Perry finds that no one has considered a psychological study of the teams on the far side of the Portals, but finds that they do regularly monitor all communications home. He and Peri are told to not talk to each other and to keep their observations to themselves, resulting in an unexpected but necessary arrangement to continue with their research.

Perry gets his first taste of how things are done on the far side of the Portals, and discovers that even though every one there is part of a select group, not everyone is getting along.

A mysterious artifact has been found that allows passage to alternate versions of the Earth, but only a select few individuals are able to pass through them.

On all of these alternate Earths, humanity is extinct.

Climatologist Percival Grayson (call me “Perry”) is the latest to learn that he has the ability to use the “Portal” and is sent to Dallas, Texas on an Earth locked in an Ice Age. What will he find there?