In a future society, a man awakens in a police facility with no memory of his identity, having been retrogressed—a process that erases recent memories and can regress individuals to a childlike state. The police counselor, Val Borgenese, attempts to help him recover his identity, but the man struggles to remember anything beyond a pet name, "Putsy." He learns that he was found in a Shelter, a place for those in need, and that retrogression is a common method for eliminating unwanted individuals. As the man, who eventually adopts the name Luis Obispo, begins to regain knowledge through re-education, he realizes he may have been an entrepreneur or historian. However, he remains haunted by his lost identity and the possibility that he was a suicide or a victim of foul play. Borgenese encourages him to choose a temporary name and suggests that he may find clues about his past in the city. Luis decides to investigate the Shelters, where he was found, and encounters a woman named Luise Obispo, who shares his name. Their instant attraction suggests a deeper connection, but Luise is also struggling with her own lost memories. They both suspect they were victims of the same retrogression process, and Luis believes they may have been retrogressed together. Luis discovers a retrogression gun hidden in his room, which leads him to suspect that a criminal named Dorn Starret is involved in their retrogression. He learns that Starret had retrogressed Luise first and then himself, and that they are both victims of a larger scheme involving a memory manipulation expert named Chals Putsyn. Putsyn had intended to exploit retrogressed individuals for personal gain, but his plans are thwarted when Luis confronts him. After a tense encounter, Luis manages to subdue Putsyn and brings him to the police, revealing the truth about their retrogression and the criminal activities surrounding it. Borgenese explains that retrogression serves as a societal safety valve, allowing individuals to start anew without the burden of their pasts. Luis and Luise, now free from their past identities, consider building a new life together, symbolizing hope and the potential for redemption in a world where memories can be erased and lives can be rebuilt.
By F.L. Wallace · First published 2021 · Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Drama