Area 51: The Reply-2 Read Free

into the open."
    "He was a hero," Kelly agreed.
    Mrs. Simmons reached out and her hand clutched Kelly's shoulder. "Was it worth it?"
    "Yes." There was no hesitation in Kelly's voice. "Johnny dedicated his life to finding out the truth, and what he helped uncover is the greatest truth of our time. It was worth it."
    "But is it a good truth?" Mrs. Simmons asked. "All these alien things they've uncovered; that message everyone is talking about—will everything turn out all right?"
    Kelly looked at the casket once more. "Yes." Then she whispered to herself.
    "It has to."

    12

Chapter 2
    Deep Space Communication Center (DSCC) 10 was one of two dozen radio receiving systems placed around the globe by the United States government in conjunction with various research organizations to monitor radio waves coming in to the planet from outside the atmosphere. At DSCC-10 twelve large dishes were spaced evenly across the desert floor, 250 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The setting sun reflected off the metal struts and webs of steel that pointed to the sky, listening with the infinite patience that machines are capable of.
    Cables ran from the base of each dish into the side of a large modern, one-story building. Inside the structure the two humans also had patience, that born of years of listening to the cosmos with no tangible results.
    The recent discoveries on Easter Island and the disclosure of the alien mothership and bouncers secreted away just miles to the north in Area 51 had proven beyond the slightest doubt that there

    13

    was extraterrestrial life in the universe and that that life had once had a colony on Earth. Humans were not alone, and while most of the planet focused its attention on what had been found, those in places like DSCC-10 were concerned with what was yet to be discovered among the stars.
    The message sent out by the guardian computer had jolted everyone out of their daily humdrum. Now those at DSCC-10, and at other listening posts around the world, watched their computer monitors with mixed hope and fear. Hope that a message would come back in reply and fear about what the message would be and who would be sending it.
    Jean Compton had worked at DSCC-10 for twelve years. Officially, and as far as her partner, James Brillon, knew, she worked for Eastern Arizona State University. In reality she worked for both EASU and the National Security Agency. Her job for the NSA was to have DSCC-10 ready as a backup to the Air Force's satellite dishes at Nellis Air Force Base. If the tracking station at Nellis went down, Compton was to use DSCC-10 to download classified data from the network of spy satellites that the U.S. had blanketing the planet as they passed overhead. The vast amount of data those satellites accumulated, and their limited storage space, made it imperative that each scheduled download be picked up or valuable intelligence could be lost.
    Compton had yet to have to do that backup job, but she did appreciate the extra paycheck she received each month from the United States government, deposited directly and discreetly into her checking account. She also had a classified In-

    14

    ternet address and code that she was supposed to use in case DSCC-10 ever picked up signs of intelligent alien life. All she knew about the organization on the other end was the designation, STAAR, and that the NSA told her to follow any instructions given by it.
    She didn't know what STAAR stood for, and after receiving the briefing from the STAAR representative at Nellis four years ago, she'd had no desire to know more. The man giving the briefing had sent chills up and down her spine with his emotionless detailing of instructions she was to follow in case they found evidence of extraterrestrial life. He was a tall man, with blond, almost white, hair cut short, his face looking like it was carved out of pale marble. She wondered if the man's skin ever saw the sun, yet he had worn sunglasses throughout the entire briefing in