|| ONC 2026 Shortlisted || The Nano Watt 2026 Longlisted || Smug mercenary Finn Spayne was dead sure he'd get out of jail free. But instead, he gets a mass prison outbreak and nine companions caught up in a crossfire. One hazy gun battle and one squad of dead prison guards later, Finn finds himself on the run in a military van, with a rowdy group of fugitives including a runaway mafia princess, a ruthless assassin, a goofy heist master and an old friend. The mission: Escape Neon City before the feds catch up. And now? Hunter drones in the sky. Mafia bikers on the road. A giant bleeding out inside the van. The girl with the gum-bomb not returning his side-glance. And everyone's about to die. Amidst all this, Finn must stare down a worse possibility: They might be growing soft spots for each other. Aka writing each other's eulogies. Because in a world where humans are reduced to their utility, feeling is the worst crime. *** CONTENT WARNING: Rated 18+ for graphic violence, strong language and heavy themes.

Multiple rollicking romances, and unexpected twists in the world of espionage as viewed by telepathic cats who twice save the world from a nuclear Armageddon. A fun read, just ask your cat.