Vertical Horizons

By Adam Green

Asteroids have crashed to Earth and with them brought a mysterious fog covering all of the land on the planet.  In the fog, monsters set to destroy anyone who ventures into it.  The question becomes, how can humanity survive?  But in the end, the bigger question will be, when is an alien invasion not an invasion at all?  Find the answers in Vertical Horizons.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adam Green
• Release date: Oct 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201866143

Adam Green

Adam Green Born in small town Missouri, Adam Green continues the family teaching legacy as a fourth-generation educator.  With two decades in public school education, he encourages youth to explore new ideas.  Using the inspiration of his imaginative children and students, Green combines pirate themes with science fiction.  Conduit is the first self-published book of a trilogy.  Green lives in Texas with his wife, two sons, and multitude of dogs.  Connect with him via Twitter: @AdamCGreen95.

Book preview

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BEFORE

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

8 YEARS LATER

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

NOW

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

EPILOGUE

BEFORE

Chapter One

Grace Hopkins wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye.  She sat in her seat at the Royal Ballet House and let her fellow attendees mill towards the exit.  Grace always made time to attend the Royal Ballet at least once a year, no exceptions.  The ballet always moved her to tears.  If she was honest with herself, it wasn’t just because of the excellence of the Royal Ballet, but because of her past ties to ballet.

Grace stared at the stage and reminisced.  She thought back to her own childhood of ballet slippers and rehearsals.  She truly had planned to become a principal ballerina for a major ballet company in London.  Hours and days at rehearsals as a child.  Countless weekends at rehearsals.  That seemed to come to a crashing halt when puberty hit.  Grace’s height shot up to almost six feet tall in just a couple of years, ruining her shot at being a principal ballerina for a prestigious house.  The truth was hard.  Tall ballerinas just didn’t make it very far.  Oh sure, companies always say It’s not about height but that wasn’t the truth.  Still, Grace never lost her love for the ballet, and that was why she always made time once a year to attend a show. 

With the option of ballet gone, Grace turned her interests elsewhere.  She turned her agility from years of rehearsals and her newfound height into a sport called netball.  She competed with her high school and became so good at the sport that she earned a scholarship to the University of Cambridge to compete for the school’s team. 

Using the scholarship, she found herself in one of the best universities in the United Kingdom, and there, she focused on her favorite subject from high school, science.  Grace focused on astronomy in particular.  She quickly moved through her four years at Cambridge earning excellent marks.  She applied and was admitted to the Institute of Astronomy for her further university study.  By this point, Grace knew she wanted to work for the United Kingdom Space Agency.  She focused on being a meteoricist, someone who studied meteors.  In particular, the way they traveled through space.  Since this was such a small niche, she was able to score great marks and rise to the top of her class. 

By the time Grace was twenty-eight, she was being recruited by the UKSA instead of her begging for an intern position there.  Grace joined the government agency and quickly rose to the top.  She had a very limited social life and preferred to focus her energy on her work, just as she had in college.  This path let her rise to the top of her branch of the agency in just two years.  Now, at the age of thirty, Grace had a personal assistant, two secretaries, and a small army of workers that helped her study the numerous meteors flying through space at any given time.

Grace finally rose from her seat.  The theater was mostly empty by this point.  She strolled down the aisles to the main stage and stood smiling up at the closed curtains.  This was one of the only times each year she allowed herself to detach from her job.  Even during holidays, she stayed plugged in to UKSA.  Grace would find herself at holiday dinners with her parents, listening to them argue amongst themselves and her siblings, hearing her other family members asking her when she was going to settle down and get married, all the while watching her work phone and constantly texting her army of workers on this and that.

Grace sighed and touched the stage.  She turned and began to exit the theater.  She pulled out her work phone and powered it up.  There was no point in powering up her personal cell yet, there would be no notifications anyway.  As the phone sprang to life, it began a torrent of spasms and beeps that made Grace think the device was broken.

She looked and the messages began to pour into her notifications.  Nine missed calls and twenty-two new text messages, all from her personal assistant, Winston Potter. 

Grace shook her head as she continued heading back up the aisle towards the exit of the theater. 

He knew I was going to the ballet tonight.  What could possibly be the matter?  She mumbled to herself.

Winston was an excellent assistant for Grace.  He was meticulous and often caught on to small mistakes Grace would sometimes make in her correspondence to the UKSA.  She was much stronger in the sciences than she was in grammar.  Winston also kept her calendar up to date with multiple reminders to keep Grace on track.  But, with all of these things in his favor, he could often find himself being overbearing and a fexter.  That was a term that Grace used for a person who frequently sends text messages.  What Winston could say in one text often stretched out over ten or more.

Grace stopped and thought for a moment as she looked at the incoming notifications.  Did she miss something big at the United Kingdom Space Agency?  Was it budget time?  A payroll notification that was due?  She couldn’t place anything off the top off her head.  She decided she would just have to call Winston.  She clicked through her missed calls and pushed Winston’s name.  The phone rang once and Winston was there.

Grace thought he sounded out of breath.  Winston’s nasal voice rang through the phone, Where are you?

