Lost in Magadan: Extraterrestrials on Earth

Snap could see over the concrete barriers, past the check point, to the rest of the cavernous space. In the middle of the granite cavern was a ramp, that was large enough for a tractor trailer to drive down, into an underground facility. The ramp was surrounded by thick concrete walls and there appeared to be a large steel door that could come down to secure the tunnel. The ramp leading to the tunnel was guarded by a squad of soldiers and one M3 Bradley fighting vehicle.

Lightning Squad easily passed through the security checkpoint. Once on the other side, Lieutenant Black pointed them toward another 15-passenger van and indicated that they should climb aboard. Once settled into the van, Lieutenant Black drove the van toward the ramp that descended even deeper into the mountain. He was stopped at the mouth of the tunnel by a security team that checked over the passenger van, presumably for bombs. They passed through the second check point and onto the ramp, making wide left turns as they descended. The large ramp reminded Snap of driving round and round in a multi-level parking garage. Each level was clearly marked with large numbers painted on the wall near the heavy gate giving entrance to that level. Even this far down, the ramp was wide enough for a tractor trailer to pass. Each level they passed had small parking lots, with a few empty vehicles.

They reached Level 15, and Lieutenant Black pulled the van to the curb, near the large metallic blast doors.

“Your stop. Your ID card will open the blast doors,” Lieutenant Black said from the driver’s seat.

“You’re not coming in with us?” Snap asked.

“No Sir, what’s behind those doors is not within my need-to-know. Good luck, Major.”

“Alright, everyone out,” Snap said.

The unguarded, steel blast doors were large enough to allow a single tractor trailer to drive through. Snap walked up to a display monitor and raised his ID. A few seconds later the heavy doors slowly raised from the concrete surface to reveal a wide-open area resembling a loading bay. Two guards armed with holstered semi-automatic pistols walked toward them.

“Good morning, Major Slade. We are here to take you to the training center.”

“Roger that.”

Level 15 was much larger than Snap had expected. As they walked through the open bay area they could see all types of equipment, some familiar, some not. There were saucer-shaped craft, tanks, and other armored vehicles in various states of disrepair. Skilled technicians were upgrading existing equipment and working on developing new types of armored fighting vehicles with exotic weapons systems. On either side of the large work zone were numerous doors that led to areas unknown.

“Part of orientation will be a tour of Level 15. You will be staying here for a while. Look over there,” the security guard pointed toward a set of non-descript double doors with no markings, “over there is Level 15 temporary housing. You’ll have sleeping quarters and a small dining facility.”

They continued walking. “Here we are, the training room. Someone will be with you shortly.”

“You’re not coming in?” Snap asked.

“Nope. My job was to see that you got to this point. Just walk through those doors, and someone will be with you shortly,” the guard said, as he turned to walk away.

“Very well.” Snap pushed open the plain metal door and walked into a large open room. The auditorium-sized room was very plain, with no decorations on the walls, and only three doors on the back wall. It reminded Snap of a high school gymnasium. To the right, were twelve chairs set up in three rows, all facing toward a blank wall. To the left there were mats on the floor like you would see in a karate studio.

“What the hell are we supposed to do here?” Sergeant Williams asked.

“I guess we just stand around and wait for someone to show up,” Justin Thomas replied.

“I wonder what that big ass dome is for,” Senior Master Sergeant Smith asked as he pointed toward the center of the ceiling.

“Damn, that thing looks like it is 10 feet across. I bet it’s some sort of surveillance device,” Sergeant Williams said.

By this time, most of the team was looking up at the large black dome. “It has some sort of reflective quality, I don’t think it’s is a video monitor,” Snap mumbled.

A great white flash of light instantly blinded Snap. A deafening crash of thunder forced them to cover their ears, as they felt a brief weightlessness sensation. Snap and the others were thrown to the floor by a violent force. Snap’s eyes were wide open, but he could not see. He struggled to focus and refocus, but his eyes could see nothing but white.

I can’t see. I’m blind.

Snap pulled himself to his hands and knees. The temperature was different; it was much hotter and very humid.

I can’t feel the concrete floor anymore. It feels like dirt or mud. Where the hell am I?

“I can’t see. Williams, Robins, are you here?” Snap called out to his squad.