"Not initially," Zoe said. "One of the Task Force Zero operatives is still being held in the United Kingdom, and I have to fly over there and see if I can get him back."

  "I'd like to take a crack at Thorne if I could get the chance," Jane said. "I've got some theories about these aliens that I need answered."

  "He's yours for now, then," Perry told her. "Let's have Mitchell supervise the dependent visits to the base. Anything else we need to discuss in the meantime?"

  "Something else has come up," Zoe said. "My team has been getting feelers from an unknown source, and they're hinting at a fifth column operating within the FBI."

  Perry leaned forward. "The FBI has been infiltrated too? By whom?"

  "The tipster claims there's a hardcore Ether Society element within the top tier ranks. We're trying to confirm it, but in the meantime I would suggest you treat any intel coming from the FBI with suspicion."

  "An anonymous tipster sent you this piece of intel? How do we know this isn't misinformation to sow some discord among the government agencies or even just a prank?" Jane asked.

  "As of right now my team is looking at everything very carefully," Zoe said. "A lot of the top administrators in the Agency don't even know what I've been up to, and this has me very concerned."

  "How so?"

  "My team was contacted directly, although it was through secure channels."

  Perry frowned. "Directly? You mean the informant is aware of who you are and what you're doing?"

  "Yes," Zoe said softly. "Other than the two of you, the president and his inner cabinet, and the two commanding officers of Task Force Zero, nobody else ought to know what my team has been doing."

  "You're saying one of us might be leaking information to this third party and that's how they found out about you?"

  Zoe shook her head. "I don't know what to think. The only other person who isn't in the government and knows is Hugo Lovecraft. But he's my mentor, and he would never betray me."

  "It might be prudent to have him under surveillance too, just in case."

  "I've already done that. Lovecraft has been watched since this whole thing started. So far he's in the clear."

  "What else is this source telling you?" Jane asked.

  "It claimed there was an incident that occurred at a border town between Oregon and Washington State a few days ago. And that the authorities had managed to recover the remains of a previously unknown extraterrestrial life form."

  "Wow."

  "I'm looking into it," Zoe said. "I would recommend that the top oversight brass will need to do a systematic internal sweep of the FBI right now, then Homeland Security, and then the rest of our intelligence agencies. With the leader of the Ether Society now dead, his underlings are now exposed and we can get after them."

  "I'll talk to the president about it at our meeting later today in the Oval Office," Perry said.

  "I'm going to be sending a covert team to try and recover this alien corpse, and if it’s proven, then this intel source could be a very valuable one," Zoe said. "The stuff they claim is unlike anything anybody’s ever been heard of before."

  "Such as?"

  "This is all still unconfirmed, but they claim to be in touch with a faction within the alien side that might be sympathetic to humanity. These good aliens call themselves the Rebellion."

  Perry and Jane looked at each other, their mouths hanging open in a mix of shock and surprise.

  Zoe gestured with her hands for them to cool it. "We've got to confirm all of this first, then we can work on communicating directly with the source."

  "Aside from proving the intel, is there anything else that would hold us back?" Perry asked.

  "The source has stated that they will not meet with us directly until we weed out all the traitors within the government first," Zoe said. "Tall order, but they've given us plenty of leads."

  "Okay, I'll see if I can ask the president for a ton of herbicide."

  39 Utah

  STANDING IN FRONT OF the whiteboard, Professor Andreas Bergweiler smiled as he double-checked the equation for the fiftieth time before he started speaking in his native tongue. "Okay, I think we’ve got it."

  Ingrid was busy reviewing the virtual model on her laptop at the far side of the room. It was well after dinnertime, and only the two of them remained in the research area. She quickly turned and began walking towards him. "So the math checks out?"

  He smiled and hugged her. "Yes. Now we know how they can travel back and forth from our planet to theirs, and they are able to do it in a matter of minutes."

  Ingrid pursed her lips while staring at the equation. "So dimensions can be folded upon themselves to create some sort of intrinsic field around the craft, and this enables their vehicles to just appear and disappear."

  "It's a form of faster-than-light travel," Andreas said. "They do it by shifting through multiple dimensions."

  "To think of the power involved just to transport an object from one end of the galaxy to another," Ingrid said breathlessly. "It's like being separated from one end of a two dimensional piece of paper and your destination is at the other end, and you get there by folding the page not once, but many times until you could bring both points together."

  "Precisely."

  "Can they travel anywhere?"

  "According to the equations, they would need to plot a specific end point."

  "How is that determined?"

  "Have you heard about the theory of galaxy filaments?"

  "No, not really."

  "Think of the stars and planets as being part of a cosmic spider web. With the right drive, one can travel along the lines of this structure to go from one point to another by folding them."

  "What binds all the stars and planets together?"

  "Dark matter," Andreas said. "The structure of our entire universe is built upon filaments of this, and the dimension drive folds a ship around itself and then it will disappear before reappearing in another part of the galactic web by traveling along the lengths of the cosmic strands almost instantaneously."

  "How do they determine which direction to go and all that?"

