AUTHOR NOTES TO
THIRTEEN ACROSS
“This world is but a canvas to our imagination.” Henry David Thoreau
As a reader, I enjoy suspense and thrillers that weave aspects of history, science, medicine, or technology into the fabric of the drama. And as an engineer, I’ve had the good fortune to work on a variety medical and technological applications and get behind the scenes at military facilities. Those experiences provide threads to conspiracies and form a broader storytelling tapestry.
Thirteen Across weaves in threads from historical settings, documented research efforts, and “what if” scenarios facing medical and scientific research. The backstory of the genetically created super soldier and evil genius Phillip Barnes is revealed through the layers of a crossword puzzle. Just under 300 printed, out of circulation, and electronic sources were reviewed, and only a fraction of the research made it into the story. St. Elizabeths has a storied history as a once state-of-the-art institutional and boarding mental health facility. There is a dark side of insane asylums but the genesis of St Elizabeths was to provide medical care, treatment, and support to those who needed it the most.
Some authors append their novels with writer/author notes or bibliographies as a way to provide glimpse to the behind the scenes background material–this webpage is dedicated to those who are interested in learning why certain bits of information were included in Thirteen Acrosss.
THIRTEEN ACROSS - AUTHOR NOTES
Fact and Fiction
In NEXT, Michael Crichton penned: “This novel is fiction, except for the parts that aren’t.” The same applies to Thirteen Across, a story that weaves a tale of fact and fiction. It pushes the limits of what is possible, and, equally, what is not; it plays on promise of intellect, the potentials for scientific achievement, and human greed.
Any factual inaccuracies herein are mine alone.
In many ways, this story almost wrote itself. Solving the puzzle was about discovering the truth.
Locations
Most locations used in the story and the Washington, DC area are real. Every stop is real. Elk Pass, Virginia, the mining town that experienced the gas explosion and railway accidentis fictional, but the events that occurred there (which transformed Phillip Barnes, Rachel Pratt, and Kate Morgan) were taken from other locations and parts of history.
The sites and locations in DC were walked and scouted to insure better accuracy. Walking in the footsteps of the characters also provides a treasure trove of subtle details to use in the story. An environmental factor in the story that is absent is Washington, DC, traffic and the bands of tourists.
The Crossword Puzzle
The crossword was constructed in phases. The first drafts to manuscripts in the late 1990s have no connection to the final puzzle, except one word–13 ACROSS-MURDER. Everything else, including the story and destinations changes. The challenge in creating the puzzle was forming words or abbreviations that maybe did not exist. A great deal of effort was put into making sure the puzzle was plausible and fit the plot, destinations, and character revelations.
WASHINGTON DC DESTINATIONS and PUZZLE STOPS
District of Columbia Underground
Since it’s origins, elements of underground tunnels and hidden access networks were prevalent dating back to its early growth and origins. An assortment of articles have been written about tunnels and fallout shelters. There’s a spread of lore and intrigue to the tunnels that are part of the White House, the US Capitol, the Libraries of Congress, Smithsonian Museums, Nationals Archives, Pentagon, and even St. Elizabeths campus. One such reference used was District Fallout to build a basis. Most of the times the tunnels weren’t constructed to be secret but rather practical. At St. Elizabeths for example (like the photo shown), tunnels were used to route utilities and laundry and food during the winter months.
After World War II and during the Cold War Era, a national defense movement started that strategically identified existing and new below grade spaces that could function as federal and civilian fallout shelters. The 1965 Community Shelter Plan Study for Washington, D.C. mentioned in the story is a real document. One note, the study does not delineate the difference between a nuclear bomb shelter and a simple fallout shelter. A fallout shelter could easily just be a place below grade where people huddle together and ride out the nuclear fallout.
Washington Metro (WMATA)
One of the best ways to get around Washington, DC, is by taking the metro. All of the metro stations are real, except for some tunnel modifications to Dupont Circle. The original Dupont Circle Station was a trolley station and still exists. The metro is deeper in depth and resides just offset to the original station.
While there have been train failures and even fires in the tunnels, there are no recorded derailments. The routes and locations of the metro stations and there related tunnels are accurate.
Since Kate’s journey starts by taking the train it seemed fitting to bring her back via Dupont Circle, before facing Barnes at the end.
George Washington University (GWU) Hospital
GWU is located at the Foggy Bottom–GWU Station. The university campus covers several city blocks and can be reached from the metro station.
GWU Hospital (often referred to by locals as just GWU) is mentioned several times in the story, including when Kate learns of dark secrets that connect her to Princeton and Thomas Parker.
Also, Dr. Mohamad Koubeissi and a team at GWU discovered the brain’s “on-off switch” in the claustrum (reported in July 2014). Since Kate needed specific answers, it added historical context to bring her back to the people and place that discovered the actual neurological region that she needed to learn about.
