“Be aware a bogey has just appeared at the target location and we have intermittent signals from a suspected bogey passing over Lake Superior.”

The warning, while a jarring note, was something the pilot had halfheartedly expected. No mission went without something unexpected messing up the works.

The copilot was looking to the east as if he could see the intruders when the pilot acknowledged the message from the Orion. He turned to the copilot and isolated the intercom to the cockpit. “Take your night gear off and watch for moving lights. If this is a UFO, it will be too bright to use the gear.”

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“Yes, Sir.”

“Spin up the missiles while you’re at it.” The pilot reset his communications and called the attack helicopters.

“Harp one and two light off radar and track the bogey over the target. Two can take it out when we get a range. I want One to fly cover for the troop carriers.”

“Affirmative.”

One of the lead attack helicopters began to ascend and slow to place itself over the two Blackhawks while the second attack helicopter wove back and forth across the sky ahead of the assault force.

“We are two minutes out. Begin assent.”

The force climbed above the treetops to gain enough altitude to see the target before getting so close they overran the house.

As they climbed, the pilot swore and pulled off his night vision gear.

A bright light was sitting over the target, dropping sparks like molten metal to the ground.