unwind part 1 summary

The story centers around three teens who have been scheduled to be unwound; Connor, a sixteen-year-old whose family believes he'd gotten into too many fights, Risa, a ward of the state who doesn't make it in the continuing program because of budget cuts, and Lev, a tithe whose rich parents had him specifically to be unwound, as he is the tenth child. Lev and his family believe 10% of everything they have should be given to God, including Lev. Connor discovers his unwind order and decides to "kick AWOL" or run away, and tries to convince his girlfriend Ariana to go with him. She agrees but later backs out, and he runs off alone with the help of a trucker. However, his cell phone tracker gets him caught. Connor resists arrest and flees the police, running into traffic and snatching a tithe (Lev) from a car to use as a hostage and human shield. The chaos which ensues causes a bus full of State Home wards (StaHo kids) on their way to the harvest camp to overturn, and provides Risa with the perfect opportunity to escape. Risa, Connor, and Lev flee into the woods, and are pursued briefly by a Juvey Cop, whom Connor shoots with the Police Officer's own tranquilizer after he and Risa bait him.