The sirens are wailing nonstop. I leap up from my chair, in my office and look at the holoscreen security panel.

"What's going on?"

"We have a breach sir! Sector 6^D. Security team Delta is already en route."

"Evacuate and lockdown sublevels 5 through 15."

"Yessir."

Speakers crackle to life and I can hear the echo throughout much of Shamballa.

"All personnel protocol 4. S5 through S15 CODE EX. This is not a drill. Repeat. All personnel protocol 4. S5 throught S15 CODE EX."

My first thought is that this is impossible. I discard it and I head back to my desk and slide the fortezza card from my lapel into a slot on my secure console.

"Greetings Tech1. Do you wish to destroy all data stored on the servers at this facility?"

"Yes."

"Please enter code now."

With a few keystrokes I enter the code.

"Data and disks are being destroyed now."

The acid spray system is a failsafe installed at most secure facilities these days. Depriving the enemy of the priceless data stored on the servers is the first responsibility of the facility Director.

I click a few more keystrokes and a large panel drops down in front of my bookcase settling to a level which just obscures a first edition copy of Stewart Edward White's Arizona Nights.

The security camera views from throughout Shamballa appear all at once, like a hundred checker-boards filling the 8 foot diameter screen with tiny boxes. I walk over to the screen and touch a small square. It enlarges and I see the security team engaged in a firefight, a mile distant on the outskirts of Shamballa in sector 6^D. I cannot see what they are firing at, however. Only small bursts of light as bursts of automatic weapon fire can be seen.

It takes a few seconds to comprehend exactly what I am seeing, then it occurs to me the enemy, in large numbers, is cloaked in very expensive prototype invisible armor.

"This is Tech1 to security team Delta - engage IR visors - settings level four. Employ 33VSX Sabres!"

The prototype invisible armor was developed for the US in Valhalla almost ten years ago. It never was put into production because the cost per unit was over 2 million dollars. It was part of the Invisible Warrior program. The wearer can walk right through a grenade blast unscathed. Our own custom 33VSX Sabres are the only firearm that will crack that shell. Apparently the armor now has been developed and put into production - but by whom?

The armor adjusts to surrounding ambient temperature and the only telltale is a very small IR signature from the armor's onboard battery-pack which should be able to be observed by Delta team.

I watch as Delta team changeover to 33VSX Sabres, but 4 team members are already hit and down. Whatever the enemy is packing is damn powerful and cutting right through Delta team's armor.

I see a few direct hits on the enemy. Sparks flying and the enemy becoming visible as it's light bending fields are put out of commission. More gunfire as Delta team now can clearly locate their targets - 6 targets are already down under the merciless hail of Variable Sequencing AP ammo.

Tech2 enters my office his access card still in his shaking hand. He's wearing regulation armor and has two 33VSX Sabres slung over one arm.

"We've got another problem."

"Ok, Out with it!"

"Someone or something is approaching us underground - and fast. It set of the seismic sensors five miles out by the reading we received it must be huge."

How huge?

"Imagine ten thousand Michael Moores jumping on a trampoline."

"Damn that is huge.

"Our location and whereabouts have been divulged. They knew enough about our defenses to breach us - which as we both know should be impossible. I suggest we evacuate and destroy the facility entirely...now!"

A gnawing at my gut, appears. The idea of losing much of the objects and prototypes stored throughout Shamballa and the years and, yes, decades of work they represent makes my palms sweat and my brain hurts, aleady adding to the distraction of excess adrenaline pumping through my body. But he's right. I get on the horn.

"This is Tech1 code EX all levels. Shamballa code EX. This is not a drill. Repeat. Code EX all levels. Shamballa code EX."

Time seems to freeze as I watch the bursts of light get closer and larger on the screen. Delta team, comprising 100 troops, has been entirely wiped out.

"Alright. We don't have much time. Let's get to the airfield and get folks airborne, now!"

I grab my bag and throw on my flak jacket and grab a 33VSX Sabre from Tech2. I look back at my office and realize I will never see it again - even the first edition of Arizona Nights will be lost. It seems unreal.

We break into a run. The corridors flashing red light, which I have never had the opportunity to see at work, reminds me of the Enterprise's "red alert", if things weren't so dire I would make a joke about it.

I spot Tech7 as we emerge from the elevator which takes us to the surface. She is fully geared up and one could hardly tell that a gorgeous woman is under all that armor and weaponry.

"This is it, isn't it?" she says.

"Yes, this is it. I just wish I knew who or why. But there's no time for that now. Let's get safe first. Let's take an F22S"

We run to the airfield, where underneath a faux desert surface lies a corridor of aircraft. Others are still racing to one of two planes designed just for evacuation, modified C-17s with STOL ability, one is already starting to taxi to the runway with much of Shamballa's personnel.

Tech2 climbs the ladder and seats himself into the pilot's seat of the SDF8. I climb in the co-pilot's seat behind him and Tech7 sits at the communications console behind me. In short order the jet engines come to life. But even over the deafening engine noise is the sound and vibration of a large explosion in the distance. Shamballa's self-destruct bomb has detonated. We begin to move forward and head to the runway. A KC-135 in front of us is accelerating not waiting for the other C-17 to fully clear the runway before starting its take-off.

Tech2 guns the throttle and the F119 jet engines start roaring. I flip down an screen on my console and activate the perimeter cameras. I set them to IR scan mode. The sound of automatic weapons fire and bullets piercing our wing tells me the enemy is almost on top of us. The planes that have gone up have led them right to us - and these folks are not amateurs. The explosion of Shamballa did not slow them down a bit.

"Uh...Tech2...."

"You got it."

With a quick pivot and the sudden application of full throttle we are up in the air. I look out at the wings for damage and can't spot anything asides from a few perforations in one leading edge flap. All systems show nominal.

I look down and see an enormous craft emerge from the desert soil near where Shamballa used to reside. A craft with a drill like nose of which I have never seen the like. Troops are spilling out of it by the hundreds.

I get a GPS reading on the target and direct both of our 1000 pound JDAM missiles towards the craft. In less than ten seconds I watch as they explode on my monitor, creating a huge explosion, and as the smoke clears I can see it took whatever that craft was out of there, as well as taking many of the nearby enemy troops with it.

"Let's get the hell out of here."

70,000 foot pounds of thrust push us to mach 2.

As we hit the service ceiling and as I inhale a nice blast of oxygen, my mind still reeling from all that's occurred, Tech7 speaks up.

"Anyone take a look at today's help wanted ads?"