Abrams shook his head. “Maybe, maybe not. We are starting to find traces of this substance above ground – in Arizona, Utah, Iowa, Idaho, Texas: the list goes on.” He looked up. “Something else…”

“Jesus Christ, there’s something else?”

“Pets, dogs, cats, local wildlife – they started to go missing just after these phenomena started. We thought that the animals, being sensitive, might have just hightailed it.” He exhaled. “But now people are also vanishing.” He called up more images. “And there are these…clues, hopefully.”

Decker leaned in to examine the images on the screen. “Is that…a language? Have we translated it?”

“We don’t know what it is. Our own experts say it could be a language, but none they know of – or at least none they know of existing today, or even in the recent past. But we haven’t yet consulted a few of the experts on ancient languages and symbolism.”

“Then do it. Someone is trying to tell us something – we need to know what it is.” Decker rubbed two gnarled hands through his hair. “Jesus Christ, Josh, I feel I know less now than when you started talking. We need to be on the front foot here – skip to what we’re doing about it.”

Abrams nodded. “The events, so far, seem random, unpredictable; so for the time, we should stick with what clues we have, and pursue them. The geologist, Bennet, reported the sleeve was in the wall, and that the walls were solidifying, like they had been soft. Maybe that’s how this thing occurred. The major activity is below ground; Bennet wanted to excavate.” He shrugged. “Maybe we should let him.”

“Yes.” Decker stared for a moment. “I need answers, and so far I feel we’re in the eye of a shit storm without an umbrella.” He half turned. “Have you got the media nailed down? Don’t need Joe Public banging on our door until we know what we’re dealing with.”

“We’ve got a lid on it for now, sir.” Abrams from his notes. “The majors from the television networks, radio and newspapers are all onboard. Also, the internet carriers – we needed to wave the National Security Act at them, but they’ll play ball. A few local news jockeys may try and run a story, but we’ve got counter-information ready to go.” Abrams half smiled. “For now, we own the data flow.”

Decker grunted. “Good man. Make it happen, Joshua.”

Abrams gathered his folders. “Already in motion, sir. I’ve dispatched one of my best people with a team of engineers down to Iowa. They’re going to pick up a languages expert on the way, rendezvous with Bennet and commence a subsurface excavation.” He turned to the screen, and the shredded blue-checked sleeve. “If there’s anything down there, we’ll find it.”

*

“Holy shit.” Matt eased the rental to the curb.

He pulled the scrap of paper from the dash and read the address again – this was it all right, but where he was expecting to see the hole in the ground where Bill and Margie Anderson’s house used to be, there was a huge inflated dome covering the entire site. Barriers were set up and two military men stood casually at the entrance.