A found-family of conscripted, engineered creatures are forced to serve as medics for military hackers at a clandestine outpost in a wealthy seaside town.
Independent, standalone novel set in the universe of Agape.
Charlie, an engineered reptid, and the rest of her team guard and maintain a luxury mansion miles from a major conflict. Within the requisitioned home are a stolen enemy beacon and hackers, pumped with amphetamines, to break its code.
Trained as medics, trained for war, valued only as a financial line item during reconstruction, Alfa through Golf keep to their orders to keep the humans alive and medicated.
When an order to go to ground cuts off all contact, these creatures, not given names beyond a callsign, break orders to wean their humans off their obligated doses and finally take care of themselves and their team. Alfa fixes his stuck shed, Bravo relaxes, and Charlie can reach out to her silent and closest friend, Echo.
The war rages on the horizon. Their humans are slowly regaining their own minds. The best they can hope is to be forgotten. War is a presence, but care is their purpose.
"I care for us."
— Charlie