Synopsis/Details
The narrative centers around Vincent Marlowe (52), the world's richest man and the enigmatic head of Marlowe Global, whose vast empire and predictive AI generate billions in profit and influence countless lives. Despite this unparalleled power, Marlowe experiences a profound sense of emptiness, lamenting that "there's not one surprise left". Driven by this existential ennui and a desire for "chaos" rather than control, he conceives "The Billion," a perilous global competition offering a one billion dollar prize to whoever can find a single, hidden object somewhere on Earth within a year.
The story then introduces several disparate individuals, each facing their own crises, who receive an invitation to this game:
• Danny Price (34), a once-famous former soccer pro, is now bankrupt, with a "zero balance" and even "negative again" in his bank account, burdened by credit card debt and child support. His shabby apartment is a stark reminder of his faded glory, contrasting sharply with old magazine covers of him scoring goals. Compounding his financial woes, Danny struggles with alcohol and a serious heart condition, with his doctor explicitly warning him that his "heart’s quitting the game" and he must drastically change his lifestyle or risk death. Desperate for income, he flubs a mundane office job interview, showing his deep disillusionment. Initially, he dismisses the game invitation as "AI bullshit". However, after overhearing old bikers discussing the game enthusiastically and considering confirming their participation, Danny's skepticism begins to waver. His paranoia escalates as he feels watched, his phone becomes blocked, and he glimpses a blurry silhouette recording him from outside his apartment window. Under immense pressure and facing the ticking deadline, Danny finally taps "Confirm" on the invitation.
• Mia Parker (mid-20s), an OnlyFans model and online celebrity, projects a glamorous image online that masks an underlying weariness. Her initial "The Billion" invitation is followed by a deeply unsettling experience: a video embedded in the email shows her being secretly filmed inside her own apartment from an impossible angle, leaving her "traumatized" and feeling exposed. Her online followers react with a mix of concern and urging her to participate. Mia is hesitant, stating, "I’m… really traumatized". However, her decision is taken out of her hands when a fan, Jake, who tracked her down to her apartment, taps "Accept" on her phone without her consent. Enraged, Mia physically lashes out at Jake, but acknowledges that his action has now made her "in" the game. Loco Sanchez (30s), a street kingpin in Monterrey, is caught during a drug deal and arrested after a violent confrontation with police. While being transported, his loyal companion retrieves Loco's phone, noticing the "A billion" message. From his prison cell, Loco, fueled by a fierce hunger for freedom and a desire to contact his pregnant partner, Rosa, views "The Billion" as their only "shot". Learning his phone was left at his hideout, he orchestrates a desperate plan: he contacts "Uncle," a rugged inmate, to retrieve the phone and smuggle it into the prison via a stealth drone. In a climactic struggle with a guard as he tries to retrieve the drone's payload, his phone is confiscated. Loco misses the deadline to confirm his participation, ending his hopes in a fit of "rage and disbelief". Sakura Hashimoto (late 20s), an impeccably dressed professional, is trapped in a demanding corporate job, perpetually overworked and exhausted. Her manager and parents express concern about her "bipolar thing" and her inability to smile due to overwork. Sakura herself longs to "do something that mattered" to her, something beyond her duties. The game invitation provides an unexpected spark, leading to a manic excitement as she explores the competition's website, seeing it as a chance for "a fresh start… power even". Despite her mother dismissing it as a "scam", Sakura, in a burst of wild enthusiasm, clicks "ACCEPT". This newfound energy leads to impulsive behavior, including dismissing her medication ("Fuck that shit. I don’t need it holding me back"), eating frenziedly, and aggressively initiating a sexual advance with her boyfriend, admitting, "my brain’s racing and I can’t stop". Marlowe's game begins with invitations sent to 1,000 random individuals worldwide. However, the initial confirmation rate is low (only 42). Frustrated by this "snooze fest," Marlowe orders his team to "accelerate the rollout" and "shake their confidence" through carefully controlled leaks, believing "Fear is the best motivator". Despite initial reluctance, Marlowe makes a public global announcement of "The Billion" game, revealing the prize, the hidden object, and the one-year timeframe. This announcement sends media outlets into a frenzy of speculation about a global treasure hunt, a sociological experiment, or something "more sinister". By the final deadline, 534 out of the 1,000 invited individuals had confirmed their participation. Marlowe, though still somewhat frustrated ("Half is just mediocre"), accepts that they have "a year" and he can "bend the rules, shift the game to my whim". Following their confirmations, Danny is abruptly taken by two men in suits to New York, where he, Mia, and Sakura are among the participants gathered in a large room with around 500 people. The diverse crowd buzzes with "restless energy" and murmurs about the game. Leona Gabriel, a poised billionaire, welcomes them, explaining that Marlowe Global chose to invest their billion dollars "to change one of your lives". Amidst the applause, Danny remains conspicuously skeptical, muttering, "Guess someone’s gotta keep their head clear around here".
