Prologue THE MAN HAD BEEN WAITING IN THE SHADOWS OF the alley for an hour when the first explosion came from the far side of the temple. The twosentries at the courtyard entrance turned instinctively in that direction and the man steppedquickly across the road to flatten himself against the wall. He waited hardly breathing. Thesentries were only boys but they were deadly. The second blast was followed by distant shouts. The sentries drew their side arms and lefttheir post at a run. The man grasped the top of the wall pulled himself over and droppedlightly to the other side. Still crouching he scanned the courtyard. quotIm over the wallquot he whispered. The small communications device was pinned to the neckbandof his black fatigues. quotNobody around. Set off the rest of the caps in thirty seconds then getout of here.quot The courtyard was long and narrow paved with stone. In the pale starlight he could seescattered crouching shapes that he took to be benches and William Greenleaf clumps of low vegetation. Farther back was the great dark form of the temple building. Lightflickered at the arched entrance. A single spire curved upward twenty meters ghostly white against the night sky. The mans name was Cleve Quinton. He had prepared himself as well as he could for this night but as he crouched there looking up at thespire he felt the danger of this place settle into his stomach like a hard knot. All hismuscles were tensed for him to scramble back over the