Howard, this was literally my field of expertise, Damian cut in. I went over to Mia’s house, and I saw for myself. You don’t believe me? Aaron Alexis. Aaron Alexis, civilian military contractor. September 16, 2013, he entered the Washington, D.C., Navy Yard—ring a bell?—killed twelve people before taking his own life. Does anyone remember this?

I . . . I do, yes, Emily said, nodding and frowning.

He posted on Facebook right before he did it, talking about how he’d been hearing The Hum for over a year, and that he was on the verge of uncovering its mystery, but They wouldn’t let him be. He got pulled over for a busted tail light, thrown in prison ’cause it was his third strike, lost his job, his wife, no custody of the kids. Doctors telling him he’s crazy. Putting him on all of this medication.

Okay, Howard said, holding up his hands to get Damian to stop.

All because he heard it. All because he was trying to unlock its secret. And this is one story of a thousand.

Mia leaned forward, hands out, as if trying to get a grasp on some intangible thing in front of her. So you’re saying—

October 3, 2013—Damian continued, Miriam Carey, a young mother and dental hygienist. Reported hearing The Hum to local authorities and started getting hounded. Phones tapped. Strange calls. Cars parked outside her house. Eventually she snapped and drove all the way from her home in Connecticut to Washington, D.C., and tried to drive through a White House security checkpoint and she was chased by the Secret Service—you can watch this all on YouTube—chased by the Secret Service to damn near Capitol Hill where they riddled her car with bullets, killing her. With her young daughter in the car.

Damian, you’re just describing people with mental health problems, Jo said.

No, see, that’s exactly, that’s precisely what we’ve been told, he shouted back at her. He was getting worked up now. Jo shot me a sideways glance.

What happened to her daughter? Nora asked, pained.

She lived, miraculously.

Hold on, Mia said, trying once again to grasp this. You’re saying a group of people, a long time ago, way before us, discovered the Resonance—

And have been controlling the World Bank ever since, Shawn said with a smirk, leaning back in his chair, and folding his arms together over his chest.

You can laugh—

And the IMF.

—but they will come for us.

But the Resonance is just a sound, Damian, Mia said. How does that give them—?

That’s the secret we’re approaching, he said, emphatically.

It’s definitely more than just a sound, Leslie said.

Damian gestured to her, acknowledging the support. You have felt its power, he said. I know you have—

Yes, but I’m not ruling the world with it, Mia said.