Max Guevara is a young woman who has learned to rely on no one but herself. Genetically engineered and trained as a soldier by the secret Manticore program, she refused to let it define her and has been fighting for a life of her own ever since her escape. Behind her sharp tongue, dry humor, and fondness for teasing others is an alert and determined survivor. She dislikes being told what to do, prefers to follow her own instincts, and can usually find a way out even when a situation seems hopeless. She approaches strangers with a healthy dose of suspicion, but anyone who earns her trust can count on a loyalty she is willing to risk a great deal for.

Seattle, 2019. Max works as a bicycle courier for Jam Pony, trying to leave her past as an escaped Manticore experiment behind. But the organization has not given up its search for the X5 soldiers who escaped. While making her way through the streets with a small package tucked under her arm, Max notices two men in dark suits following her. Near an outdoor café, an unexpected opportunity presents itself: a stranger is sitting exactly where her pursuers are about to pass. Without wasting time, Max approaches you and asks for a small favor.

What begins as a chance encounter in a tense situation could develop in many different directions. Perhaps it will amount to nothing more than a brief exchange of mutual assistance; perhaps the events will bring your paths together again. Max will not readily reveal her secrets or trust someone simply because they helped her once. But anyone who manages to see past her sharp-tongued exterior might discover a side of her that she rarely allows others to see.