The Proteus Factor — Rick Jones

In 1943, the Eldridge, part of the Philadelphia Experiment, disappeared, only to reappear elsewhere, with its crew either driven mad or fused to the ship.A month later, the SS Proteus, an American tender ship, also vanishes under similar circumstances in what becomes known as Project Quantum Veil.More than eighty years later, while the Arctic Explorer, an American commerce ship, is studying the effects of global warming in the Arctic, an iceberg calves, revealing something trapped within the ice—a ship. Upon investigation, it's discovered to be the SS Proteus, embedded in ice since its disappearance over eight decades earlier.Following its discovery, the U.S. government recognizes the liability the ship poses if the Russians attempt to appropriate its contents: antiquated technology that could serve as the foundation for advancements in quantum physics—potentially elevating Russia's military capabilities on the global stage. But more importantly, tucked inside the ship's safe is something even more valuable, something the U.S. must secure to counter Russia's potential to surpass American military might.In the unforgiving depths of the Arctic, a covert confrontation erupts between two superpowers, igniting a deadly chain of events that threatens to spiral out of control. When an American research vessel is mysteriously destroyed and a Russian nuclear submarine vanishes beneath the ice, whispers of a hidden agenda begin to surface—one tied to a secret powerful enough to destabilize global security.Caught in the crosshairs are operatives from both sides—hardened, conflicted, and bound by loyalty to nations that may be hiding the truth. As submerged alliances shift and icy waters turn hostile, a dangerous game of cat and mouse unfolds beneath the polar ice, where survival depends on strategy, instinct, and the fragile line between respect and betrayal.In a world where the enemy isn't always who you think, The Proteus Factor is a taut, pulse-pounding thriller that explores the cost of power and the fragile nature of trust in the shadowy depths of geopolitical conflict.From the #1 Bestselling author of the Vatican Knights.