Under Pressure

In the second book of this inclusive near-future adventure trilogy, the kids from box #242 take a deep dive into a secret underwater world in hopes of finding their missing best friend and saving another from a life-altering bionic augmentation.

Told through the alternating perspectives of Leo (they/them) and Jayla (she/her), the boxmates from the B.E.S.T. Academy are lost at sea and their best friend, Grayson Bix, is missing. Their hoverpod is busted, their stomachs are empty, and their hopes are crushed. When a mysterious vessel approaches, Ace, Leo, and Jayla are certain they'll be carted back to the Tower of Power, with their punishments for escaping awaiting. But a twist: The crew is rescued and introduced to a vibrant and thriving underwater world that is off the grid and out of Bixonics's eye...and one step closer to finding Grayson.

From the depths of the Pacific Ocean to the heights of the stratosphere, hijinks, adventure, and emotional challenges ensue as the gritty kids meet a whole new cast of characters, weigh out the costs of life-changing bionic enhancements, and blow the top off of an earth-shattering secret that has global implications.

In book two of this action-packed near-future adventure, Cory McCarthy crafts an incredible world with high-stakes storytelling, magnetic characters, and thematic undercurrents that spotlight the complexities of family and friendship, self-empowerment, and the magnitude of truth.

They only wanted to find their friend. What happens when they uncover a secret that could change everything?

• A Secret Underwater City: When Leo, Jayla, and Ace are rescued at sea, they discover New Atlantis--a thriving world hidden from the eyes of the all-powerful Bixonics corporation.
• High-Stakes Adventure: From a busted hoverpod in the middle of the Pacific to a race against time, the boxmates must navigate a corporate conspiracy to find Grayson Bix.
• Bionic Powers and Impossible Choices: In a world of life-altering augmentations, the friends are forced to question the true cost of power and what it means to be human.
• Unbreakable Friendships: Told in the alternating voices of courageous Leo (they/them) and tech-savvy Jayla (she/her), this is a story about loyalty and the friends who become your family.