Elon X has been caught all his life. Caught in a claustrophobic little corner of Washington D.C. Caught in the shadow that only an accomplished older sister can cast. Even his well-meaning parents pull at him. His absent father had seen a place for righteous violence when he named Elon after Malcolm X, while his mother quotes Reverend King even from the depths of her alcoholism. Dreams of professional basketball help drag Elon through drab days, but those dreams end when he's expelled. His mother starts using words like "military school" and "Montana"-not exactly the escape Elon had in mind. Before he's banished to the Rockies, he needs a getaway of his own making. Just for a night. That getaway won't include a tame dinner date with his patient girlfriend. He seeks the delights of a rough teenage underground, where rumors mean gang trouble and a secret crush makes thrilling promises. Come along to Sophisticated Ignorance, she whispers-a notorious house party alive with hedonism and violence. Just for a night. His mom's Impala isn't the only thing Elon steals. He heads to a secluded Maryland mansion with his best friends and his father's .38. When the gun goes missing, he knows he's in trouble. And when that gun is used in a double murder, he'll know what it's like to be truly trapped. Maybe for the rest of his life.