They'd always given each other shit. That was just their dynamic. Shayne would pick something and make fun of her for it, and Courtney would call him dumb and give him shit for that. Razzing each other like that was nothing new for them; it was how they bonded. He loved that about them, about her. So, when Courtney stood up and marched off without a word once the production crew gave the all clear - they knew they struck a nerve. Shayne had to ask himself, how the fuck did he of all people not realize that they crossed the line? He didn't know the answer to that. All he knew was that he had to make it up to the most important woman in his life.

In the nation of Escana, everything you are relates to your rank. Your job, your house, your food... everything. There's only one way to move up a rank; through the tests. Matthew Sohinki is a yellow, the second lowest sub-rank in the lowest rank, the colors. As a factory worker, his job is hard, and dangerous. He's never even seen the sun. When he turns eighteen and takes his Tests, he's far from confident. His brother barely passed, and he expects to follow the same path. But when he learns his score at the Announcement, he's shocked. Because Matthew didn't just pass... He became an Elite.

Matthew Sohinki can only say he's successful in one thing, and that's politics. He's managed to become one of Kolea's five governors and wields tremendous power. But he didn't get there with the love of the people; he got there by blackmailing everyone who got in his way. If there's one thing Matthew's learned, it's that everyone has a secret. Mari Takahashi grew up in the slums, where no one can vote, and everyone struggles to put food on their tables. Containing the poorest citizens of Opanx, people the government doesn't care about, the slums are a horrible place to live. Death, disease, hunger... these are all things Mari is familiar with. Growing up in the slums has made her into the woman she is today; a strong, intelligent person... who kills people to get the money she needs. When someone hires Mari to kill Matthew, she doesn't hesitate to take the offer. But when killing him turns out to be harder than she originally thought, she has to change up her tactics. She has to get close enough to him to kill him, but how close will she get to the corrupt politician? Cover by @shipperson

Mari Takahashi is ill. She has began to hallucinate, but she can't stay home from work forever. Luckily, her best friend, Sohinki, helps her get better, but through this Sohinki begins to fall for her.