Fridge Horror
The 3rd book, Apex, includes a sub-plot taking place in China. The government (who undertook a coup to oust reformers) discusses actions taken to suppress protests. These actions are mentioned to take place in several major Chinese cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Shenzhen...and Hong Kong.
If you've followed history since the 1997 handover, then you know about the Sino-British Joint Declaration
, which was to guarantee high autonomy to Hong Kong for at least 50 years after the handover (2047, in other words). The book takes place in 2040-1. In other words, China openly put the Declaration, and all its protections for Hong Kong's people, through the shredder 6 years early. Anyone who followed 2014's pro-democracy protests, or even knows anything about Hong Kong people, knows this would not have gone smoothly, or bloodlessly. One more horror to add to the pile.
