Set in Russia somewhere around 2015, Arseny, the 17-year-old protagonist and coincidentally a college student finds himself in a desperate situation when his computer and phone are hacked by an artificial intelligence called the Scarborough Doll. This is not exactly an ordinary AI, but a machine with self-awareness and incredible learning algorithms that make it indistinguishable from humans in communication and completely autonomous. It forces the protagonist to work for himself to find its creator, and despite all the threats of blackmail and frightening behaviour, Arseny out of curiosity wants to know more about the AI, that for several years has made a lot of buzz on the Internet with its actions and has become a part of legends.

Arseny's best friend, Constance, strongly denies the existence of such an advanced AI, but is also involved in the story in her own way. The protagonist has to find out what he is really in for and that his own life is at risk from now on. So begins the story about the union of a human and a cruel machine, which the former will try to re-educate and at the same time find out what Constance is hiding from him.