STRAIN From the high seas of the Indian Ocean to the dark jungles of Southeast Asia, from the canals of Venice to the crypts of ancient kings, Sigma Force must piece together a mystery that threatens to end all life on our planet—a mystery that goes back centuries in time. But this challenge may be too daunting for the elite members of Sigma Force alone. With a worldwide pandemic growing, Director Painter Crowe and Commander Gray Pierce gamble on a diabolical foe who has thwarted them in the past. Will this enemy prove to be trustworthy this time … or another Judas? JAMES Rollins has a doctorate in veterinary medicine and his own practice in Sacramento, California. An amateur spelunker and a certified scuba enthusiast, he’ll often be found either underground or underwater.