Nikolai Drew thought surviving his first year on the force was the hard part. He'd taken a bullet in the line of duty, earned his stripes, and even helped bring down a case that should've made headlines - the kind that turns rookies into legends. But the real story never made it to print. Because the truth was darker. One of his fellow officers, a man Nikolai once trusted, turned out to be an opportunistic criminal, using the badge to shield himself from justice. Exposing him didn't win Nikolai any allies. It made him a target. Now, as he tries to hold onto the ideals that brought him into law enforcement, Nikolai finds himself up against a much bigger enemy - the system itself. Corrupt politicians, bloated with ego and power, don't like attention drawn to the cracks in their façade. They're more dangerous than any street gang. They don't just break the rules - they write them. With the full weight of institutional power pressing down on him, Nikolai begins to understand what the "Blue Hard Line" really is: a boundary not of honor and duty, but of silence and complicity. Cross it, and you're on your own. No backup. No shield. As alliances dissolve and enemies multiply, Nikolai must decide what kind of cop - and man - he truly wants to be. Does he keep his head down and survive? Or does he stand alone against the tide, risking everything for a version of justice few still believe in? Either way, there's no going back.
