Falling Waters

Book excerpt: Julie finished taping the battery on my side. I buttoned my shirt and tucked it back in. I had an electronic belt securing my waist. It looked like any other belt, but it felt different psychologically. I put a jacket on over my shirt, even though I didn't need one. I wanted to cover any faint outline that someone might have spotted. With the jacket, the wire was completely invisible. I was now a bona fide informant.Anthony Mowl was the first Deaf informant in the history of the FBI. After graduating from Gallaudet University, a leading school for Deaf and hard of hearing students, Anthony was offered a chance to change the world. John Yeh, one of the most respected businessmen in the Deaf community, offered Anthony a job with his new company-Viable Video Relay Services-a company dedicated to providing state-of-the-art videophones to Deaf individuals worldwide.As Viable grew, its executives, including Anthony, rose to prominence in the Deaf community. They were seen as leaders and innovators who would not rest until every Deaf person could communicate with the same ease and convenience as a hearing person. But innovation takes money, money Viable didn't have.Falling Waters is Anthony's firsthand account of the rise and fall of Viable. Anthony offers a powerful glimpse into his struggles with his own identity as he goes from a leader in the Deaf community to a public enemy. Desperate to compete with larger, better-funded companies, Viable's founders develop a scheme to defraud the FCC. When Anthony gets caught in the middle, his only way out is to cooperate with the FBI, launching a series of events that will test his loyalty, integrity, and courage.