on the cellular phone as he went。
Dogs of warm Santa Ana wind chased cat…quick leaves and curls of papery melaleuca bark along the blacktop。
'How do you even know about me？' Rose asked Mark。
'When any enterprise is launched with a one…billion…dollar trust fund； like ours；' Mark said； 'it sure doesn't take long to get up to speed。 Besides； puters and data technology are what we're about。'
'What enterprise？' Joe asked。
The answer was the same mystifying response that Joshua had given on the beach； 'In finna face。'
'And what's that mean？'
'Later； Joe；' Rose promised。 'Go on； Mark。'
'Well； so； from day one； we've had the funds to try to keep track of all promising research in every discipline； worldwide； that could conceivably lead to the epiphany we expect。'
'Maybe so；' Rose said； 'but you people have been around two years； while the largest part of my research for the past seven years has been conducted under the tightest imaginable security。'
'Doctor； you showed enormous promise in your field until you were about thirty…seven…and then suddenly your work appeared to e almost to a plete halt except for a minor paper published here or there from time to time。 You were a Niagara of creativity…and then went dry overnight。'
'And that indicates what to you？'
'It's the signature pattern of a scientist who's been co…opted by the defence establishment or some other branch of government with sufficient power to enforce a total information blackout。 So when we see something like that； we start trying to find out exactly where you're at work。 Finally we located you at Teknologik； but not at any of their well…known and accessible facilities。 A deep subterranean； biologically secure plex near Manassas； Virginia。 Something called 〃Project Ninety…nine。〃
While he listened intently to the conversation； Joe watched as； out at the end of the long driveway； the ornate electric gate rolled aside。
'How much do you know about what we do on Project Ninety…nine？' Rose asked。
'Not enough；' Mark said。
'How can you know anything at all？'
'When I say we track ongoing research worldwide； I don't mean that we limit ourselves to the same publications and shared data banks that any science library has available to it。'
With no animosity； Rose said； 'That's a nice way of saying you try to penetrate puter security systems； hack your way in； break encryptions。'
'Whatever。 We don't do it for profit。 We don't economically exploit the information we acquire。 It's simply our mission； the search we were created to undertake。'
Joe was surprised by his own patience。 Although he was learning things by listening to them talk…the basic mystery only grew deeper。 Yet he was prepared to wait for answers。 The bizarre experience with the Polaroid snapshot in the banquet room had left him shaken。 Now that he'd had time to think about what had happened； the synesthesia seemed to be but prelude to some revelation that was going to be more shattering and humbling than he had previously imagined。 He remained mitted to learning the truth； but now instinct warned him that he should allow the revelations to wash over him in small waves instead of in one devastating tsunami。
Joshua had gone through the open gate and was standing along the Pacific Coast Highway。
Over the eastern hills； the swollen moon ascended yellow…orange； and the warm wind seemed to blow down out of it。
Mark said； 'You were one of thousands of researchers whose work we followed…though you were of somewhat special interest because of the extreme secrecy at Project Ninety…nine。 Then； a year ago； you left Manassas with something from the project； and overnight you were the most wanted person in the country。 Even after you supposedly died aboard that airliner in Colorado。 Even then 。 。 。 people were looking for you； lots of people； expending considerable resources； searching frantically for a dead woman …which seemed pretty weird to us。'
Rose said nothing to encourage him。 She seemed tired。
Joe took her hand。 She was trembling； but she squeezed his hand as if to assure him that she was all right。
'Then we began to intercept reports from a certain clandestine police agency。 。 。 reports that said you were alive and active in the L。A。 area； that it involved families who'd lost loved ones on Flight 353。 We set up some surveillance of our own。 We're pretty good at it。 Some of us are ex…military。 Anyway； you could say we watched the watchers who were keeping tab on people like Joe here。 And now。 。 。 I guess it's a good thing we did。'
'Yes； thank you；' she said。 'But you don't know what you're getting into here。 There's not just glory 。 。 。 there's terrible danger。'
'Dr。 Tucker；' Mark persisted； 'there are over nine thousand of us now； and we've mitted our lives to what we do。 We're not afraid。 And now we believe that you may have found the interface…and that it's very different from anything we quite anticipated。 If you've actually made that breakthrough。 。 。 if humanity is at that pivot point in history when everything is going to change radically and forever 。 。 。 then we are your natural allies。'
'I think you are；' she agreed。
Gently but persistently selling her on this alliance； Mark said； 'Doctor； we both have set ourselves against those forces of ignorance and fear and self…interest that want to keep the world in darkness。'
'Remember； I once worked for them。'
'But turned。'
A car swung off Pacific Coast Highway and paused to pick up Joshua。 It was followed through the gate and along the driveway by a second car。
Rose； Mark； and Joe got to their feet as the two vehicles…a Ford trailed by a Mercedes…circled the fountain and stopped in front of them。
Joshua stepped from the passenger door of the Ford； and a young brunette woman got out from behind the steering wheel。 The Mercedes was driven by an Asian man of about thirty。
They all gathered before Rose Tucker； and for a moment everyone stood in silence。
The steadily escalating wind no longer spoke merely through the rustling foliage of the trees； through the cricket…rasping branches of the shrubbery； and through the hollow flutelike music issuing from the eaves of the mansion； for now it also enjoyed a voice of its own： a haunted keening that curled chillingly in listening ears； akin to the muted but frightful ululant crying of coyote packs chasing down prey in some far canyon of the night。
In the landscape lights； the shuddering greenery cast nervous shadows； and the gradually paling moon gazed at itself in the shiny surfaces of the automobiles。
Watching these four people as they watched Rose； Joe realized that they regarded the scientist not solely with curiosity but with wonder； perhaps even with awe； as though they stood in the presence of someone transcendent。 Someone holy。
'I'm surprised to see every one of you in mufti；' Rose said。
They smiled； and Joshua said； 'Two years ago； when we first set out on this mission； we were reasonably quiet about it。 Didn't want to excite a lot of media interest。 。 。 because we thought we'd largely be misunderstood。 What we didn't expect was that we'd have enemies。 And enemies so violent。'
'So powerful；' Mark said。
'We thought everyone would want to know the answers we were seeking…if we ever found them。 Now we know better。'
'Ignorance is a bliss that some people will kill for；' said the young woman。
'So a year ago；' Joshua continued； 'we adopted the robes as a distraction。 People understand us as a cult…or think they do。 We're more acceptable when we're viewed as fanatics； neatly labelled and confined to a box。 We don't make people quite so nervous。'
Robes。
Astonished； Joe said； 'You wear blue robes； shave your heads。'
Joshua said； 'Some of us do； yes； as of a year ago…and those in the uniform pretend to be the entire membership。 That's what I meant when I said the robes are a distraction…the robes； the shaved heads； the earrings； the visible munal enclaves。 The rest of us have gone underground； where we can do the work without being spied on； subjected to harassment； and easily infiltrated。'
'e with us；