In Aztechs, Shepard returns to the near-future setting of his Nebula Award-winning story, "R&R" (later part of Life During Wartime). El Rayo, the bustling border community grown up along the electrified fence along the U.S./Mexican border, is home to Eddie Poe, who earns his living by providing security. The men he hires are AWOL U.S. soldiers. AZTECH, a mysterious high-tech firm rumored to be run by a renegade U.S. military AI named Montezuma, hires Eddie and his bodyguards to join AZTECH representative Montezuma 2 ("Z2") for a meeting with the Carbonell cartel. When the meeting goes sour and Z2 is badly wounded, one of the soldiers lobs a pocket nuke to cover their escape, and Eddie realizes he's no longer in control...
- ISBN10 057509107X
- ISBN13 9780575091078
- Publish Date 29 August 2013 (first published 1 June 2002)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Orion Publishing Co
- Imprint Gateway
- Edition Digital original
- Format eBook (EPUB)
- Pages 122
- Language English