In the not-too-distant future, Matt Mills, a paraplegic inmate, encounters the executives of Satoshi-Telefair Industries, who express their gratitude for his participation in their Program. Faced with pressure and the enticing promise of regaining his ability to walk, Mills consents to become a volunteer. He is injected with a synthetic nanomaterial and suffocated, only to awaken with his mobility restored, but confined in a steel cell within the initial segment of an experimental device known as The Wheel. A succession of attackers inflicts severe physical harm and mental anguish on Mills, yet the synthetic nanomaterial not only heals his injuries but also enhances his strength. Although the experiment seems intended to be lethal, Mills is resolute in his will to survive and reunite with his daughter before The Board reaches her.