Gon Janeson, a technician residing in New Big City, a futuristic underground complex on planet Earth, gets a mind-bending surprise on his fifty-fifth birthday. After returning home from work, he finds himself locked out of his quarters, separated from all his worldly possessions without a job and with a drained credit account. Later, after using his credit chip at the neighborhood watering hole, he's picked up by the local police (called Helpers) as if he's a common vagrant. The situation turns more desperate, when he is escorted to the transport station and forced onto a railcar for a one-way ride to Termendale: a place he's never even heard of.
As the train departs from the station, he scans his fellow travelers and notes that everyone seems to be from the same age group as he. To make matters worse, not one is talking; or even willing to make eye contact. This does not leave him with a sense of well-being.
Gon is destined for the experience of a lifetime: and perhaps something even more sinister. If you have the time, you're welcome to hop aboard for the ride.