In a future where the United States is slowly rebuilding itself, Omega Travis Danten is a big city cop sent to a seemingly desolate city on the edge of the Waste. This desert is full of undesirables, and it’s only a matter of time before they wreak havoc. But, Omegas are always assigned Alphas, and his new partner’s job is to protect him.<br><br>But SdAI Alpha Virgil is not at all amused with the partner who chose him. Travis is willful and naive to the dangers a homicide detective faces here, and it makes Virgil’s job that much harder. And Travis, of course, is human and develops feelings, feelings that go beyond the rules about Omega/Alpha partnerships.<br><br>Travis and Virgil have to find common ground, find a killer, and find space for each other in their own hearts, even if one is artificial.

Artificial Heart

Sure, he went home. Virgil left to wherever he went for down time, but Travis went back to his small apartment and only pored over his notes some more, on the hunt for answers, clues, anything, well into the night. After, in the small hours of the morning, he crashed into a fitful doze right there on the couch, only to jerk awake before the alarm went off. It was more from unease than anything. He hadn’t slept deep enough for nightmares since that first omega murder.


Travis straightened up in his chair, back protesting after being slumped so long over the paperwork scattered across the desk. “Where’s it at?”


“The Convention Center,” Virgil answered, already up and gathering his badge and weapon. “Downtown units had a call come in from one of the Center’s staff. Body was found in the middle of the stage.”


Chapter 17