Grace shook her head and began walking again.  Winston.  You knew that I was headed to the ballet this evening.  What deadline are we close to missing?

Winston responded, It’s not a deadline.  Something is happening.  Something big!  You need to get back to UKSA now!  The big boys are looking for you!  The big boys were the nickname that Grace and Winston had for the co-directors of the Space Agency.  Thaddeus Stewart and Wallace Willoughby.  Both men ran the organization and could be hard as nails and cold as winter when they wanted to be.  They typically left Grace to her own devices as long as she delivered her monthly reports on time.  The fact that they were looking for her wasn’t a good thing.

Winston.  I will have get there as soon as I can.  I will need to find a carriage or a ride-share.  Grace replied.

No need, ma’am.  I’ve already got a time-share waiting for you.  I called ahead.  You just need to get here immediately.  Grace made it to the outside as the London night had descended and a mist was beginning to fall onto the people exiting the Opera House.  She looked around and saw a driver standing outside of his car, looking rather irritated.  She thought that it might be her ride.

Excuse me sir.  Are you here to pick up Grace Hopkins?

Yes ma’am.  Is that you?  C’mon in.  We’ve got a bit of a ride ahead of us.

Grace nodded and crawled into the backseat.  The driver was right.  It was almost a two hour ride to Swindon and the UKSA.  Grace still had Winston on the phone.

I just got into my ride.  This will take a bit.  What is going on?

Winston responded.  I’m sorry Grace.  I’m not allowed to talk about it over the phone.  I’ll see you when you get here.

The call ended and Grace stared at the device.  Winston never called her by her first name unless it was truly an emergency.  Whatever was happening at Swindon must be bad.

Chapter Two

Grace learned that her driver went by the name of Rick.  Rick tried several times to make conversation but eventually realized that Grace wasn’t really in a talkative mood, and he gave up the conversation route.  The drive was a little shorter than the normal two hours due to the time of day and Rick’s aggressive driving but that didn’t help Grace much.  The drive might as well have taken twenty-four hours.

She sat in the backseat and looked in her interoffice email to see if she had missed some deadline.  When she discovered nothing overdue, she looked online to see if something had happened like a crashed satellite.  The United States always had old satellites deteriorating in orbit and crashing in flaming glory back to Earth.  Grace continued to search on both her work phone and her personal one as well hoping to find something that would clue her in to Winston’s apparent panic. 

Grace tried to call her assistant but received his voicemail only.  He had turned his own phone off.  Instead she texted him a short message and sat back into her seat.  Eventually, she and Rick the driver began to close in on Swindon. 

Grace leaned forward and asked, How much do I owe you for the trip Rick?

Rick shook his head.  It’s already been paid for ma’am.  That fellow that called me paid for it ahead of time.

Grace smiled.  Winston probably put it on the company dime.  Rick continued, All I need to know is where we are headed?

Grace considered stopping by her apartment in Swindon to change out of her formal attire that she wore to the ballet but then considered against it.  Her phone could be tracked by the Agency and obviously the higher-ups wanted her there now.  Instead, she replied, Do you know where the United Kingdom Space Agency headquarters is?

Rick was silent for a moment before replying.  Is it where the British National Space Centre used to be?

Grace smiled.  That’s it!

Rick looked back through his rearview mirror.  You work there?

Grace had the sinking feeling that this was leading into a conversation, but she opened the door and now felt like she needed to walk on through it.

I do work there.

What do you do?  Rick asked.

Mostly I look at rocks.  I’m a meteoricist.

Rick responded. I’ve never heard of a meteor whatever you said.  You look at rocks?  That must be boring.

Grace smiled, Yeah but they are space rocks!  I study all aspects of meteors.  The routes they travel in space, their chances of crashing to Earth, and then recovery if any of the pieces survive their impact on the surface.

Do you ever get to go out and collect these rocks that crash to the Earth?

Grace nodded, Sometimes.  If they are important impacts.  Mostly, I have a team of agents that go into the field to gather them up for my research.

Rick whistled.  A team?  I guess you must be a top dog there at the agency?

Grace leaned back into her seat.  Some days I am.  Some days, I just wish I was one of my agents going into the field.

Grace could see Rick’s head bobbing.  I think some days we all feel that way.  Hang in there ma’am.  It will get better.

Grace looked out the window and didn’t reply to Rick this time.  She saw that they were now winding through the streets of Swindon.  One more block to go and she would be at UKSA.  Grace still didn’t know what the emergency was about.  Winston hadn’t returned any calls.  She was going into her building completely unaware of what was happening, and she despised that feeling.

Rick came to a stop.  We’ve made it ma’am.  Good luck with your space rocks!

Grace exited the vehicle.  Thanks Rick.  I’ll take care of those rocks, don’t you worry.

Grace turned around and faced the UKSA building.  She had been called in to work at night before, but Grace felt as if the building was a bit more ominous tonight than usual.  Still, it was time to see what the fuss was all about.  With that, Grace began walking toward the main entrance.

