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

Alex awoke in her bed. Her whole body was sore. She couldn't even move her fingers. The adventure from the last few days hit her hard and she sobbed. It felt almost like a dream. More like a really horrible nightmare. Her insides felt raw and empty.


She twitched her hand slowly towards the light sensor. Bright light filled the room with one click. The bright hurt her eyes and made her flinch, causing more pain. She tapped it two more times and the light dimmed.


"Ah, awake finally, I see." Henry stood over her. "I thought you would be up days ago. I do have your lover waiting for you, after all."


"Leave him out of this," Alex hissed. "He's done nothing to you."


"I'm not your wife." Alex spat hoarsely and pushed herself upright.


"You are until you finish your contract. Let's be civil here." Henry sat down on the bed. "We can make a deal."


Chapter 77: Square one