Flynne’s mischievous older brother, a Marine with haptic implants. Also an extremely efficient machine for dispensing violence. Burton rankles his sister, but underneath their banter rests a bedrock of love and loyalty. Burton conceals his trauma from his family, but would do anything to protect them.

Conner grew up with Fishers, enlisting with his best bud Burton and returning a triple amputee. He seeks escape from chronic pain by drowning his bitterness in a bottle. Still a wry and lethal wingman, and given the proper chance, ready to become the hero he is fated to be.

Wilf’s a professional bullshitter, helping rich people—namely, Lev Zubov--get out of the problems they get themselves into. Prefers to skate the surface, avoiding the probing neediness of feelings, if he can. Part of him wants to take the plunge…but maybe he’s worried about just how deep he’ll fall.

Mysterious. Idealistic. She wants to save the world. Or a world. Aelita is the person who hired Burton to play a strangely realistic game. When Flynne takes over, she’s the only witness to Aelita’s fate.