“Congressman, do me a favor from this point on,” Quincy said, fighting the urge to cover the politician’s mouth with both his hands. “Just accept the two million my PAC will spend on attack ads on your much-younger opponent and please just be quiet for a moment. You will see why we’re going this far down in a moment.”

“While I certainly appreciate your support, I have a strong feeling I’m being played. This protest comes at just the same moment that you need to get into a secure government building? I thought all you wanted to know was about this SSA agency—”

“Oh, I do. But trust me, as someone who’s a champion for the rights of Americans, you’re going to want to see what’s down here.”

“The rights of Americans—”

The elevator kept descending. The display read floors 31, 32 …

Forty-two. Go to level forty-two, William’s aunt Stella had told him in that first bizarre phone call. He’d been stunned when he checked his voice mail and heard Stella’s urgent message to call her.

He’d quickly returned the call. An hour later, he was on a chartered NetJet heading to Washington, leaving behind a seriously pissed-off board of directors that was waiting on an explanation for his disappearance. It had not been easy to slip away. But money talks, as it always did. His head of security—former head, he should say, as he was now on his way to the Caymans for a permanent vacation—was now rich enough to buy his own island if he wanted.

38, 39.…

Stella had explained that the location William’s grandmother had pinpointed on a map ended up being a government-owned building that her own records showed was owned by some obscure agency called the SSA.

“Can you possibly get in if we create a distraction?” Stella had asked.

“And how does your grandmother know this?” he’d replied.

“Trust me, you wouldn’t believe it.”

“Listen, sister, I’ve been on this crazy train for a while now. Did William say anything about a little girl?”

40, 41 …

One call to Congressman Flip Smith, and a promise to heavily fund a reelection effort, and here he was.

He knew he needed to find William first. Make sure he was OK and ready to run. But Lily was down here too. And he didn’t want her to wait a half second more.

42.

As the doors opened to an empty hallway, the panel on the elevator began to rapidly blink red. The same flashing pattern was repeated outside the doors that lined the corridor.

“Wait,” Quincy said. “No security?”

“Why would there need to be security?” Flip asked.

“Because there are civilians down here, locked away without being charged with a crime. And this agency doesn’t want anyone to know.”

“Quincy, what the hell is going on—?”