A car thief isn't the sort of person you'd expect to find helping out in an animal shelter. But to make up for his crime, Kevin is sent to help Tracy and her brother, Luke -- and none of them knows what to expect. When heavy winter rains cause the town's levee to break, the teenagers are forced to skip orientation and help with the rescue effort. Within moments they're in a powerboat packed with sandwiches and supplies and out on the water. Their mission runs smoothly until armed thieves, caught in the act of stealing from a flooded home, kidnap Luke. In a heartbeat, the rescue effort turns towards Tracy's brother -- and unless she and Kevin can band together, there's no hope for survival.

P.J. Petersen is the author of Rising Water, a Simon & Schuster book.