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

Virgil checked dispatch records at a frightening speed through his wireless uplink. “Yes, but the signal was pinged back.”


Reuben hummed thoughtfully. “Signal blocker in the area. Pretty damned common.”


“Doesn’t mean he’s missing, Virgil,” Faolan pointed out to him. Of course, he was right to mention it under most circumstances, but not this one. The truth was verboten, so Virgil was forced to worm his assertion in another way.


“Protocol states that officers are required to check in every thirty minutes while on a call. Travis has not done so.” Virgil told them. “Is it not prudent to establish contact, and if not able, to search his last known whereabouts?”


Faolan tilted his head, probably ruminating on ideas. Finally, he turned to Reuben. “Since we can’t pick up Detective Danten’s personal comm. signal to ascertain his condition, we can use the city’s surveillance grid to find out what’s happening.”


Chapter 32