The Originators

2,218 Earth won't stop heating up, normal temperatures average 135°. With imminent destruction looming, someone has to figure out what's causing planetary chaos. LAURA, a descendant of the Originators, has always known she owns this puzzle, this responsibility. Laura has internalized this lifelong burden; in turn, she's developed a dissociative disorder she's effectively kept secret from everyone.

Laura's leading the effort to solve this climate crisis, with her team of global environmental, atmospheric scientists for the U.S. company, H20, Corporation. Just when Earth's temperatures are beginning to normalize, the barometer starts climbing back up. Laura believes the human key to the Earth's weather crisis, is the team's newest member, MERC. Only he's not human and he's a charismatic psychopath.

Merc's a first generation Originator, who's covertly working with the Untouchables. The Untouchables booby-trapped the Earth with artifacts believed to be creations of Earth's early civilizations. These machines of destruction are responsible for the blazing heat that is incrementally destroying the Earth.

What causes complications for Laura's progress is her growing attraction to Merc, oddly because he's as void of a conscience as she is. She needs to figure out if Merc knows where the machines are so she can shut them down. Merc in turn, needs to stop Laura from finding the machines to keep Earth on its path to ruination. They are more powerful than they are letting on, and have no qualms about killing the other.