Phoenix

05.

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​Saint Bernardino County, California, USA - September 1

​The Goldstone Deep Space Communication Complex (GDSCC), a crucial part of NASA's Deep Space Network, stood isolated in the middle of the Mojave Desert.
Seventy massive dish antennas were spread across several square miles, constantly collecting signals from countless probes and satellites in space.

This was one of the three most important NASA observatories, established along with those in Madrid and Canberra, positioned 120 degrees apart to cover the entire curvature of the planet.

​More than sixty years had passed since Sputnik's launch in 1957. Since then, thousands of satellites and probes had invaded Earth's orbit. From near the sun to the orbit of Saturn, these mechanical eyes and ears sent daily feedback at regular intervals. Interstellar probes also transmitted signals from far beyond our galaxy.

​Donald Sullivan was a forty-one-year-old technician who had achieved nothing significant in his five years at the Goldstone observatory.

​But today was different.

​While checking the daily report of a specific probe in the large operations center, one particular signal caused his frown to deepen into disbelief. His eyes were glued to the screen, displaying a transmission from Voyager 2, the deep space probe NASA had launched in August 1977.

After more than forty years, it was still operational, having traveled millions of miles and left the solar system a few years ago.

​Was the mission-the ultimate goal for which it was sent-about to be successful?

​Sullivan set down his headset, his heart pounding in anticipation. With a trembling hand, he picked up the intercom receiver and dialed. After two rings, Jhon Kelvin, the operational head of the observatory, answered. "Hello?"

​"Sullivan speaking, sir."

​"Yes?"

​"An impossible thing has happened, sir. I received a transmission from Voyager 2. There's... there is something in it!"

​"What?"

​Sullivan shook his head. "I can't explain it, sir. You have to see it for yourself...!!!"

​Los Angeles, USA - September 2

​Jin reached Los Angeles last night, having completed his routine report submission at headquarters. He was technically on vacation, but upon hearing he was coming to the USA, Namjoon requested he pay a visit to the regional NIS branch in New York, where Arya was working.
He needed to oversee the mission reports and assess the branch's structural integrity, as Namjoon was too busy to visit himself.

Jin agreed readily; he was here to see Arya anyway, and taking on Namjoon's assignment was no trouble.

​Spending the night in a hotel, Jin arrived at the agency at exactly 9 AM. The moment he stepped onto the top floor of the building on Wilshire Avenue, he realized the timing was wrong.

​The entire floor looked like a war zone. Construction materials, power tools, and a swarm of workers created an overwhelming scene of disaster. The chaos, along with the deafening sound of sledgehammers and drill machines, was a painful assault on his eardrums.

​Jin was confused. The Los Angeles branch had acquired this space a month ago. He hadn't known they were this far from finishing the moving process.

​Amid the noise, the branch director, Kim Jong-il waiting for Jin by the elevator, greeting him with a welcoming smile as if the chaos were normal.