2040 Revelations
Page 39
They finally reached the end of the corridor and a heavy metal door was opened.
Sarah looked into the tiny cell in horror and planted her feet in desperation as they forced her forward. She jammed her foot against the door jamb, stopping her momentum, but a heavy shod boot kicked it away and she was thrown inside.
Sarah staggered forward, then spun round and surged back to the opening just as the door to the cell slammed shut with a resounding boom!
The sound of keys rattling, a lock clicking and metal bolts sliding into place preceded two sets of receding footsteps as the men retreated back the way they’d come.
Sarah screamed and hammered on the door. ‘NO!! Where are you going?! You can’t do this, I have rights! YOU CAN’T DO THIS!!
Outside the cell door her screams and shouts fell on deaf ears as the soldiers disappeared around the far end of the now empty corridor.
Sarah Morgan’s quest was at an end, and only her despairing cries for freedom echoing along the desolate halls of a top-secret facility, hidden deep underground, were testament to her ever having existed at all.
‘NO! Let me out!!’
The further down the hallway, the quieter her calls became.
‘You can’t do this … where are my friends … where are you going?! LET ME OUT!!!’
♦
‘Are the other two secure?’
The corporal gave a nod.
‘And their belongings?’
The second soldier handed a transparent plastic bag to his commanding officer.
The sergeant emptied the contents into a cardboard carton and peered inside, then poked around at the different items on display, the most interesting of which included a metallic tablet, parchments and a couple of pentagonal pendants.
He dismissed his colleagues and then sealed the box with red tape before writing some numbers on a white label on its side, and the words FOR ANALYSIS on the lid with a black marker pen.
He passed through an office, opened a door at the back of the room and entered a huge unlit storage facility containing row upon row of shelving housing boxes similar to the one he held. Under the dim light streaming in through the now open doorway, he walked down one of the aisles, his footfalls tip-tapping through the deserted area. Eventually he stopped and pulled across a ladder connected to a set of rails, then climbed up to the fifth level of ten and slid the box into an empty space alongside its fellows. Having deposited his cargo, he climbed back down and returned to his office, the sounds of his passage fading away to silence before he closed the door behind him, plunging the warehouse back into darkness.
♦ ♦ ♦
High in Earth’s orbit a large mirrored oval structure glided through space. Located on the side of its control module was a large NASA insignia and the letters D.S.D.A., and underneath these letters were the words Deep Space Detection Array.
Inside the white hull of the satellite, a brightly lit screen operated. In one corner red words reading Transmitting Telemetry Data blinked on and off. In the centre of the screen a small circle indicated Earth’s location, and spiralling out from this circle was a single line, which eventually came into contact with six red dots. Each dot had a small black window attached to it with the words Tracking at the top and a continuous flow of spooling data underneath.
Far out into space, the immense black asteroids under surveillance rotated slowly, glinting in the magnificence of the Sun, their momentum undiminished as they continued their inexorable, and unstoppable advance towards Earth …
Continued in …
2041: Sanctuary
Part 1: Dark Descent
(Book Two, Part One of Ancient Origins)
Available NOW on all Amazon websites
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AUTHOR NOTE
Thank you for choosing Ancient Origins, I hope you enjoyed the read; if you have the time, check out my new Ancient Origins Facebook page, where I’ll be keeping you up-to-date with all things Ancient Origins related – any ‘likes’ will be gratefully received! (Don’t have a Facebook account? Please visit the Ancient Origins News page on sancturian.com). If you’ve left me an Amazon review, or are about to, it’s very much appreciated; I endeavour to read all my reviews, good or bad, as without them I have no idea what works and what doesn’t. Your enjoyment, or lack thereof, helps guide my hand. My thanks once again and please read on for a comprehensive set of appendices and a few more author notes.
