Matt Hartle

The world is a deeply troubled place—years of crippling unemployment, a collapsed economy, and rampant crime have left people feeling desperate, but Adam Wesley and his friends don't care about that.

Inside the subterranean rebel stronghold, the promises of safety prove fragile. NXES—the rogue AI that long ago slipped its creator's leash—has unleashed wave after wave of bot armies to crush the last pockets of human resistance. The Mountain is running out of time.

Adam Wesley and his friends have escaped the city, leaving behind the Nest after a deadly attack—the one place they thought was safe. As the reluctant leader, Adam struggles to hold the group together as relationships grow tenuous under the relentless stress of survival.

This collection of three short stories is set in the universe of the Bot Trilogy. The stories explore several book characters, building on their backstories and developing their world.

The Gift: Every day, Police Chief Kahn faces the worst Base City has to offer—violence, corruption, and loss. His only refuge is Emiko, his wife, and the woman who reminds him there’s still beauty in the world.