Alex must con the great and powerful Knox. Ten years have passed since the attack on IAS, and it's graduation day for Alex. That's right, he's nineteen and ready to take on the galaxy... if only Knox would trust him. Knox secretly plans to meet with Dr. Amalie Mallet, IAS's predictor. She's foreseen catastrophe is coming, and Knox needs to prepare to keep his family safe. But he doesn't allow any of the crew to join the meeting in order to "protect Alex." The only person risking his life will be Knox and Knox alone. But Knox doesn't know that Alex has eavesdropped on the meeting. When Knox decides to risk his life without asking for help, Alex knows. And Alex is making plans of his own.

Brant would give his life to protect his students. And he may have to. Inside IAS—Institute of Adapted Soldiers—Brant teaches evolved children to control their special abilities. Under Brant's safekeeping, the kids learn to accept that they're exceptional people, not deadly mutants. But a looming war drains the entire school of its soldiers and even some of the instructors. With the school exposed, KyeHan Lee, the school's predictor, foresees an attack from a rogue school of adapted soldiers. But IAS's leadership is entangled in crippling politics. And Brant's connection to the controversial Knox has called into question his loyalty to the school. Can Brant and the skeleton crew left at the school protect his students? What if he's fired and sent away? Brant will need all the help he can get from Knox and the Maverick crew. From the author of Maverick Gambit comes the next exciting installment. Get ready for the next...

Knox defends his own. Space is a deadly business, a truth Knox has experienced first hand. That's why he's so protective of his ship and family. So when pirates plunder an impoverished town—a town that's earned the rare honor of Knox's guarded friendship—he's going to do something about it. Knox knows the pillagers will be back for more, so his town needs protection from any and all pirates, for years to come. Only one way to do that. His friends need shields to keep their town and children safe, and Knox will get those shields. Even if he has to steal them. Knox devises a carefully crafted plan and hires the perfect crew. He'll "borrow" from Caravan Suppliers—the Goliath of space shipping—a company that can afford to lose a shield generator or two. No one will know he was there. But Caravan Suppliers has a dirty slave habit, and they'll kill to it keep secret. When Knox stumbles onto it, he endangers his crew...