St. Elizabeths Hospital - 38 & 25 Across
The original St. Elizabeths Hospital (originally called the Government Hospital for the Insane) 346-acre campus has a historic pre-Civil War backdrop. Dr. Thomas Miller, Dorothea Dix, and Dr. Charles Nichols were pivotal in getting the funding, the land, and the hospital off the ground and open. At its peak, the massive hospital (once referred to as a city on the hill) was almost the size of a small city (8,000 patients and 4,000 staff). In 2010, a new, smaller footprint hospital opened.
The historical-truth in terms of barbaric and misguided medical methods of past psychiatric and mental health treatments is well documented, and during such eras of such human cruelty in medicine and care at St. Elizabeths Hospital would have been no different than similar institutions of those eras.
Restoration costs proved impractical so the campus was divided up. Today, the remaining legacy of the St. Elizabeths lives on as the valuable acreage is repurposed (the west side is dedicated to The Department of Homeland Security Headquarters along with the Coast Guard Headquarters and most of the east side returned to the District of Columbia for community programs and sports facilities).
At the release of Thirteen Across, the new and remaining structures and tunnels (except for the nuclear bomb shelter) mentioned in the story are real.
The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America - Marker Symbol & 69 Across
The Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America has a beautiful setting, both in its structures and the well maintained and natural landscapes within its boundaries.
The historic monastery is open for services and tours. The display of artwork, stained glass, and stone work and wood is amazing. The little St. Mary of Angels chapel is left of the main structure.
The Franciscan brothers who live and work at the monastery are friendly and open to questions and inquiries. Like several of the settings, the catacombs below the main chapel are mock ups or in a way replicas. The site presented in the story is accurate.
Soldiers Home National Monument - 70 & 49 Across
The Old Soldiers Home located in Washington, DC, sits on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home and National Cemetery. The collection of acreage dates back to before the Civil War. Only part of the site is open to the general public (tours of Lincoln’s Cottage) is is technically under the U.S. Armed Forces because of the on-site veteran’s retirement home.
In the story, the names of several secondary characters were taken from cemetery grave markers. Originally other Soldiers Home structures were selected for the story but the abandoned Grant Building (a dormitory or housing building named after the Civil War General and President) evolved into a more logical setting for a trap. Its basement and connection to the tunnels is real.
The cemetery archway with the names of four U.S. generals is located on the corner of Rock Creek Church Road and Harewood Road (across from the Grant Building).
Stanley Hall Chapel turned into a key location (a transition point and character gateway) for Kate to pass through. The chapel does have a basement. The stained glass is recorded from a single visitor and is available for viewing on the Internet.
The underground utility tunnels between buildings on the site are real (but not developed), however the extensive and cavernous aquifer below ground is fictionalized. Part of the site’s prior water supply once ran through a raised water tower (its base is still visible).
President Lincoln’s Cottage (not used in this story) is a historic landmark and is available for tours. There are interesting historical nuggets about the president’s cottage. Lincoln would often spend the summer not in the White House but at the summer cottage. Per the tour guides, it was the place where the president drafted the Emancipation Proclamation (months before it was formally released). The site sat elevated on the hill, and across farm fields a person could see the nation’s capital. Lincoln would ride his horse from the cottage and into DC, once even being shot at and losing his famed top hat. From the south facing porch (shown in the photo), you could even see DC itself, and there would be an encampment of soldiers on the south lawn during the war.
Rock Creek Park and The Capitol Stones - 1 Across
The Capitol stones in Rock Creek Park (part of the U.S. National Park Service) is real. The discarded remnants of the original stone work to the U.S. House of Representatives are fewer than originally removed from the structure’s major face lift and remodel.
Originally, the U.S. House of Representatives was set back from the U.S. Senate building. The House building was brought forward to be even with the Senate (sounds like egos were involved). Ultimately what remains of that original stone work resides in Rock Creek Park, not far off a beaten path.
Washington Navy Yard and Anacostia River Area
Dating back to 1799, the Washington Navy Yard is located on the southern part of the District of Columbia along the Anacostia River. The Naval operations base is a former shipyard and ordinance plant and now “serves as ceremonial and administrative center for the U.S. Navy” and is the location for the Naval Sea Systems Command. The ship yards are long since gone and Naval command structures have decentralized to other bases.
In the story, the key river frontage is just east of the Navy Yard and where Phillip Barnes sets up his stealth operations, using fiber communications tie-ins and Defense Department contracts to integrate into military networks. In the real world, the river area is fenced off because it is part of an environmental restoration area.
U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) - Marker Symbol and 2 & 6 & 24 Down
The USNO was one of the rare sites that I was not able to access in one form or another, except through historical and public records. The story accounts are extrapolated from several news articles and records, including the underground tunnels on the site.
