Discarded by Mark A. Ciccone

In 2023, the Accelerated Regeneration Compound (ARC) was created: a serum that stimulates regrowth of human tissue - and which quickly drew notice from the United States government. In 2035, 'Project Golem' was created: Five genetically augmented super-soldiers, imbued with ARC...

Twenty years later, the world is finally beginning to recover from the effects of the 'Turmoil': a near-apocalyptic collision of terrorist attacks, brushfire wars, economic collapse, industrial accidents, and internal disorder and uprisings across the globe. Here and there, rumors circulate of 'giants in black' who fought against the worst violence - and then suddenly disappeared, hidden or dead.

Cut off from the Project, a small group of surviving Golems has spent the past five years in hiding. In that time, they have been seeking out others of their kind, trying to bring them together in a community all their own. They know nothing of their lives before the Project - if those even existed.

Now, however, two of them are setting out on a journey to find answers. But the truth of their origins goes far deeper than they could ever believe. And there are some in the covert world they left behind who will kill to keep this truth buried...

Mark Ciccone is a science fiction and alternate history writer. He is the author of Red Delta, Obsidianand Steel, For State and Country, Dillinger in Charleston. He is currently working towards a PhD in American History (Civil War & Reconstruction) at UW-Milwaukee. He lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA with his family and dog, Maddie.

@WIwriter88