Marcus Wattle just wants to live. As the world is dying from the unending cold, he has a choice: die with the others who were not chosen to board the Arc, or fight his way on board and become a Stowaway. With the others who are now seen as criminals, Marcus must fight each day to survive and, at the same time, try and figure out how to get himself and his people a place among the civilians of the Arc. Can he force the ship's creator and its captain to see that all life is precious? Or will he and the other Stowaways die in the ship's underbelly? It is up to Marcus to negotiate with Patterson and the others who live above. Will trading their services lead to their freedom?