The Prophets — James Martin

In cynical moments Professor Daniel Walker describes himself as the only disabled African-American demographer on the planet. He still relives nightmares of the deadly ambush of his marine unit ten years earlier. His wheelchair constantly reminds Dan of all he lost that day in Africa. He still blames Mack Fenton of the CIA for getting his men into that awful mess. Right now Dan can't afford to look backward. During his long rehabilitation, he trained for a new career in the academic world, finally earning his Ph. D. in sociology. Recently he pioneered a novel web-based research method to monitor demographic trends. Colleagues and competitors agree his ideas are ingenious, but like Dan himself, his results are still unproven. He must explain why religious groups suddenly appear to be migrating in unexpected patterns. Are these population movements real, or serious evidence of flaws in his research methods? Professor Walker's university position will quickly slip away from him, unless he can make sense of his research data and obtain grant money. Dan understands his career hinges on a breakthrough during his research trip to Salt Lake City. However, he can't anticipate hearing again from Mack Fenton or leading his team of college students into peril. The biggest shock is having his cozy world of academic puzzles crash headlong into the changing face of world terrorism.