Sincerely yours
Robert Storey
APPENDIX A
GMRC CIVILIAN PERSONNEL
Professor Steiner – GMRC Subterranean Director General
Nationality: American
GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Alpha
Designation – Civilian
Deployment: GMRC Oversight / Transient
Skill set:
Subterranean structural engineering
Management and leadership
Planning, design and development
Mathematical modelling and forecasting
Computer code and software development
Malcolm Joiner – Director of U.S. and GMRC Intelligence
Nationality: American
GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Alpha
Designation – Civilian
Deployment: GMRC Oversight / Transient
Skill set:
Espionage and covert intervention
Intelligence gathering, restriction and dissemination
Information pathways
Management and leadership
Psychological warfare
Richard Goodwin – GMRC Subterranean Base Director
Nationality: American
GMRC Clearance – Level 9 Alpha
Designation – Civilian
Deployment: U.S.S.B. Steadfast
Skill set:
Management and leadership
Planning, design and development
Commander Hilt – Darklight Officer
Nationality: American
GMRC Clearance – Level 8 Delta
Designation – Civilian / Private Contractor
Deployment: Unavailable
Skill set:
Overt military action / Multi terrain warfare
Covert military intervention / Sniper techniques
Hostage retrieval and counter terrorism
Close quarters and unarmed combat
Leadership and management
Strategic planning
Nathan Bryant – Subterranean Facility Coordinator
Nationality: American
Global Acquisitions and Intelligence Liaison
GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Beta
Designation – Civilian
Deployment: GMRC Oversight / Transient
Skill set:
Organisation and management
Negotiation, arbitration and presentation
Linguistics, communication and translation
Dr. Kara Vandervoort – Ecosystem Director
Nationality: South African
GMRC Clearance – Level 8 Alpha
Designation – Civilian
Deployment: U.S.S.B. Steadfast
Skill set:
Biomechanical engineering
Management
Data analysis
Special Agent Myers – CIA Agent
CIA Special Operations Group (SOG)
Nationality: American
GMRC Clearance – Level 9 Delta
Designation – Civilian
Deployment: Transient
Skill set:
Covert military intervention
Close quarters and unarmed combat
Leadership
Strategic planning
<
br /> Mariana Lima – GMRC Public relations
Nationality: Brazilian
GMRC Clearance – Level 6 Beta
Designation – Civilian
Deployment: GMRC London Office
Skill set:
Public relations
Communication and presentation
Shen Zhǔ Rèn – GMRC Subterranean Base Director
Nationality: Chinese
GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Delta
Designation – Civilian
Deployment: P.R.C.S.B. Oversight / Transient
Skill set:
Management and leadership
Planning, design and development
Structural engineering
Dr. Daniel Sidwell – GMRC Subterranean Base Director
Nationality: English
GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Delta
Designation – Civilian
Deployment: E.U.S.B. Oversight / Transient
Skill set:
Management and leadership
Planning, design and development
Physics and chemistry
Sophie Merchant – Primary aide for Professor Steiner
Nationality: American
GMRC Clearance – Level 7 beta
Designation – Civilian
Deployment: GMRC Oversight / Transient
Skill set:
Organisation and presentation
Linguistics, communication and translation
APPENDIX B
U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL
Colonel Samson
SFSD, Special Forces Subterranean Detachment
(Codename: Terra Force)
Nationality: American
GMRC Clearance – Level 8 Alpha
Designation: Military – Special Forces
Deployment: U.S.S.B. Steadfast
Skill set:
Overt military action
Covert military intervention
Counter-insurgency
Close quarters and unarmed combat
Leadership
Brigadier General Ellwood
Nationality: American
GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Delta
Designation – Military
Deployment: U.S.S.B. Sanctuary
General Shultz
Nationality: American
GMRC Clearance – Level 9 Beta
Designation – Military
Deployment: U.S.S.B. Steadfast
General Redshaw
Nationality: American
GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Beta
Designation – Military
Joint Chief, retired in 2032
General Hampton (1955 – 2030)
Nationality: American
GMRC Clearance – Level 10 Delta
Designation – Military
APPENDIX C
ARCHAEOLOGISTS
Sarah Elizabeth Morgan
Nationality: English
Profession: Archaeologist, Anthropologist
Trish Brook
Nationality: English
Profession: Archaeologist
Jason Reece
Nationality: Welsh
Profession: Archaeologist
Carl Benson
Nationality: Scottish
Profession: Archaeologist
APPENDIX D
ALBUQUERQUE RESIDENTS
Rebecca
Nationality: American
Profession: Mental health worker
Joseph
Nationality: American
Mentally handicapped man
Julie
Nationality: American
Profession: Mental health worker
Maria
Nationality: American
Profession: Mental health worker
Edna
Nationality: American
Mentally handicapped woman
APPENDIX E
OTHER PERSONS
Selena Adams
Vice President of the United States of America, 2016 – 2020.