Chapter Three

Grace entered the building and was passing through the security check when she saw Winston pacing up ahead.  Once she was through, he approached her at a rapid pace.

Miss Hopkins!  I know this was ballet night but I didn’t know what else to do.  Stewart and Willoughby have practically moved into our offices.  They keep demanding to know where you are!  Winston said followed by the man taking heavy breaths as if he had just ran a marathon.

I’m here now, Winston.  Tell me what’s going on?  Grace replied.

Truthfully, I don’t know the whole situation yet but the heads of all departments have been called in.  You have to head to the sit-rep room first and then to central.  Go on.  I’ll head back to the office and make sure everyone is ready to act when you get there.

Grace still had no idea what was happening but she walked to the elevator and pushed the button as Winston retreated back down the hallway to her wing of the building.  The building was set up where the majority of the departments had their own office suites on the first floor.  The second floor had a few offices for primary departments and the situation response room or sit-rep.  That would be her first stop and then she would take one more elevator ride to the third floor and the main office known as central.  Central was where communicators could speak with any astronauts on the International Space Station and handle Earth-to-space business.  One wall was filled with multiple computer screens filled with different real time data.  The setup was modeled after the United States’ NASA command. 

The elevator dinged and Grace stepped in and pushed the second floor button.  The elevator quickly arrived at its destination and Grace exited.  To get to the sit-rep room she had to pass through a couple of offices.  Both office suites she passed through were filled with a flurry of activity.  Normal routines for a Monday through Friday eight to five work week.  Definitely abnormal behavior for a Saturday night at midnight.

She arrived at the sit-rep room and scanned her identification badge.  The ID badge and her work phone were two items she was never without.  Her routine for leaving the flat was always, keys, purse, phone, work phone, ID badge.  The panel turned green and the door opened.

Grace entered the room and Thaddeus Stewart was waiting for her. 

Miss Hopkins.  Where the bloody hell have you been?

Sorry sir.  This is the one night a year that I always take off.  I request the time months in advance, and it’s been approved.

Stewart still seemed irritated.  I get that.  But how many times do we tell our employees to leave your phones on?  Turn the damn things to vibrate.

Yes sir.  I understand.  I just didn’t want the phone vibrating at the ballet.

Stewart didn’t look satisfied but he moved on.

Look at these pictures and tell me what you see.

Grace stared down at the table in the situation response room.  It was covered by eight by ten photos of various asteroids and meteoroids.  She was slightly confused of the photos.

What are these sir?  I’ve never seen these rocks before. 

Thaddeus Stewart scoffed.  Are you saying you’ve memorized the looks of all of our charted asteroids, Miss Hopkins?

Grace looked at the man unwavering.  Yes sir.  I have memorized all of our known meteoroids, asteroids, and comets that we have discovered in our solar system.  I’ve never seen these before.

Stewart was silent for a moment processing what she had said.  Well, you better memorize these.  I want to know why, just a few hours ago, this space debris, showed up on our long range telescopes for the first time!

Grace looked at her boss.  So, these NEOs, are five days out from Earth’s orbit?

Stewart shook his head.  No, Miss Hopkins.  They are three days out.  That’s why I want to know how your department dropped the ball in identifying and picking these things out?  There are unknown near-Earth objects headed our way, and you should have seen them two days ago!

Grace glanced back at the table and saw a picture buried under the pile on the desk.  She grabbed it and furrowed her brow.  Is this them?  The space debris you were talking about?

Thaddeus Stewart nodded.  Yes.  And you still haven’t answered my question Miss Hopkins.  I am this close to firing you now.

Grace looked at Mr. Stewart.  Something isn’t right here sir.  Asteroids and meteoroids don’t act like this.  Not in open space.  This isn’t an asteroid belt.  These things don’t travel in a straight line!

The picture Grace had unearthed showed the asteroids and meteoroids from a wide angle which appeared to be traveling through space in an organized pattern. 

Sir, I need to get to central to see these things and then to my people to figure this out.  You are saying they just showed up on our scanners and radars today?  Sir, these aren’t normal near Earth objects!

Chapter Four

The next stop was at central.  Central was the term used for the UKSA’s version of mission control.  It was modeled after the mission control created by NASA in Houston, Texas.  The United Kingdom’s Space Agency was never as active as the actual mission control in the United States.  In reality, it was only used when the UK had an astronaut on the International Space Station, or if a new satellite was being launched into orbit.  Today, was a different story.  It was packed with people working feverishly and staring at the objects traveling through the cosmos on the big screens mounted at the front of the room. 

Grace noticed Winston waiting for her with multiple other assistants near one of the sides of the room.  She wanted to grab him and head downstairs to her office and get to work on her theories, but first she needed to talk to the other man in charge, Wallace Willoughby.

Willoughby was standing in the center of the room, hands behind his back, staring at the large monitors at the front of the room.  As Thaddeus and Grace approached, she too looked at the multiple monitors all showing the same images at different sizes. But, these shots really brought to life the situation unlike the still images back in sit-rep.

Grace looked from monitor to monitor.  Some showed wide angles while others tried to zoom in as much as they could.  The meteoroids and