Ralph Mullen is a famous toxicologist who has done many investigations for the United States government and has recently retired; however, good men, especially with Ralph's talents in science and skill as a Force Recon Marine, are not allowed to retire so easily. They become part-time retirees.Ralph gets a call to investigate a strange ';black tide' in the Northern Pacific Ocean. He thinks it is a waste of his time, but a longtime friend of his is asking, so he accepts the project. What he encounters is more than he bargained for.Perry DeFiore is a decorated Vietnam veteran who has always been interested in science. He was a junior high school principal in a foreign country for twenty years and, during that time, founded a scientific society for the development of young scientists, taking them on various expeditions in Mexico. Perry has been on various expeditions with scientists from Argentina, France, Italy, Germany, and Mexico. Retired, he now dedicates his time to writing his novels. This is the second Ralph Mullen adventure, and you can look for more to come. He was born and raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and now resides and writes in Spring, Texas, where he is close to his children and grandchildren.