The Diner has seen its fair share of the people of Midland, New York. There's Andrea, who doesn't quite know why she keeps coming back, save for the fact that it's the only place she doesn't feel constantly watched. There's Gregory, who people-watches, filling everyone around him with stories instead of filling himself with food. There's Milo, who often zones out as he waits on his patrons, dreaming of the day he can finally escape. And there's Monique, who simply likes the pancakes (and her waiter) a little too much.

Alexandra Zhang has a lot on her plate: her recent move to a new city, her job search, and the fact that her elderly neighbor has just developed the power to freeze things with a single touch. This would be complicated for anyone, but Alexandra isn't just anyone. She's got a set of interesting powers herself, powers that come with an obligation to save the city, mentor a teenage boy, and let no one else find out who she really is. Add in a shady Agency, a plot to overthrow the world, and the fact that Alex may or may not have a massive crush on her neighbor's snarky granddaughter. Looks like a recipe for catastrophic disaster.

A billion-dollar clone, bought and raised as an extremely dangerous weapon, strikes out against those who manufacture and harvest clones for spare parts. ***** Duplicates are used for one thing: spare parts. Kept in Emulation Facilities, brain-dead and hooked to machines, duplicates never open their eyes. As a transplant nurse, Evette Ashford knows this better than anyone -- until a living, breathing duplicate shatters her life. Merely knowing he exists drags Evette into a deep, dark world of manipulation, danger, and control. Evette knows he just wants to find himself, but the corporation that created him are furious he's broken their control. So Evette must decide who to trust: the monster who forced her into this chaos or the monster who created him. [[IC Universe People's Choice]] [[1st Place, Writers' Olympics Dystopian Award]] [[1st Place, Oscar Sci-fi Award]] Content and/or Trigger Warning: This story is rated PG-13 for violence, language, and sexual content. This story will become free on January 31st!