  Andreas gestured for her to be patient. "We're not there yet. Right now we have a basic idea as to how these UFOs can disappear from our observations not long after we see them."

  "Do you have any theories?"

  "Professor Grensback has an interesting one. He thinks the aliens have some sort of anchor, a navigation point so to speak, and this serves as a guidepost for them," he said, pointing to a clump of crystals on the nearby worktable. "If this is confirmed, then the aliens have something that brings them to our world."

  "So if we destroy these crystals, it might prevent the aliens from ever reaching us again?"

  "You are assuming that the crystals serve as beacons. But what if it is something else?"

  "Like what?"

  "I'm not sure yet. Remember when we interviewed some of the soldiers when they assaulted the alien bases? They all reported being subjected to intense headaches, and it was the invention of these defender belts that enabled our soldiers to overcome the enemy resistance."

  "Yes, some of them even claimed that their minds were being read."

  "We don't have any proof other than eyewitness accounts, but it seems the aliens use a form of telepathy. This may explain how they are controlling these crystals."

  Ingrid looked away, contemplating the professor's insights. A minute later she pointed a finger towards the alien craft sitting at the other end of the room. "Could it be that the aliens use this... telepathy to control their ships and navigate them through the dimensions?"

  "You might be right. Perhaps this is the reason why we can enter that craft by just thinking about it. But... this also serves as a drawback for us."

  "Oh? How?"

  "We won't be able to use their ships against them because we lack this... telepathic power that they seem to have in abundance," Andreas said. "This means that wherever it is they come from... this place would be safe from attack because we can't reach it."

  Ingrid spent a brief moment in silent introspection before snapping her fingers. "There might be a way! Do you recall reading about Dr. Secord's preliminary autopsy report on the leader of the Ether Society?"

  "Edward Mordrake? I read bits of it. The part about him having a parasitic twin head still makes me very queasy."

  "I was referring to the embedded bits of crystal found in his body," Ingrid said. "Dr. Secord seems to think these lattices continued to grow while embedded alongside his internal organs, and they may have contributed to his formidable telepathic abilities."

  Andreas looked down. Beads of sweat began to appear on his forehead. "I-I don't see the connection."

  "Well, there are several theories being floated around by the research team. One of them claims that these crystals may enhance telepathic abilities. The clumps of these materials that the forensics team found on Mordrake's body may hold the key to enhancing our minds, and maybe if we form, say, a multidisciplinary team of biologists and physicists, then perhaps we could unlock these secrets."

  "It sounds like a good idea, but I don't think I want to be part of that team. I'll just focus my research on the crystals and how this dimension craft operates," Andreas said.

  Ingrid felt somewhat confounded by her mentor's reply. "Oh? Why would you want to take a step back from such a project?"

  Andreas pointed towards a door leading to the biological research section of the base. "I would prefer not to be around Mordrake's corpse."

  "Why?"

  The professor took out a handkerchief from beneath his lab coat and wiped the sweat from his brow. "I know this sounds superstitious, Ingrid, but I feel that Mordrake may not be dead."

  She started to giggle. "Oh come on, Professor Bergweiler! The soldiers made sure he was dead after they shot him with a phasor rifle, and that nearly tore him in half. The body has no pulse, no breathing, and whatever fluids were inside of him stopped circulating when he was brought in here. Mordrake is surely dead."

  Andreas sighed. "I know this may sound stupid, but every time I go to sleep, it seems... my dreams—they turn into nightmares."

  "Could you explain further?"

  "His parasitic twin. The face at the back of his head. It would appear to me while I'm sleeping, and it would whisper... horrible things."

  "What did it say?"

  "The face would twist into an evil smile and tell me that it shall have its revenge on us all."

  40 Niagara Falls

  LIEUTENANT CHESTER Furley met the two women on the tarmac. He had gotten the call less than an hour before, and he had to hurry from the main building of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station after a short meeting with its commanding officer.

  The old woman and her daughter had just come out from the open rear doors of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport plane, being helped by a sergeant from the Royal Canadian Air Force.

  Not wishing to waste any more time, Furley ran up to them. "Good morning, I'm Lieutenant Furley with the US Air Force."

  The two women greeted him in return, but their voices were barely discernable due the droning from the plane's turboprop engines. Furley smiled and nodded anyway, pretending he heard while shaking their hands.

  The Canadian sergeant handed him a set of folders. "All yours, Lieutenant."

  "Thanks." Furley returned his salute before gesturing for the two women to follow him. "This way, please."

  Margaret McClusky smiled as he offered her his supporting elbow. "Thank you very much, young man."

  "Not a problem at all."

  He brought them into a small office facing one of the outlying hangars by the airfield. An Air National Guard orderly was present, and this other man quickly opened the door for them while saluting.

  Furley returned the man's salute as he continued to lead Mrs. McClusky towards an inner office room. "Would you like something to drink, ma'am?"

  "Oh, I'm quite alright, thanks," Margaret said before turning to look at her daughter. "What about you, Violet?"

  The other woman, who looked to be in her late thirties, shook her head. "No thanks."

