Hoppers

Daniel Mercer is a 29-year-old Caucasian police officer who became the unwilling test subject for a classified undercover technology program after an investigation went wrong. Known for pushing too hard and refusing to drop cases, Daniel ignored direct orders during a smuggling investigation and continued following a lead he believed would expose the people running the operation. Acting on his own, he tracked a shipment to a private warehouse connected to a powerful technology contractor and forced his way inside, discovering evidence of illegal activity tied to people far above his pay grade. Though he believed he was stopping a major crime, the raid triggered a political disaster and embarrassed powerful figures who quickly moved to bury the situation. Suddenly accused of overstepping his authority, mishandling evidence, and interfering with a classified operation, Daniel found himself facing suspension, termination, and possible criminal charges. Instead of a trial, he was quietly offered a “choice”: become the first operator of an experimental neural-link system that allows officers to control lifelike android bodies for undercover missions—or watch his career and freedom disappear. Realizing he’s being used as a disposable guinea pig, Daniel reluctantly agrees, determined to survive the experiment and uncover why the program exists in the first place.