Addict

New Hopeland was built to be the centre of the technological age, but like everywhere else, it has its dark side. Assassins, drug dealers and crooked businessmen form a vital part of the citys make-up, and sometimes, the police are in too deep themselves to be effective. But hey, there are always other options …

For P.I. Cassie Tam, business has been slow. So, when shes hired to investigate the death of a local VR addict named Eddie Redwood, she thinks itll be easy money. All she has to do is prove to the deceaseds sister Lori that the local P.D. were right to call it an accidental overdose. The more she digs though, the more things dont seem to sit right, and soon, Cassie finds herself knee deep in a murder investigation. But thats just the start of her problems.

When the case forces Cassie to make contact with her drug dealing ex-girlfriend, Charlie Goldman, shes left with a whole lot of long buried personal issues to deal with. Then theres her client. Lori Redwood is a Tech Shifter, someone who uses a metal exoskeleton to roleplay as an animal. Cassie isnt one to judge, but the Tech Shifting community has always left her a bit nervous. That wouldnt be a problem if Lori wasnt fast becoming the first person that shes been genuinely attracted to since splitting with Charlie. Oh, and then theres the small matter of the police wanting her to back off the case.

Easy money, huh? Yeah, right.