  After helping Margaret into the guest chair facing the desk, Furley walked over and sat in front of them. "How was your flight?"

  "Short," Margaret said. "We live just across the lake."

  "Have you been here before, Mrs. McClusky?"

  "A few times."

  Furley opened the folder he had placed on the desk and began going through the paperwork. "Alrighty then. I'm sure you both must be wondering why we asked you to come down here. I have some wonderful news about your son, Mrs. McClusky."

  The old woman gave him a confident look as if she expected what he was going to say. "You found him?"

  "That is correct," Furley said. "He's alive and he's well. We don't have all the details, but it seems he was kidnapped and held captive by a UFO cult for almost a year."

  The mention of the cult wiped the smile off the old woman's face as she turned to look at her daughter, who merely nodded.

  Furley felt it would be better if he stuck to the good news so as not to upset her any further. "Don't be concerned though. Your son is in good spirits and is currently being held... I mean—staying at one of our military bases to the south of us."

  Margaret had a look of concern. "Oh dear. He's not a prisoner again, is he?"

  Furley cursed silently at himself for his slip of the tongue. "Oh no—not at all, Mrs. McClusky. Your son Douglas is in fact helping us out by using his knowledge to research ways of defeating the alien threat to humanity."

  "So when is he coming home?"

  "We would love to send him home, but there's a bit of a catch. We're still at war with these extraterrestrials, and both the American and Canadian authorities feel that it would not be safe for your son to return home at this time."

  "Why not?"

  "You see, Mrs. McClusky, there's still aliens on the loose out there, and we're concerned that they might try to abduct him again," Furley explained. "So for now, we feel that it's best for his own safety that he remains in a secure base."

  Margaret glanced at her daughter once more. They both seemed to be communicating by mere looks and gestures before she turned her attention back to the lieutenant. "Is there a way for us to be reunited at all?"

  Furley grinned. "Yes, ma'am! This is why we brought you here. Now, we are willing to transport dependents over to this base so that you can be reunited with your long lost loved ones."

  The old woman's face seemed to brighten once again. "Well, we wouldn't mind heading over to wherever it is that Doug is currently living at. I miss him so much."

  "We'll get you both over there in no time. Because this is a highly secure installation you'll be going to, all I need to do is run a quick security background check on you both, okay?"

  Margaret's hand shot up, her fingers over her mouth, as if she was about to say something, but had to stop herself from doing so.

  Furley didn't notice as he continued to read what was on the paper. "So it'll just be the two of you, yes?"

  "That's correct," Violet said calmly. She remained seated by her mother, yet her eyes were fixed on the young Air Force lieutenant.

  Furley looked up at the daughter and their eyes locked into each other's. For a long minute he was about to ask her a question, before his mind suddenly went blank. Looking back down at the reports laid out in front of him, he shook his head rapidly from side to side, as if trying to remember what he was supposed to ask her.

  The tone of Violet's voice seemed to change, and it felt like she was speaking directly into his brain. "Repeat after me, Lieutenant. The second paragraph of Report Two is in error. Violet is in good health and her security check is clear."

  Furley repeated what he was told with his own voice.

  Margaret glanced towards her daughter in shock. "How were you able to do that?"

  Violet raised her right hand, gesturing at her mother to be quiet for now as she continued to concentrate on the man behind the desk. Taking a piece of paper from her handbag, she placed it on top of the other documents.

  Furley looked down at the form. "It looks... to be in order."

  "It is," Violet said as she picked up the paper he had been looking at and crumpled it before placing it into her handbag. "You will sign it and report back that we have passed the security interview. It's all in order."

  Furley's right hand picked up a pen and he quickly wrote his signature on the document.

  "Your train of thought will resume in five... four... three... two... one."

  The lieutenant blinked several times before rubbing the back of his head. "Whoa, sorry about that... I think I must have zoned out. Now where were we?"

  "You said that everything is a go, and you just need to schedule some transportation to bring us over so we can see Doug."

  Furley frowned. He didn't remember saying any of it, but looking at the documents, it clearly had his signature and everything was satisfactory. "Okay, now that must have been one heck of a senior moment I had, and I'm not even forty yet."

  Margaret smiled. "It's okay, I get those episodes too."

  "Right," Furley said. "Since it's all set, when would you two wonderful ladies like to head over and visit Doug?"

  "The sooner the better," the woman named Violet said. "I'm sure my brother will be overjoyed when he sees us."

  41 Ordos

  ERKIN ADJUSTED THE dust mask he wore before resuming his sweeping alongside the street leading into the Kangbashi District's sprawling main park. Dressed in an orange uniform with a white cap, his cover was that of a city maintenance worker during the day. The menial chores were backbreaking, but the cops didn't usually stop and question people like him whenever he wandered around the city due to his lowly and utilitarian status.

  The housing units for municipal street workers were stinky and basic, yet it served him well since the other tenants would not normally notice his absence in the crowded dormitories whenever he needed to go out at night. As long as he wore the uniform he was practically invisible.

 

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