THE PERSUADERS: EPISODE 2 A special task force, known as the Contubernium, consists of two Persuaders and three civilians: Prince, a brilliant detective from New England; Livia, a California girl with a knack for grand-scale visual deception; and Badger, a South African enforcer whose body, altered by an accident in a secret space program, is now composed of elements unknown to science, enabling him to survive underwater for hours and walk through fire unscathed. Days before an unofficial science conference in Paris, the mysterious death of a young woman archaeologist is dismissed by the police as suicide. Suspecting foul play, the Council dispatches the Contubernium to investigate. Their mission: track down a rogue Persuader who may have orchestrated the murder. Upon arrival, the team uncovers a web of intrigue that stretches far beyond the scientific community, involving businessmen, gamblers, movie stars, producers, and at least two secret societies. The stakes are high, and the truth could alter the course of history.