The Freelancer

"The Freelancer" by Robert Zacks is a science fiction story set in a future where even talking is controlled by strict copyright laws. The main character, Jeb, works as a Monitor, finding and reporting people who break these speech rules to make a living. He's struggling because his wife, Laurie, is fed up with him not earning enough money and threatens serious consequences. During his work, Jeb meets different people and learns how tough life is under these crazy laws. He then finds a big chance involving political talks that gets him in trouble with important people. The story makes you think about what it means to be yourself and speak freely when the rules are too much.