The compound was swarmed with people, government officials, scientists, and military brass.

  The government had done a grand job setting up the facilities on such short notice. The fence had been erected first. Even in this remote area the government did not want any random citizen to just walk up. What a PR mess that would be. It had only taken one full day to erect the massive fence, after the workers got on location.

  Next came the tents. This was the fastest method to get started working. The tents that were set up were only temporary. Crews were there erecting buildings twenty-four hours a day and filling them with the best scientific instruments available. But for now, the tents would have to do.

  The scientists could not agree on what was heading towards them, but they did agree that it was coming to this spot and coming in fast. The object had been discovered three days earlier. It was of unknown origin and material. As it was getting closer to Earth, they were able to start scanning it. All their readings were coming back inclusive.

  Based on all the calculations the scientist had made it would collide with the earth in three to four days. Once it got closer to Earth, a more precise time frame could be figured out.

  General Holtzclaw had just arrived and was doing an inspection of the work that had been done so far. The Army had done a magnificent job on the fence and the building were coming along great. He stopped a passing sergeant.

  “Which building is Space Force setting up in, Sergeant?”

  The Army sergeant stopped and pointed to a small building that looked to be nearing completion. “That one, I believe, General Holtzclaw.”

  “Thank you. I didn’t catch your name sergeant.”

  “Names Sergeant Theodore Hawkins. Everyone calls me Ted though.”

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  “Thanks again, Ted.”

  General Holtzclaw headed to the indicated building. He was met at the door by a private checking identification for everyone entering.

  “ID, sir,” the private said.

  As General Holtzclaw sifted through his wallet, he asked, “the scanners not in yet, Private Hunt?”

  “No sir,” the private answered as he pulled up the General’s information on his laptop. “They should be installed by end of day though, General.”

  “Thank you, private. Where is everyone posted up at?” he replied as he put his wallet away.

  “They are in the command center, General.”

  “And that is where, private?”

  “First floor, third door on the right. Your office is directly across from the command center.”

  “Thanks again, private.”

  The general headed to the command center. When he entered, he surveyed the room. Every branch of the military was here. They were all here to help support him and his Space Force. This would be their first mission that meant something.

  “Tell me what we know, boys,” the general said as he took a seat at the head of the table.

  “We’re glad you could make on such short notice, General Holtzclaw.” This came from the man sitting on his right. It would take the general a few days to get everyone’s name down.

  “Everything our scientists have discovered indicate the “meteor” spiraling to Earth is indeed an advanced unidentified flying object,” replied the officer. “The UFO is headed to Earth, and by all indications, it is on a crash course for the Monongahela National Forest.”

  “So where is it now, and how long do we believe it will be before it hits?” asked the general.

  This time a man on his left answered, “originally, we thought it would hit in about five hours. We picked it up when it entered the solar system and appeared to be moving at the speed of light. It slowed down once it passed Pluto’s path and now it looks like we have two days before it arrives. When it slowed, it’s path was altered as well. It had first appeared it was going to hit in the Amazon somewhere. Now, it seems it is headed for about half a mile south of our current location.”

  “You say it was headed to the Amazon?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  General Holtzclaw’s head started to swim. They were headed to the R.A.R.E. compound. Was this some kind of test they were performing or were there really more of them out in space like their prophecy said. He would have to reach out to his contact in R.A.R.E. and see what they knew.

  Of course, the Department of Defense believed it was targeting Washington and had troubles which threw it off course. Homeland was still insisting it was a terrorist attack somehow. The military didn’t care why it was headed here; they just wanted to fight. Space Force, however, hoped it was peaceful.