Nationality: American
Retired from GMRC in 2034
Mark Sanders
Sarah Morgan’s boyfriend
Nationality: English
Profession: Office worker
Frank
Nationality: South African
Profession: Retired pilot
Javier
Nationality: Honduran
Profession: Bus driver
Yochi Cayut
Expert in ancient Mayan civilisation
Nationality: Guatemalan
Profession: Lecturer at Mayan University, San Benito.
Victor Fernandez
Expert in ancient Mesoamerican languages
Nationality: Mexican
Profession: Philologist at National Museum of Anthropology,
Mexico City, Mexico.
Jessica Klein
BBC Newsreader and TV Presenter
Nationality: English
Profession: Journalist
Professor Guraj Singh
Academic from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics
Nationality: Indian
Profession: Astrophysicist
Michael Bailey
Works for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Nationality: American
Profession: Civil Servant
Dr. Mowberry
The Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, 2029 –
Nationality: English
Tyler Magnusson
Nationality: American
Profession: NASA Astronaut
Ivan Sikorsky
Nationality: American
Profession: NASA Astronaut
Captain Takahashi
Captain of Darklight aircraft carrier Phoenix
Nationality: Japanese
Enitan Owusu
United Nations Secretary General, 2038 –
Nationality: Nigerian
Keira Jones
Nationality: English
Profession: BBC News correspondent
Clare Andrews
Nationality: English
Profession: BBC News correspondent
Martin Johansson
Nationality: Scottish / Swedish
Profession: BBC News correspondent
Simon MacDonald
Nationality: Scottish
Profession: BBC News correspondent
Andrew Stapleton
Nationality: English
Profession: BBC News correspondent
Dr. Middleton
Sarah Morgan’s mentor when she was at university.
Nationality: English
Profession: Archaeologist, Anthropologist, Lecturer
David Broad
Chief of Staff to Vice President Selena Adams, 2016 – 2020.
Nationality: American
Profession: Civil Servant
Retired from GMRC in 2025
APPENDIX F
ORGANISATIONS
BBC – British Broadcasting Corporation. Television, radio and multimedia network broadcaster operating in the United Kingdom and globally / www.bbc.co.uk
GMRC – Global Meteor Response Council. International organisation set up by the world's nations for the protection and preservation of humanity, civilisation and all life on Earth.
MNA – Museo Nacional de Antropología / National Museum of Anthropology (Mexico) / www.mna.inah.gob.mx
NASA – The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (civilian space agency of the United States government) / www.nasa.gov
United Nations (UN) – International organisation for law, security, human & civil rights, political freedom and world peace / www.un.org
APPENDIX G
FACILITIES, UNITS & DESIGNATIONS
U.S.S.B. – United States Subterranean Base
China Lake Facility – C Class subterranean base
Footprint: circa 2.2 sq. miles (5.7 sq. km)
Height: 800 ft (0.24 km)
&
nbsp; Depth from surface: 2,000 ft (0.6 km)
Cubic capacity: 0.34 cubic miles (1.4km³)
Year of build: 1990 – 2007
Population: circa 2,300
U.S.S.B. Steadfast – A Class subterranean base.
Footprint: circa 20 sq. miles (52 sq. km)
Height: 7,500 ft (2.3 km)
Depth from surface: 3,000 ft (0.91 km)
Cubic capacity: 28.7 cubic miles (119.6 km³)
Year of build: 1996 – 2035
Population: circa 500,000
U.S.S.B. Sanctuary – A Class subterranean base
U.S.S.B. Haven – B Class subterranean base
U.S.S.B. Washington – B Class subterranean base
P.R.C.S.B. – People’s Republic of China Subterranean Base
E.U.S.B. – European Union Subterranean Base
P.R.C.S.B. Shanxi – A Class subterranean base
Darklight – Private security firm
SFSD – Special Forces Subterranean Detachment
(Codename: Terra Force)
COG – CIA’s Special Operations Group
DOD – U.S. Department of Defense
Territorial Army – British volunteer reserve force