The Stolen Claim

In the Federated States of Avalon, childhood friends Nolan Clem and Julian Fairfax co-founded a small maritime engineering firm. When an accident leaves Nolan permanently disabled, his application for federal disability benefits is repeatedly denied, plunging his life into a morass. Meanwhile, Julian, overwhelmed by failed investments and a profound crisis of identity, longs to erase his own failed existence. Exploiting Nolan's trust, he meticulously designs a death trap during a sea voyage, sending Nolan to the ocean floor and stealing his identity along with the impending substantial backpay benefits, attempting to rewrite his life on a blank slate. However, as he truly lives as Nolan, he discovers that the stolen life is equally fraught with thorns, and an ongoing federal court lawsuit is quietly dredging the truth from the deep sea.