The president’s helicopter circles the compound twice before landing on the front lawn.

Dominique exits from the kitchen, waving at Ennis Chaney. She does not recognize the tall blond-haired Intelligence officer carrying an armful of presents.

Chaney greets her with a bear hug. ‘Dominique, you look better every time I see you.’

‘And you tell bigger lies.’

‘Where are the twins?’

‘Manny’s in the SOSUS lab. Jake’s swimming.’

‘Good. Let’s go someplace quiet where we can talk.’

Her heart jump-starts. ‘Talk? Why? What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing. Can’t I visit my two godsons without something being wrong?’

Unnerved, she leads the two men inside.

Jacob secures the rope around his waist, then loops the free end through the center of the forty-five-pound weight plate and ties it off. Satisfied, he picks up the iron plate and climbs down the steps of the swimming pool, wading deeper until the waterline is up to his neck.

The white-haired twin takes a deep breath, then lowers himself to the bottom.

The steel plate sinks, dragging him with it.

Hovering inches off the bottom, Jacob closes his eyes and relaxes, searching the dark recesses of his mind.

In due time he sees the pinpoint of light. His mind’s eye focuses upon it, making it grow.

The pain in his chest eases. Concentrating on the bright light, he allows his mind to slip inside its warm white haze.

Lilith, are you in here?

Chaney sits back in a padded lounge chair. He sips an iced tea, then stares out the bulletproof glass at the inviting waters of the Gulf of Mexico. ‘Always loved this view. Wait and see, one of these days I’m gonna retire and move to Florida.’

‘Sure you are,’ Dominique says. ‘So? Are you going to introduce me to your friend?’

‘Dominique Gabriel, this is Major Richard Phillips. Major Phillips is the director of Project TRINITY.’

The major attempts to disarm her with a friendly smile.

Dominique is immune. ‘What exactly is Project TRINITY, and what does it have to do with my kids? And don’t bullshit me. The staff does that enough.’

‘Okay, ma’am, straight and simple: TRINITY is a covert Intelligence program, its origins dating back to 1978 when it was called Project GRILLFLAME. The purpose of the program was, and is, to recruit, train, and utilize psychics for the gathering of Army intelligence.’

‘You’re telling me the United States government recruits psychics?’

‘Yes, ma’am. The DIA—the Defense Intelligence Agency—took over the project in the late 1980s, changing its name to STARGATE. The program was revamped and renamed TRINITY following the extraterrestrial interactions of 2012. I took over the project four years ago. My qualifications include sixteen years in STARGATE as a remote viewer.’

‘And what is a remote viewer?’