The story takes place in 2039 where the world is overpopulated. To combat this, the United States has implemented an annual exam that determines which students will live or die. However, the system is manipulated to favor the children of rich parents.
The protagonist, Lake, is the son of the governor of Texas and fails the test, but his father is forced to order his execution due to a scandal. Lake's "death" is staged, and he is taken to an underground facility called the Incubator, where students who failed the test are forced to work.
Lake soon discovers that the Incubator is a front for a large corporation called Ashura Global, which is exploiting the students for cheap labor. He also finds out that his girlfriend, Eli, who was also supposed to be dead, is alive and working at the Incubator.
Lake joins a group of students who plan to escape the Incubator. They succeed in removing the tracking chips from their necks and escape through a tunnel. Meanwhile, a detective named Lina is investigating the Incubator and discovers that it is a corrupt organization.
As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the government and Ashura Global are working together to maintain control over the population. The company's CEO, Georgina, is using her influence to manipulate the government and keep the Incubator's true purpose a secret.
In the end, Lina broadcasts evidence of the Incubator's corruption on live television, but the new president, Dean, uses his power to silence anyone who speaks out against the test. Lake, Lina, and Eli are arrested, but they are rescued by Jack, who reveals that he is part of an organization called La Lucha that is fighting against the corrupt government.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. In the year 2039, the Earth became overpopulated, and all countries decided to reduce their population by 5% annually.
2. The United States implemented an annual exam that would determine which students would live or die.
3. The system was manipulated so that the children of rich parents would pass regardless of their score.
4. Lake, the son of the governor of Texas, did not pass the test and was ordered to be executed by his father.
5. The execution was kept secret from the population, and Lake's funeral was held to maintain the illusion of his death.
6. Reporters tried to interview Governor Díaz, but he was not affected by the scandal and blamed the exam supervisor, Mason.
7. A private investigator, Joan, was hired to investigate the incident.
8. Lina, a friend of Lake's, was approached by Jack, who claimed to work for Governor Díaz, and asked to be part of his electoral campaign.
9. Lina discovered that Georgina, the director of Ashura Global, was financing Governor Díaz's campaign and offered to help Lake's brothers pass the next tests in exchange for her loyalty.
10. Lina was kidnapped by Georgina's men and taken to an underground facility, where she met Miss Cole, a primary school teacher who worked for an organization called La Lucha.
11. La Lucha was against the current system and wanted Lina to work as a spy to gather information about Governor Díaz's plans.
12. Lina agreed to work with La Lucha and discovered that the organization had a system to take vulnerable students to a safe island.
13. Lina's best friend got a job as an intern at a news channel and discovered that no one handled the corpses after the execution.
14. The students who were taken to the incubator were given a second chance and were reintroduced to society after being analyzed and receiving a type of chip in their necks.
15. The students were forced to work 14 hours a day and were not allowed to leave the incubator.
16. Blake, one of the students, discovered that the incubator was a lie and that the students were being used as cheap labor.
17. Blake's friend, Heather, got a job as an intern at a news channel and discovered the truth about the incubator.
18. Lina was arrested and taken to the infirmary, where she was injected with a drug that made her docile.
19. Blake's leg was broken by Mason, and he was taken to the infirmary.
20. Lina escaped from the infirmary and met with the detective, who was revealed to be corrupt and working for Ashura Global.
21. Lina gave the detective a hard drive containing evidence of the incubator's secrets, but she was killed in a car explosion.
22. The detective tried to kill Lina, but she defended herself and escaped.
23. Lina met with Wendy, a reporter, and gave her the evidence, which was broadcast on live television.
24. Governor Díaz was surprised to see Blake alive on the news channel.
25. Blake and Lina were arrested for speaking against the test and were taken away by the police.
26. They were freed by Jack, who told them that they would go to war.
27. The story ends with the implication that a war is about to begin.