Publisher's Synopsis
Chapter 1 Dawn had not yet touched the California desert. The sparse wildlife continued their relentless, nocturnal search for food and water before the searing, summer sun forced them to their burrows, caves and shade. Focused solely on survival, the animals no longer noticed the small buildings and enormous, bowl-shaped antennae that dominated the desert landscape. The steady hum of the powerful generators and rhythmic motion of the huge antennae had become just another unthreatening thread in the fabric of this hostile and unforgiving environment. Inside the only occupied building, two men focused on a huge radar screen. "It's too fast," said a young man seated at the controls. "What the hell is it, then?" asked the man behind him. He was perspiring slightly, his brows tightly knit. "It could be a meteorite that hasn't burned up. The atmosphere might... " "Might what?" pressed the big man. There was no answer. The young technician stared at the screen, totally immobilized and void of expression. "What's the matter?" "It stopped," said the technician. "Stopped? What do you mean, 'stopped'?" "Just that," whispered the young man. "It just stopped. A complete, dead stop at 20,000 feet above Lake Tahoe. It's not falling and it's not moving. The thing is just..." The technician furiously punched keys, adjusted dials and checked connections. Sergeant Willard Holman watched in silence. He had seen the screen and knew it was going to be a long night. He cursed softly under his breath. "Now what?" "It's gone," said the technician. "Just flat gone. It took a look at Tahoe, faked west and split east. Sarge, that thing didn't just split. It vanished. Nothing I know of, read of or dreamt of moves that fast. I lost it around mach 12 and still accelerating. Fastest things I know of barely reach mach 5. It has its own power, its own control, its own God knows what." Silence enveloped the room. The instruments, panels and screens continued their vigilance, unconcerned with the now vanished object. The men stared at the empty screen. "So what do we do now?" asked the younger man. "Give it to someone else," said the stunned big man." "Sarge, I'm not sure, but I think it was coming down." High above the western United States a small and mysterious object plummets to earth and begins a twisting and deadly search for the promises it holds. A secret U.S. government agency is immediately tasked to find and claim this object, no matter the cost. Don Kirtner, Brian Rostic and Jim Catano just wanted a peaceful fishing trip deep in the back country of the Rocky Mountains. They did not get what they wanted. They did get a new guide, Karin Anderssen, a far cry from the old rancher and guide they expected. Fishing was forgotten when they discover a small and powerful object that defies explanation. Then they find Colonel Frank Warner of the U.S. Air Force. More precisely, Warner finds them. This strange object possesses incredible power that would lead to incalculable rewards if it could only be understood and developed. Power for good or for evil. Warner is after this object and will stop at nothing to get it. The trail soon leads to three fishing buddies and a young woman. But what is this object? Where did it come from? Who sent it and why? And just who is Karin Anderssen?
