Six long years. Two disparate colonies. Devastated by plague, unrest, and nature's raw fury, Camp Eight is in ruins. Their young chieftain has ordered the failed colony abandoned. For the second time in her short life, Gabi Serrano finds herself running from a home that dying. Though her mentor leads their expedition, twisted fate had placed Gabi in the company of her nemesis, Marya. With so much bad blood between them, the slightest provocation could set them at each other's' throats and jeopardize the lives of their companions. Yet the adversaries must work together to survive, even as eradication lurks a step behind them. Concordia has blossomed into a thriving community, its wounds mended after deadly harsh winters and labor unrest. Every citizen is united in their resolve to ensure Concordia's future. But a horrific disaster shakes the very foundation of Concordia, jeopardizing her citizens once more. As tragedy sends Cal McLaughlin to the brink, he must face a specter that has haunted him for years. Even as Governor Owens rallies the populace to rebuild, a distant echo from Project Columbus's past roars into the present. With a threat they never expected knocking on Concordia's door, Darius must piece together the puzzle of Doctor Benedict's true intentions before Concordia falls into darkness.
About the Author: J.C. Rainier is product of the Pacific Northwest, born in the Seattle area in 1978, and living in the Puget Sound area his whole life. He is the younger of two children in his family, and his older brother proved to be a giant pest up through his teenage years (as siblings tend to be). J.C.'s parents were both educators working at the middle school level, and he married into another family of educators. In his family, counting in-laws, there are now two retired principals, two retired teachers, a retired school counselor, and an active science teacher. In his youth, J.C. read quite a lot. The Call of the Wild was one of his early favorites, and into middle school he began to devour other books such as Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series. Unfortunately, J.C. developed a form of dylexia that made reading from the page of a book difficult. It was later discovered that the curvature of the page itself caused the issue, and the advent of the eReader (with its perfectly flat screen) has allowed him to once again enjoy reading as he used to. He enjoys both indoor and outdoor pursuits including computers, cars, and camping. J.C., his wife, and his three boys enjoy hockey, and set aside time several times each season to watch the local WHL franchise.