Phoenix, Arizona → Las Vegas, Nevada
Departing Phoenix, you climb into controlled airspace as civilian traffic continues unaware below. Your route follows a northwesterly track across barren desert corridors, long used for military transit. Las Vegas lies ahead—bright, exposed, and dangerously public. The first extended debris trail was tracked along this vector, suggesting the object began breaking apart earlier than originally believed.

The Expanding Field

Markson studies the radar playback again.

“It didn’t just break up over Arizona… it started much earlier.”

You nod, eyes fixed ahead.

Vegas glows on the horizon—too visible, too crowded. If anything landed here, it was dangerously close to being seen.

Ground crews meet you immediately on landing. No delay. No briefing room.

“Fragment confirmed outside city limits,” an operative says. “Recovered before sunrise.”

Too close.

Far too close.

The containment zone just got bigger.

Las Vegas, Nevada → Cedar City, Utah

Climbing out of the desert basin, you head northeast toward higher terrain. Cedar City sits on the edge of mountainous isolation, a region where radar coverage weakens and visibility becomes your only tool. Reports here came from long-range tracking arrays—not civilians.

Where It Broke Apart

“This is where fragmentation increased,” Markson says quietly.

The data shows multiple separation points—objects diverging mid-air.

“Not breaking…” you say.

“Deploying,” he finishes.

Ground teams confirm multiple smaller fragments across a wide radius. Not impact craters—placements.

The pattern is spreading.

Cedar City, Utah → Page, Arizona

Flying southeast, you re-enter Arizona airspace over vast canyon systems. Page sits near Lake Powell, where terrain becomes fractured and unpredictable—perfect for concealment.

The First Intact Piece

“General… this one’s different.”

The report comes in before you land.

The fragment here is whole.

No scoring. No burn marks.

Just… present.

You stare out over the water as you descend.

Whatever fell from the sky—

It didn’t fall apart.

It separated with purpose.

Page, Arizona → Albuquerque, New Mexico

A long southeastern leg takes you into Albuquerque, crossing isolated desert plateaus and military testing corridors. This region has long been associated with classified aerospace activity.

Old Secrets, New Threat

Markson glances at the briefing notes.

“This area… they’ve tested things here before.”

You don’t respond.

Because this feels different.

The fragment recovered near Albuquerque is larger—partially embedded but structurally intact. Ground engineers report internal cavities.

Empty.

Or waiting.

Albuquerque → Roswell, New Mexico

A short but symbolic leg. Roswell—a name already tied to decades of speculation.

History Repeats

Markson lets out a dry laugh.

“Of all places…”

But the mood quickly shifts.

The fragment here is emitting low-frequency signals. Not random.

Measured.

Repeated.

“This isn’t a coincidence,” you say.

Roswell wasn’t the beginning.

It was a warning.

Roswell → El Paso, Texas

Heading south toward El Paso, you approach a heavily monitored border region. Civilian, military, and federal surveillance overlap here—yet none flagged this event in time.

Blind Spots

“How did something this big go unnoticed?” Markson asks.

You already know the answer.

It didn’t.

The fragment here was tracked—but the data was buried.

Ground teams report interference with all electronic equipment within proximity.

Not damage.

Control.

El Paso, Texas → Tucson, Arizona

Crossing back into Arizona, the desert feels different now. Heavier. Watching.

Active Sites

“This one’s live,” comes the warning before landing.

The fragment is emitting energy—consistent, stable, deliberate.

You feel it before you see it.

A pressure.

A hum beneath thought.

Markson doesn’t speak.

He doesn’t need to.

Tucson → Imperial, California

Flying west toward California, the terrain flattens into harsh desert plains. Imperial is remote, unforgiving, and perfect for concealment.

Movement

Ground reports arrive mid-flight.

The fragment has shifted position.

Not far.

But enough.

You grip the controls tighter.

“They’re not static,” Markson says.

“No,” you reply.

“They’re aligning.”

Imperial → Long Beach, California

Now you enter densely populated airspace. Long Beach—too many eyes, too many variables.

Too Close to Exposure

“If one of these is seen…” Markson starts.

“It won’t be contained,” you finish.

The fragment here was recovered within hours—almost too quickly.

As if someone expected it.

You make a note.

There may be others involved.