It's the year 3001, and the protagonist is Nicolai (Nika) from the province of Erindas, formally known as Russia. In her brief adolescence, she posed as a male and boarded the military-owned ship called the Atlas.
The Atlas is a marine scholarly sector of Erindas where the practice of barbaric torture is taught. In this distopian society, the motto is 'eye for an eye' as the scholars from Atlas, a.k.a., Hybrids, train for ten years to be master torturers that tend to criminal atrocities.
These abominations are soon held captive for their heinous crimes, by the only female Hybrid in the world, Nika.
After excelling at the school of Atlas, her identity is soon found out and she is kicked from the school, where then a secret organization takes her in and gives her the job she has so longingly trained for.
And the mistress said,
"Vwelcome to de vault."
[Intense violent and sexual situations, strong language]
A criminal mastermind makes a bold move against a wealthy client to put himself in a position to retire in comfort. He has no idea what he's up against when a young widow, desperate to make ends meet, sets her eyes on earning the bounty set on his head.
***
Newly widowed housewife Melody Scott needs to earn some major cash, fast. When her bright and busy children learn that a priceless ruby bracelet has been stolen and a six-figure reward is being offered, they convince her to try to do what the police, museum security, and the best private investigators have failed to do. Working against them is a notorious thief who has met people from around the world, but who has never once encountered a woman like Melody Scott. When the sweet innocence of the Scott family clashes against criminal forces more dangerous than they ever imagined, Melody is all too aware that a mom's got to do what a mom's got to do to protect her family.
The Widow, Melody Scott is a 2021 Watty Award Winner!
Content Warning: This story does contain depictions of stalking behavior.