“Einstein called it, ‘spooky action at a distance.’ But I’m confused. I thought you were on board with all this.”

“I am. But when we get into the world of quantum entanglements we have to tread lightly. Not everyone will be willing to entertain the possibilities.”

“You’re making this very mysterious.”

“It is,” he said, and proceeded down cement stairs through another hallway, to a door at the end.

Dominique followed on high alert.

Being here, and the mystery of all that had engaged her imagination with excitement, turned to trepidation at the ominous door at the end of the hall.

Bruton opened the door to a bunker-like room with a round table and six chairs. Standing behind the chair at twelve o’clock was the President of the United States. His elegant black suit and dark blue tie framed his round, intense face. He was taller than she imagined.

Dominique was speechless and scared. She had no idea if she was about to be whisked away to some black site.

“Thank you for coming, Miss Valen,” the president said as he reached out his hand. She thought it was for a handshake. Instead, in his hand was a cuneiform. It had symbols carved in it different from the stone she’d found in the warehouse.

She was curious how it came to be in his possession, but was too afraid to say anything.

“Take it,” he said.

Her hand trembled. She took the stone from him.

The room filled with the scent of roses.

The president and Bruton regarded each other.

Dominique couldn’t tell if it was awe, fear, or dread.

“Did the other cuneiform you touched produce this same result?”

“Yes, sir.”

This was another rabbit hole, the depth of which she had no idea. But she was relieved she wasn’t the only one who could smell the roses here.

She didn’t know if this was an inquiry or interrogation.

She studied the distinctive stone in her hand. Its throbbing pushed away her fear.

“Where did you get this?” she asked.

“You’re not the first to come upon the stones, Miss Valen. But you’ve unleashed more than the scent of roses. Now, ISIS is bent on getting to them no matter how many mujahideen or Americans are sacrificed. They believe infidels have gained access to what is theirs, and they’ll stop at nothing to get back what’s been taken from them. We are on their land. And have found what they couldn’t.”

Dominique looked at Bruton, wondering where this was going.

“Mister Bruton has told me what you’ve told him about the stones, and the tablet with which you’ve made contact. But if there’s anything else we need to know before you leave here, tell me now.”

She knew she needed to come clean if she hoped to have the force of the White House behind her.