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

None of the humans in the room turned to look at her as she and Ellie walked through. They seemed very intent on their jobs. Ellie walked up to an older woman, her brown hair was tucked back into a tight bun. She stood staring at a screen and speaking into a headset.


"That is what I was talking about." Her voice was deep for a woman and very smooth. It was almost hypnotic. It was the same lady from the photo in the room she had woken up in, only older. Maybe that room was her room.


The response came out over the speakers on the control board. The man sitting there turned it up so the voice could be heard. And it was a familiar one.


"Well, I don't know, it could just be water," Jack's voice rung clearly from the little speaker.


"Keep looking. We need to know," the woman said and then turned to acknowledge Alex's presence. She extended her hand. "Janice Swift. It's nice to finally meet you Alex."


Alex shook her hand. "What do you mean finally meet me?"


Chapter 36: Unwelcome, Part 2