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

"Come on, you can do it!" Alex held Brooke's hand as she breathed hard.


Tom held her other hand. "Come on, honey. One more big push."


Brooke's grunts turned to a guttural scream as she pushed hard. The nurse caught the baby as it slid free. Crying filled the room as the newborn was shocked with sudden brightness from the overhead lights.


"It's a healthy baby girl," the nurse said and set the baby down on Brooke's stomach. "Would you like to do the honors?"


Tom accepted the special scissors and clamped the umbilical cord.


"Let me get her all cleaned up for you. I'll be right back." The nurse took the newborn and disappeared behind the curtain.


"Good job! She's beautiful," Alex said and squeezed Brooke's hand.


Brooke's brow beaded with sweat. Her nightgown was soaked through, but even so, she glowed. Tom glowed, too, for that matter. She'd never seen him look so happy. She knew she had made the right decision all that time ago.


Chapter 200: Birth