After the Storm: 3

In the new world, the most dangerous predators are the ones who never lost power. Fleeing the ruins of California, Claire and Alejandro have one goal: get their family to Seattle. A city that promises order, safety, and a second chance. The ferry north should be the easy part. It isn't. Packed decks, dwindling rations, and trigger-happy National Guard troops have turned the ship into a powder keg. But the soldiers are the least of Claire's worries. Somewhere on board lurks a woman known only as the Assistant. Hired by the ruthless Hartley family, her directive is simple: take Lydia and the child she carries. Leave no trace. When a violent storm tears the group apart and Lydia vanishes, Claire faces a truth colder than the surrounding sea: in a world without law, the powerful don't just survive-they take. And if the Hartleys get their hands on Lydia, neither she nor her child will ever be free again. They came north looking for safety. Now they're bringing war.