It would appear that other mammals hold keys to human evolution, some of which have been out there and never connected over the centuries. On the African continent, a young gorilla, Dulce, and capuchin monkey have opened the eyes of their handler to many new connections with humans. Li Na and her fellow captive must wrest control away from the kidnappers before they become disposable in the eyes of everyone. However, such power comes at a consequence and she is kidnapped again, in hopes that someone will be able to use those powers for their own good. Meanwhile, young Li Na is still recovering from the injection her father gave her, which appears to have instilled a number of strong powers into her body, not the least of which is youth and a strong connection to the animals around her. Deemed lost, everyone gives up hope, but the dolphins know otherwise and communicate a plan to help extract the missing team member, in hopes of turning disaster into something positive. They seek to better understand it and try probing deep inside, only to have an accident cost the safety of a team member. Off the coast of Trinidad, the team has discovered a portal left on the ocean floor by other beings.

This includes a special dolphin who appears to exhibit a number of powerful traits, all of which baffle Shaw to no end. Shaw is able to work with Sally and Dirk, her trusted dolphins, learning more about them and some of the hierarchy that exist. Marine biologist Alison Shaw and her team see the perils and choose to hide it as best they can, while still honing its power to the best of their abilities.

The IMIS system is getting to be quite the commodity, especially as other agencies learn that communication between humans and animals (dolphins and gorillas for the time being) is possible. Meant solely for series fans (as there is no way one could pick this book up as a standalone), Grumley does a masterful job filling in the gaps and creating new ones for those who seek more. Packed with action, there is little time for the reader to catch their breath. All the while, a young Chinese girl holds a powerful secret inside her, one that could revolutionize the understanding of inter-species communication and connectivity. A young gorilla and capuchin monkey shed much light on life in Africa for another biologist, keen to see new parallels between humans and other species. Alison Shaw continues to make amazing discoveries alongside her two trusty dolphins, leading to some interesting revelations off the coast of Trinidad. Gathering up the threads from past novels, this story pushes ahead in many facets. Peppering in a little science fiction alongside his strong plots, Grumley transports the reader on a journey like no other.

Grumley uses his captivating narrative to keep exploring the world of life beyond humans and how our evolution is strongly tied to the animals around us.

Mosaic michael c grumley