The Birdwatcher

Out west in Northam during the reign of Greenley the Third, Renzo's primary job is to count birds. He has no idea that his post was originally set up to protect the bridge down the hill from his cabin. He also has no idea how to deal with the cattle herder who lives across the Snake River from him. Her name is Julia, and she is about to make his life very complicated.

Meanwhile, one of the helicopter pilots who brings in supplies has been targeted for death, simply because his co-pilot is hankering to be among the first in this part of the world to get a pilot declared an experson, now that the longterm taboo on depersoning pilots has been lifted. The targeted man is hoping to go underground instead - really underground, into tunnels that house a largely-unknown civilization that's been dodging the topside tyranny for decades.

There's a smallish problem. The rising Subterran generations aren't content to stay in the tunnels left to them by their ancestors. They want their land and their bridge back, and - most of all - they want freedom.