The secured facility is co-located with the U.S. Vice President’s residence (Number One Observatory Circle) and the no longer provides public tours. The fully functional observatory provides naval supports for “astrometry, astronomical applications, earth orientation, and the standard of time.” Light pollution from the surrounding areas prohibit the atmospheric clarity needed for modern day observatories.
Beyond the observatories, time keeping (atomic master clocks), naval instruments shop, and Vice President’s residence, one of the most intriguing aspects of the USNO is its historic library. The main building (a living museum of sorts) houses a two-story, circular library and treasured rare collections of books. One such rare book was mentioned in the story. Central to the library is the fountain that is important in the story as well.
The USNO site is situated in the mix of embassies parks, and DC neighborhoods.
Al Tiramisu) - Story Stop
The District of Columbia has numerous outstanding neighborhood restaurants and eateries that could have served as story stops.
Al Tiramisu was selected because of its ratings, local references, authentic Italian dishes, longevity in the neighborhood, and proximity to Dupont Circle.
In thrillers, these short moments offer pause, and a way for the characters to gather themselves before the finale.
My dining experience was outstanding and I was able to chat and tell stories with Chef Luigi (Luigi Diotaiuti) and his staff were wonderful hosts to share an evening with. Beyond the context of this story, I learned about neighborhood secrets and intriuging political stories.
Besides its closeness to Dupont Circle, its location is not from neighboring embassies. Photos hang on the walls shown past visits from celebrities, politicians, and famous people.
Al Tiramisu is on the southside of P Street and just west of Dupont Circle. As story fate would have it, a man named Harrison Dyar, a “mosquito-expert entomologist” worked at the Smithsonian Institute, dug tunnels just west of the restaurant’s location. After the discovery of the tunnels and scandalous media exposure at the time, the tunnels were sealed up but they still exist. For a brief moment, Mr. Dyar’s background is woven into the story as texture and placement. The original housing where the tunnels started were at The Pelham Courts, which were demolished to build the Kimpton Hotel Palomar.
Dupont Circle - Marker Symbol and 16, 33, 35 & 51 Down
Dupont Circle was a central story stop in the early concepts of writing Thirteen Across. As a circle, its where all things come back together, a painful moment before the stories final moments.
Layering in the clues here was fun, none overtly obvious but most meaningful to either the historical setting, modern setting, or its characters, including the lead in intro to this puzzle set: “BLACK POWDER’S ARRIVAL”. Playing on the historical origins of the neighborhood and how the transition route evolved over the years as 16 Down and CARRIAGE REPLACEMENT.
There are so many story layers in setting up Dupont Circle: to the fountain ordained with its three themed figurines (almost mimicking Barnes, Kate, and Rachel), to the story of Dupont Underground itself which was once a designated fallout shelter, nearby abandoned tunnels, the to actual metro station, to an under layer theme of sea (tying back to Barnes).
Dupont Circle becomes a harsh destination where story truths are revealed. Characters must make life and death choices and nothing turns out for Barnes as he had planned. It’s a literal trial by fire for Kate.
A partial poem from Walt Witman’s “The Dresser” in his book “Drum-Taps” is inscribed on the wall of Dupont Circle’s north entrance escalator entrance: Thus in silence in dreams’ projections,
returning, resuming, I thread my way through the hospitals;
The hurt and wounded I pacify with soothing hand,
I sit by the restless all the dark night — some are so young;
Some suffer so much — I recall the experience sweet and sad.
Dupont Circle Hotel - Story Stop
Originally, The Dupont Circle Hotel had a larger and longer role in the story, but since its story placement was close to the final scenes, content was trimmed during editing to keep the story focused and maintain a thriller-style pace.
The hotel offers a mix of casual and upscale dining and rooms, and windows that face 19th Street, New Hampshire Ave, and the combination of Massachusetts Ave and Dupont Circle. The Doyle lounge borders Dupont Circle.
Keeping the full circle theme, it seemed like a good place to wrap up Will Shortz’s journey nearing the end of his “day of firsts”.
Theodore Roosevelt Island National Park - Marker Symbol and 65 Down
Theodore Roosevelt Island National Park, even in the earliest drafts, has always been the last stop in Thirteen Across. The set aside national monument is in honor of the U.S. President by the same name, and this small former plantation land sits in the Potomac River between the District of Columbia and Virginia.
Below the bridge on the east side in the concrete base columns and supports resides a steel door. Oddly enough, the island is reachable if a person climbed over the bridge railing to the sloped ground below. This is where goodbyes of sort are said and exits are cast.
Strategic Information & Operations Center (SIOC) at FBI Headquarters
Operational Command Centers are integral to emergency response management, and even in today’s non-stop 24/7 cycle of worldwide day-to-day operations.
The Federal Bureau of Information has brick and mortar operational command centers regionally and at its headquarters in DC, as well as sophisticated mobile command centers.
At a command level, it is not uncommon for federal agencies and the defense department to bring in representatives to other agencies or entities in order to better coordinate real-time logistics and speed the flow of communication.
