Thomas Bruin. A man plucked from obscurity by circumstance, who saves his town from an alien scout team, and then makes an unholy bargain to save the world from the invasion that follows. This alchemy of actions and secrets makes Bruin a worldwide celebrity, which he leverages to his advantage, but there's just one problem- the clock's ticking. Because only Bruin knows that he didn't truly defeat the aliens so many decades ago, and as he reaches the twilight of his career, the bill comes due. After he fends off an alien invasion, Thomas Bruin goes from a nobody security guard to Earth's greatest hero! He's got a supercharged launchpad and no ceiling. Bruin rises from celebrity to congress, then to the head of the planet's first orbital security force. He's married into one of the country's most powerful political families, he's surfing a wave of endorsements, and he's the very symbol of human resilience. So why is Bruin nervous? Because only he knows his great victory is a lie.

When the aliens return to Earth, stronger than ever, Bruin has no choice but to be the hero he's fooled the whole world into thinking he is.or die trying.