Maddie and zombie-slashing buddy Bryce choose separate paths. Bryce and Jack follow the U.S. military carrier while Maddie and the others head out to Jacksonville, Florida. They soon find a stowaway and he may be infected. With him is evidence that sends them to Cape Town, South Africa. An area that had yet to be cleansed of deaders.

Maddie must chance her life again and venture into an area infested with deaders to find the answers to how the illness started and search for a cure. Heather takes the lead with her and they run into allies and enemies, but in the deader world it's hard to know which is which and who to trust. Allies become enemies as they get closer to finding the answers.

Bryce and Jack run into their own trouble when they learn what the military is truly up to.

Will Maddie and Bryce be successful in their missions? Will extenuating factors prevent them from saving what's left of humanity?