“I've never considered myself an insect, Ms. Sigurd.”

“My apologies for the label, but the analogy is precise. Some years ago it became clear to me that in time the demand for the world's water would exceed the supply, and I wanted to be the one with her hand on the tap. Then I heard about your revolutionary desalting process. If you were successful it would torpedo my carefully laid plans. I couldn't allow that to happen. I considered making you an offer, but I had studied your personality and knew I could never get through your impractical altruism. I resolved to prevent you from giving the process to the world.”

Francesca felt the heat rising in her cheeks. Her voice came out in a hiss. "You were the one behind my attempted kidnap ping.'

“I had hoped to persuade you to work for me. I would have set you up in a laboratory to perfect your process. Unfortunately my plans went awry, and you disappeared into the Amazon. Everyone thought you were dead. Then I read with admiration about your adventures among the savages, how you became their queen. I knew that we were both survivors in a hostile world.”

Francesca had gotten her initial fury under control, and her reply was in measured tones. “What would you have done with the process if I had given it to you?”

“I would have kept it secret while I consolidated my grip on the world's water.”

“I was going to give my findings to the world free of charge,” Francesca said disdainfully. “My goal was to relieve suffering, not profit by it.”

“Laudable but self-defeating. With you apparently dead, I set up a plant in Mexico to duplicate your work. It was destroyed in an explosion.”

Francesca almost laughed. She knew the reason for the blast and was tempted to throw it in this woman's face. Instead she said, “I'm not surprised. Working with high pressure and extreme heat can be tricky.”

“No matter. The main lab here was working on another aspect of the process. Then came the happy announcement of your escape from the Amazon. Again you disappeared, but I knew of your ties to NUMA. We've been watching the Trouts since they returned.”

“Too bad you're wasting your time once again.”

"I don't think so. It's not too late to put your talents to work

“You have a strange way of recruiting employees. Your first kidnapping attempt was the reason I spent ten years in the wilderness. Now you drug and kidnap me again. Why would I want to do anything for you?”

“I can offer you unparalleled support for your research.”

“A dozen foundations would be glad to fund my work. Even if I were inclined to work for you, which I'm not, there is a major obstacle. The desalting process involves a complex molecular metamorphosis that works only in the presence of a rare substance.”

“I know about anasazium. My supply of the material was destroyed in the blast at the Mexican facility.”