Ava Altair grew up reading fantasy and science fiction novels. She graduated from Florida Tech with a BS in Science Education – Physics and a minor in Computational Mathematics. She taught as an AP Physics teacher for five years in Florida. She now lives in Oregon, teaching horseback riding lessons and managing the stables with her mom. She enjoys hanging out and talking about science concepts and story ideas with her dad.

What it is to be human doesn't apply anymore. The surface of the Earth has been poisoned by years of abuse and now most life lives beneath the waves of the ocean. Over the last 500 years, humans have become fragmented and specialized by genetic manipulation, but two main factions exist in the Undersea. The hybrids, a race that continues to genetically modify themselves to climb the social ladder, and the humans, the unmodified organic race that makes up the lowest tier of society. 

Alex, a Delta Six hybrid, finds an unlikely companion in a human man, Jack, while on a mission to steal the Athena file. Alex withholds the file to elicit help from Jack and they set out on an adventure across the Surface. Their relationship is tenuous until a device mysteriously links them together. Now, running from Alphas, an elite group of hybrid assassins, Alex and Jack must weather the hostile surface of the planet to reach their common goal. They soon find they can't both have the thing they want most, but also can't seem to let each other go.

FLUX

After about twenty minutes of wandering around the halls, he found a stairway down into an even lower level. Jack followed them quickly and then heard retching coming from behind him. Alex was trying to empty her already empty stomach. Must have been all the bouncing. He slowed his descent, trying to smooth his steps.


Another maze of dark rooms covered the floor. No torches lit these walls. He tried to force his eyes to adjust, but just couldn't see anything. If someone was down here, he didn't want a flaming beacon of light letting them know where to shoot. He wouldn't be able to fight them off like this. With every step, Jack felt more drained, like he was stuck in a swamp. He wondered if this could be the Link working its magic to heal Alex. And if it was, maybe it would heal him in the process. It would be nice if he didn't feel so raw down there.


Chapter 24: Hero, Part 2