In 2049, humanity faces the threat of extinction. The last hope is a generation of genetically modified children whose upbringing is to be taken care of by carefully programmed robots. Kai se is one of these children, and his only guide through a devastated America is his robotic mother, Rho-Z. But as he begins to mature, Rho-Z changes as well—in ways no one expected. And then comes the order to destroy all robot mothers. Can Kai break the only motherly bond he's ever known?