Capitol Punishment [Aug 01, 1996] Pearson, Ryne Douglas

Hate is a powerful weapon. John Barrish, a cunning white supremacist, has let his hatred simmer while in the custody of the federal government. But with his release, he's ready to unleash his fury on the institutions of the state that have targeted him. And he's secured the means to do so in the form of a Cold-War era chemical weapon so lethal that the smallest amount can cause mass death.
 
Unless FBI Agent Art Jefferson can get to him first. Following the man's deadly trail from Los Angeles to Washington D.C., Jefferson zeroes in on the plan Barrish has set in motion. A strike so bold that, if successful, would not only leave the nation leaderless--it could tear it apart.

Ryne Douglas Pearson is an accomplished novelist and screenwriter. He is the author of several novels, including Cloudburst, October's Ghost, Capitol Punishment, Simple Simon, Top Ten,The Donzerly Light, All For One, Confessions, and Cop Killer. He is also the author of the short story collection, Dark and Darker. His novel Simple Simon was made into the film Mercury Rising. As a screenwriter he has worked on numerous movies. The film Knowing, based on his original script, was released in 2009 and opened #1 at the box office. Receiving Four Stars from Roger Ebert, who branded it 'among the best science-fiction films I've seen', it went on to earn more than $180 million worldwide. He has also done uncredited work on films such as the remakes of The Day The Earth Stood Still and The Eye. He is a member of the Writers Guild of America-West and International Thriller Writers.

Despite the often 'dark' nature of his novels and films, Pearson has been noted to have a 'sweet, disarming quality' by Entertainment Weekly-an accusation he has been unable to shake. When not writing he is usually thinking about writing, or touting the wonders of bacon in online conversations. He is addicted to diet soda and the sound of his children laughing. A west coast native, he lives in California with his wife, children, a Doberman Shepherd and a Beagle Vizsla.