Two weeks after our great escape from the facility,

Marconi and I were investigating CPR-A at the station.

The whole thing fell apart.

We dug into the organization as far as we could go,

and our efforts had turned up zilch.

Nothing to incriminate them at any rate.

For all intents and purposes,

the Climate Association for the Pacific Region area

was a government agency founded in 1985

that regulated water levels and maintained

our public parks and forests.

That was it.

There was nothing anywhere to indicate

that they were tearing giant holes in the universe

to let in all sorts of beasties.

Take a look at this, Marconi said,

passing in newspaper clipping.

It was a blurry photograph of a bunch of scientists

gathering outside of the front doors of the CPR-A.

At the front of the pack was a young Valentinical Pell

who faces smooth, wrinkle-free,

her eyes bright beyond her glasses.

...