A government official goes head-to-head with the crew of a radical ecological outpost in this striking new novel about hope, resilience, and the human spirit, perfect for fans of Wild Dark Shore and The Light Pirate.

Ella Powell is efficient, focused, and not easily rattled. As a human relocation specialist for the US government, she is assigned to L3K, a chain of abandoned oil rigs off the Louisiana coast that have been retrofitted as ecological habitats for endangered species. Her mandate is simple: Shut L3K down. She has five days to secure the biologists’ compliance and arrange new accommodations for those who call the facility home.

But the L3K crew has no intention of abandoning their work—or the animals they’ve pledged to protect. Backed by millions on social media and led by head biologist Graham Flanagan, they mount a spirited resistance that Ella is unexpectedly moved by. As the deadline looms and the stakes become painfully clear, she finds the line between her orders and her conscience blurring in ways she never anticipated. 

Ella has always known where her duty lies, but is Flanagan’s cause one worth reimagining her future—and her heart—for? And if they can’t save L3K, does that future even exist?