“I think all the director has to do is show that video to the president and he will be quite alarmed.”

Mark began to click the pen in his hand. “Do you recall what happened when Agent Hallow came to you with his theories?”

Kate remembered vividly throwing him out of her office personally, and telling her secretary never to allow him to return. The agent had left his business card and yelled something about calling him when she’d realized the truth.

She motioned to the laptop. “I don’t even know what to make of it. But if federal agents are dead, then the president must know immediately.”

“We’re hoping you will be the one to show it to him.”

“And tell him what, exactly? I don’t even know how to explain what I saw. I’ve spent the last fifteen years stamping out the ridiculous theories surrounding my family.”

“We will fully brief you on what we know. Now that you’ve seen the video, and your nephew is involved, you know the stakes. And frankly, it has to happen right now. In fact, neither the president nor any of his cabinet even know about the SSA. And there’s a reason for this—”

“I don’t even know what SSA stands for, for Christ sake.”

“Sky Surveillance Agency. Truman created the agency and ordered it to act independently of our government. That was when they started keeping the files.”

“The files?”

The director reached into his desk and pulled out two thick binders. “And I want you to read these in particular.”

“What are these?”

“Copies of the files of everything we know about your family.”

Kate suddenly felt hot all over.

“You have files on my family?”

“We have files on all the abducted.”

She looked at the voluminous black folders as if they were venomous snakes. “I’m sorry, but how can these even exist after everything I’ve been provided from the FBI that contradicts that notion—”

“We are independent, as I stated before. Please begin with this one. It’s about your mother. Unfortunately, it lacks some important documents, which were stolen.”

“Stolen?”

He slid the folder towards her.

“We don’t just have to contain your nephew and that girl, Senator,” he said. “We must find them all. Your mother must be brought in as well.”

The sound of her cell phone ringing brought on a brief moment of relief. Lynn stood from her vigil in front of the television in Tom’s study and walked to the door. Roxy leaned back in her chair, looking at her questioningly.

“It’s Don.”

“Just take the call in here,” Roxy said.

Lynn walked out, hearing Roxy mutter something about already being in deep. She answered when she’d reached the kitchen. “Don?”

“Hello there, Miss Lynn.”