Book excerpt: Katherine Harendt McGill became an athletic fashion pinup, a no-fear female defender of vulnerable beings with the strength of a trained fighter. First noticed as a teenage trick skater in Minnesota, Kate's mastery of martial arts, uncanny archery skills and bold self confidence made her a local star. As her skating routines became ever more spectacular virtually defying gravity she became a media sensation. Discovered by athletic gear designers GloryDays Kate eventually becomes their worldwide model. The company also discovers their GloryDays Girl, as Kate is known, has a darker, threatening side. She is not afraid to employ aggressive, physical punishment when confronting men who threaten innocent animals or women. Her public begins referring to Kate as the Nature Avenger and she is approached to remedy injustices. Even as she becomes a remarkable athletic model Kate also desires normalcy gradually finding companionship with a handsome boyfriend. By her late teens a family friend describes her as mysterious, unstoppable, scary, and gorgeous. But her risk taking produces constant threat of injury, numerous failures and eventually a confrontation with a brutal criminal in central America. Kate is introduced by her great grandmother, Queen Royal Elixir, to a bewildering and powerful mental technique. Passed down through the Harendt family the Romanian Cold Hand can supposedly "freeze" attackers. Kate finally realizes this legacy brings with it an upsetting gift for predicting events. Rumors generated by an accurate prediction make her a target for intelligence spooks and criminals alike. Kate's eventual mastery of the Cold Hand takes a shape no military person could imagine.