Thirteen

In a future where humanity has colonized Mars and Earth is rife with genetic engineering, Richard K. Morgan introduces Carl Marsalis, a 'Thirteen' – one of a breed of genetically engineered supersoldiers designed for ultimate combat by the U.S. government. Deemed dangerous mutants, the Thirteens were exiled to Mars, but Marsalis found a way back, carving out a life as a bounty hunter. His luck runs out, however, when a police sting lands him in a high-security prison. A chance at freedom arises when the government offers him a deal: hunt down and neutralize another rogue Thirteen, a psychotic killer who has left a trail of butchered bodies across the country after shanghaiing a space shuttle. This isn't just any fugitive; it's a being engineered with the same primal aggression and survival skills as Marsalis himself. The mission plunges him into a brutal world of violence, political intrigue, and self-discovery, forcing him to confront the dark legacy of his own creation. To survive and reclaim his freedom, Marsalis must outwit and overpower a foe as formidable and relentless as he is, navigating a labyrinth of treachery where the lines between hunter and hunted blur.