It is a bad sign when the people of a country stop identifying themselves with the country and start identifying with a group. A racial group. Or a religion. Or a language. Anything, as long as it isn't the whole population.IN A BALKANIZED AMERICA IN A BALKANIZED GLOBAL EARTH THE EMPIRE OF CHICAGO A POLICIAL STATE RULES OVER THE GREAT LAKES A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.

The world is broken and the worst of the extremes have begun KILLING for power 7 (SEVEN) CORPORATIVE KILLER'S DEFEAT THE PRUSSIAN STATE . What side would you rather be on? The fascist socialists who kill anyone with a savings account or the theocracy hell bent on removing rights from everyone except white men?

Set in the future on a balkanized Earth that has splintered into a collection of rival city-states, corporate fiefdoms and criminal enclaves, Friday Baldwin is an artificial person (AP) who works as a combat courier for a mysterious employer. Her job is making deliveries and pick ups to sensitive to be entrusted to normal channels. As an AP, she is stronger, faster and supposedly more intelligent than normal humans though she hides her true nature because APs are held in contempt by society