Sticks & Stones ~911

"Sticks and stones won't break my bones, and words will never hurt me..."

Mia Ramirez used to run into burning buildings without fear-until one call in Portland left scars she couldn't shake. Now working as a 9-1-1 dispatcher in Los Angeles, Mia hides behind the headset, saving lives from the safety of the call center. To everyone around her, she's strong, resilient, unbreakable. But Mia carries a secret she's been running from for years-her abusive stepfather, the man who's been hunting her since she was seventeen.

When Maddie Kendall befriends her, and Athena Grant uncovers the truth, Mia's walls begin to crack. For the first time, she lets people in-the 118, Maddie, and even Noah Choi, a firefighter transfer who sees her scars but falls for her anyway. Through laughter, friendship, and even complicated nights with Buck, Mia starts to realize she isn't powerless anymore.

But when Mia suddenly vanishes, the team is thrown into chaos. Maddie's headset lights up with a desperate call-Mia's trembling voice whispering for help before a scream cuts through the line. Now, Athena and the 118 must race against time to save her from the one man determined to destroy her.

Mia has spent years believing she could only survive by running. Now she must rise, stronger than the past, stronger than him. Because if her abuser thinks she's powerless... he's about to learn she's made of more than sticks and stones.