The Guild (James Rollins)

"The Guild is everywhere and nowhere"

- Painter Crowe describing the group

The Guild is an international shadowy organization and terrorist group that serves as the main antagonists of James Rollins' Sigma Force novel series. It is a SPECTRE-like group that has infiltrated government agencies and commercial enterprises in its quest for world domination. To fund itself, the Guild steals emerging technologies and sells them to the highest bidder. The Guild is ruthless and is led by trained assassins from around the world.

The Guild's main opponent is Sigma Force, a covert U.S. ops squad dedicated to stopping their plans. Sigma Force is aided by Seichan, a former Guild assassin turned ally.

Background
The Guild was founded sometime in the late 20th century by top league criminals from around the world. It adopted an effective cell network, so that "the left hand didn't know what the right was doing."

Members
"We don't even know who the group's Osama is"

- Painter Crowe Due to its cell system of operation, the Guild's highest leadership remains unknown. However, it is implied throughout the series that members of the Assassin Division have are amongst elite of the group and are the decision-makers.

Scientific Division:

 * Dr. Devesh Patanjali
 * Surina

Assassin Division:

 * Amen Nasser
 * Annishen
 * Cassandra Sanchez
 * Seichan (later defected)

Operatives:

 * Vice Admiral Tony Rector
 * Rakao
 * Balthazar Pinosso

Sandstorm:
The Guild's first major scheme involved infiltrating Sigma Force and its parent agency DARPA. This was done through Vice Admiral Tony "the Tiger" Rector, who was promoted to DARPA Director. While Sigma agent Painter Crowe was sent to the Middle East to investigate a suspicious trail, Rector and Guild agent Cassandra Sanchez attempted to kill Crowe and his allies. In the end, Rector was exposed, he and Sanchez killed, and Sean McKnight was assigned to replace Rector.

Map of Bones:
In revenge for the death of Cassandra Sanchez, operative Seichan attempts to detonate anthrax over Fredericksburg Military Base. The plan is stopped by Sigma Commander Gray Pierce.

The Guild offers its services to the Dragon Court, as both groups are looking to find a source of lost alchemical knowledge relating to monatomic gold, a powerful substance known to the ancients.