Pain is all Alex has ever known. Taken from his people as a child, he was trained to be a hunter for the humans. Alex's mixed blood makes him an asset for tracking, so he spends his days gathering Kiya to work in the factories with the other Haydeans owned by the company. His only knowledge of the world outside The White City comes from their stories. None of which are very pleasant, as Haydeans attack hybrids for sport. His mixed blood is viewed as an insult to the proud humanoid race, and the purebloods make that known. Besides enduring their threats, Alex is punished for any failure by Sir. The human has invested a small fortune in the hybrid and has big plans for the boy once Alex is approved to enter The Black City. But when an opportunity to escape The Tower presents itself, Alex takes it. Despite the dangers, he races off across the desert and begins his long journey home, hoping a family might be waiting for him.