A journalist hunting military secrets uncovers an alien presence off the Florida Keys in this novel by the award-winning author of 2001: A Space Odyssey.   In 1994, an experimental navy missile mysteriously disappears off the coast of Florida during testing. While investigating the link between the disappearance and some unusual whale sightings, journalist Carol Dawson finds much more: a strange golden trident that may be worth millions . . . and may not be of earthly origin.   While Dawson and treasure hunter Nick Williams try to make sense of their discovery, they must also outwit thieves and criminals to keep it safe. But the trident leads them to another, more unsettling discovery. Deep underwater, Dawson and Williams encounter the highly advanced beings that placed the trident where it is. And their plans for it could change the face of humanity forever.   In Cradle, the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Arthur C. Clarke, widely considered one of the most important figures in science fiction literature, teams up with author Gentry Lee to deliver another thrilling tale of alien contact and human conflict.