The Backdoor Clause

In the shadow of the Severance Wall dividing the Republic of Eldenmoor and the Federated Valleys of Ostmark, a Clemency Without Contrition Act becomes the perfect weapon for the State Security Bureau. Two families, the Vinters and the Drachs, operate a labyrinth of survival tunnels beneath the concrete barrier—until an unrepentant prisoner is released and forced to become the Bureau's ghost. A John le Carré-esque tale of institutional deceit, where the true purpose of mercy is the consolidation of absolute control.