Novels by Manuel Sterling

The press conference was a masterclass in corporate theater. Zen stood on the podium at the future site of Skyline, the skeletal framework of the unfinished building rising behind him like the bones of a slumbering giant. Construction equipment gleamed in the afternoon sun, workers in Mega-branded safety gear positioned strategically in the background.Camera flashes punctuated his arrival as journalists frantically took notes. The city's most prominent business reporters had rushed to the site following Mega's cryptic announcement of "significant developments regarding the Skyline project."Zen adjusted the microphone, his expression betraying nothing of the calculated vengeance driving his actions. Sinclair stood to the side, scanning the crowd with practiced vigilance, while Keisha managed the press at the perimeter."Good afternoon," Zen began, his voice carrying across the assembled media with commanding precision. "Thank you for joining us on such short notice. Today marks a sig

Night had fallen across the city as Zen sat alone in his office, the only illumination coming from his desk lamp and the soft glow of his computer screen. The Rossi loan documents were spread before him, each page meticulously annotated with his observations. The evidence was damning—predatory terms, hidden clauses, and what appeared to be deliberate manipulation of financial projections to ensure default.Mrs. Rossi had overplayed her hand, and now Zen had everything he needed to take control of the Skyline project.A soft ping from his security system alerted him to movement in the outer office. Zen glanced at his watch—11:47 PM. The cleaning staff had already finished hours ago, and his assistant had left shortly after six.He wasn't expecting anyone.With calmness, Zen closed the folder containing the loan documents and slid it into his desk drawer. He then pressed a concealed button beneath his desk, activating the silent recording system he'd installed for exactly this type of s

The Skyline project dominated the horizon, its partially completed towers rising like monoliths against the afternoon sky. Construction cranes swung in choreographed precision, while teams of workers navigated the massive structure with efficiency. Despite being 15 percent complete, the development already commanded attention—a testament to Tom's architectural vision and business ambition.Zen stood at the edge of the site, ostensibly reviewing progress reports while actually conducting a far more strategic assessment. Following Wilson's revelations about the underground infrastructure connections, a personal inspection had become necessary."The north tower foundation is proceeding ahead of schedule," James Wilson explained as they walked the perimeter. "Structural integrity tests exceeded specifications by twelve percent.""And the sublevel excavation?" Zen asked, his attention focused on the massive pit that would eventually become the project's underground parking and service are

Back in Zen’s Home country, after the whole heat has died down.Evelyn Rossi's office occupied the entire top floor of the Rossi Enterprises headquarters, a testament to both her inflated sense of importance and desperate need for the appearance of power. Floor-to-ceiling windows provided a 360-degree view of the city, including—Zen noted with satisfaction—a perfect sightline to the Skyline project rising in the distance. A project she'd foolishly leveraged her company to infiltrate."Mr. Diel," she greeted as he was ushered in by her assistant. Her voice carried the brittle warmth of someone trying to mask anxiety behind social pleasantries. "What an unexpected pleasure. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me."Zen moved into the spacious office with confident strides, each step calculated to remind her who truly held power in this room. He didn't wait for her invitation before settling comfortably in the chair opposite her desk."Avoiding you, Evelyn? Quite the contrary. I've

The yacht cut through darkening waters, its engines humming at three-quarter power as it navigated away from Saint-Malo's harbor. Security personnel had settled into cruising positions—two on the aft deck, one on the forward observation point, and two inside the main cabin with Zharkov and Nia. The remaining guards were likely positioned on the bridge and in the engine room, maintaining operational security throughout the vessel.Zen and Henri remained concealed near the outer deck storage compartments, using the shadows cast by the yacht's exterior lighting to avoid detection. The increasing distance from shore worked in their favor—intervention from harbor authorities becoming less likely with each passing minute."Approaching optimal position," Henri noted quietly, checking the GPS coordinates on his tactical device. "Five minutes to designated extraction point."Zen nodded. They had identified a stretch of water approximately three nautical miles from shore—far enough to avoid imm

Saint-Malo's ancient granite walls rose against the darkening sky, silhouetted by the setting sun as it dipped into the English Channel. The medieval fortifications had withstood centuries of sieges and storms, but now they served as mere backdrop to a far more immediate conflict. NiaZen studied the waterfront property through high-powered binoculars, his position on a neighboring rooftop offering optimal surveillance while maintaining adequate distance. The target—a modernist villa constructed with obvious disregard for the historic surroundings—sat directly on the water, complete with private dock where a sleek yacht waited, engines idling."Preparations for immediate departure," he noted, observing increased activity around the vessel. "Security detail?"Beside him, Henri adjusted his own observation equipment. "Eight visible. Professionally positioned. Two on the main approach, two patrolling the perimeter, four on the property itself.""Armed?""Concealed, but evident from their

