Risa McKensie does not know why she can look at an aerial photo of a crop circle and recognize it as an ambitious prank or an awesome phenomenon. Encouraged by her gift, she plans to write a novel about the mathematically significant formations that appear overnight in crop fields around the world. While visiting a crop circle in eastern Washington State, Risa meets members of the International Society of Altruistic Artists, who tell her they make the formations, using Earth energy. Risa is skeptical of their claim and is astounded when they say she is one of them. Yet, she is drawn to the Artists and their purpose to further peace by raising spiritual awareness via the mystery of the crop circles. Word about her intended book gets out, and she receives anonymous threats of bodily harm and blackmail unless she drops the project. She learns that two of her opponent groups are religious fanatics and the U.S. government, but she refuses to be intimidated. The threats escalate. Her Artist friends warn her about the Meridians, a group of wealthy businessmen who profit from war and chaos. But what does their agenda have to do with crop circles? Risa finds out when the Meridians abduct her and make it plain that to them she is better dead than read...