Joseph N.Schatz

For many years, Phillip Sallinger was one of the greatest custodians on Earth, using his superpowers to save countless lives. But after a personal tragedy, Phillip has spent the last decade living off the grid with his two children, Winnie and Henry. Phillip tries to ignore his powers and the increasing destabilization of the country, stubbornly believing he can shelter his family from harm simply by staying out of the public eye. But when Phillip is visited by a rush of familiar faces, they reveal the undeniable devastation of the looming crisis.

Val and Julie just want what’s best for their kids, David and Sophie. So when teenage son David comes home one day asking for a Pilot, a new brain implant to help with school, they reluctantly agree. This is the future, after all. Soon, Julie feels mounting pressure at work to get a Pilot to keep pace with her colleagues, leaving Val and Sophie part of the shrinking minority of people without the device. Before long, the implications are clear for the family and society: Get a Pilot or get left behind. With government subsidies and no downside, why would anyone refuse?

Set four years after the events of Strings, Currents finds the Ables gang about to start their second year at Goodspeed University. Phillip is struggling more than ever with anxiety and PTSD, and he continues to feel tremendous guilt over the loss of a friend. It's haunting him. He's having vivid nightmares, passing out frequently, and starting to question his role in the world.