The hour passed too quickly. They started north as the sky continued its slow disintegration. Colors bled through the blue—purples and greens that didn't belong, twisting into patterns that hurt to watch. Stars flickered in and out of existence despite it being afternoon. "It's getting worse," Anna said quietly. She had Liam's arm over her shoulder, practically carrying him. "The convergence is accelerating." "He knows we escaped," Garcia said. She was on point, eyes constantly scanning. "He's pushing faster because he knows we're coming." Miko didn't argue. It made sense. The Master had been playing a long game, but they'd disrupted enough of his plans that he was rushing now. Desperate. That made him more dangerous, not less. The forest started changing about a mile in. The trees grew twisted, bark splitting to reveal something underneath that looked like muscle. Leaves turned colors that didn't exist in nature. The ground beneath their feet felt soft in places, like walking o

The prison entrance stood like a wound in the mountainside—black stone carved with symbols that made Miko's eyes water if he looked too long. Two guards flanked the door, constructs wearing human faces that didn't quite fit.Akiya crouched beside him behind the rocks, surveying the approach. "Just two?""That we can see." Miko tested his weight on his newly healed legs. They held, but barely. Anna's magic had done what it could, but full strength was still days away. "Could be more inside.""Definitely more inside." Akiya's hands sparked with small flames. "Question is how many.""Does it matter?"She looked at him. "Not really, no."They'd been tracking the prison for hours, following the residual energy signature from the battery chamber. It led here—to this forgotten outpost carved into the mountain's roots. Where the Master kept the things he didn't want found.Where he kept their friends."On three?" Akiya asked.Miko drew his blade. It felt strange in his hand after everything—l

The world held its breath for exactly fourteen seconds.Then it exhaled.The tremor hit like a fist through stone. The floor bucked, throwing everyone against the bars. Dust rained from above in thick clouds. The torches went out all at once, plunging everything into complete darkness.And for three perfect seconds, the hum stopped."Now!" Garcia's voice cut through the chaos.Anna's hands were already glowing. She grabbed the bars separating her cell from Liam's and golden light flooded through the metal. On the other side, Liam gasped as healing magic rushed into him. Not enough to fix everything. Just enough to move.Blaze slammed his palms against his cell door. Fire erupted, white-hot and furious. The lock melted, metal dripping like wax. He kicked the door and it swung open with a screech.Garcia pressed her hands flat against her own bars. Her eyes closed. When they opened, the metal groaned, bending outward like clay. She squeezed through the gap, ripping her shirt on the jagg

Somewhere in the abyss, the air in the prison was thick and metallic, carrying the scent of rust, dried blood, and burned stone. The walls wept moisture, and the faint hum of the suppression field echoed like an endless heartbeat. Between the rows of iron bars, faint light flickered from torches set too far down the hall to see clearly.No one spoke for a long time. The silence wasn’t peace — it was the stunned kind that comes after survival.Blaze was the first to break it.“So,” he said, voice rough, “that was fun.”Across the corridor, Garcia lifted her head. Her dark hair clung to her forehead, matted with blood and sweat. “Fun?” she repeated, disbelief flat in her tone.Blaze leaned against the wall and groaned. “Terrible word choice. I meant horrifying. But we’re alive.”Anna let out a hollow laugh. “Alive doesn’t mean safe. Or free.”Liam stirred in the far cell, his voice rasping. “Better alive than what they planned for us.”Anna turned sharply toward him. “You should be rest

They made it to a cave. The cave smelled like wet stone and old earth. Water dripped somewhere in the dark, a steady rhythm that echoed off unseen walls. Akiya had found the place by accident—stumbling through a crack in the chamber's geometry that spat them out into normal reality. Or something close to it. She'd collapsed the moment they were through. Just dropped to her knees and stayed there, ribs heaving, vision swimming. Miko had pulled himself along the ground using his arms until he reached the cave's back wall. Then he'd hauled himself into a sitting position and gone still. That was an hour ago. Maybe two. Time felt slippery after the chamber. Akiya watched him from across the cave. His eyes were closed, hands resting palm-up on his thighs. Meditating. Or trying to. His breathing had settled into something deep and measured, but every few minutes his jaw would clench. A muscle would jump in his neck. Whatever he was doing in there, it wasn't peaceful. She should sleep

Akiya moved first. Elena barely had time to register the shift in her stance before flames erupted between them. Not wild fire. Controlled. Deliberate. The kind of heat that didn't just burn—it unmade. "Wait—" Elena's hand came up, but the word died in her throat. Miko watched from where he leaned against the wall, his legs useless beneath him. He should have said something. Stopped her. But he didn't. Akiya's expression was blank. Not angry. Not sad. Just empty. Elena stumbled backward, her form flickering. The smooth construct perfection wavered, revealing something underneath. Cracks. Fine lines spiderwebbing across her skin like porcelain left in frost. "I thought you'd choose differently," Akiya said. Her voice carried no judgment. Just fact. "I did choose." Elena's words came out fragmented. "I chose you. I chose—" "You chose survival." Akiya stepped forward. "There's a difference." The flames intensified. Not touching Elena yet, but close enough that the heat distorted