2016. Britain voted to withdraw from the European Union in what pundits put down to mass disenchantment with the political classes. A newly-elected American President in an election which caused even greater surprise tweeted through his first months in power the way he’d tweeted through his campaign, creating and decrying fake news.

Julian Assange, of Wikileaks fame, was in his sixth year of self-imposed exile in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, while unidentified hackers exposed the private follies of celebrities and the political scandals of those in government.

Months of exponential growth in migrant numbers persuaded France to clear the ‘Jungle’ refugee camp in preparation for its demolition. Britain accepted a token number of unaccompanied children, many of whom had already vanished to face other, uncertain futures.

My old school pal, Brian ‘Bender’ Osborne, sentenced four years earlier for online mischief, was awarded an early release from prison. At least that’s what he told us at first. It was the year I met and fell in love with Samantha Cox, AKA Myra Burton, self-confessed anarchist and founder member of a conspiracy watch group called ‘The Enlighteners’.

This is our story.

All Author proceeds from purchases of this e-book go to support the Refugee Council