to question their alternate reality - the one that always mattered the most.