Written by: Brandon Sheehan August 6, 161

There are some subjects Alexandra will not speak of. She’s always gentle in her refusals, telling me she isn’t ready to relive those memories yet. And while I respect her wishes, I’ve still desired a deeper understanding of those pivotal moments in our history. To satisfy my yearnings, I began combing through the archives available in Systems.

It all reminded me of a spiral.

Spirals all share a similar shape; a point begins a line that curves endlessly, enclosing but never touching its earlier self. An image evoked by those words would imply a spiral is continually expanding, never ending. But is it? Is this the only way to describe a spiral? Seen from another perspective, the beginning point might be somewhere unseen and unknowable, only perceivable by the line it draws as it curves inwards, its form holding all the force within, each former curve enclosing the next, compressing itself until it arrives at an ultimate end.

I began to wonder which perspective represents the course of human civilization? The ultimate closure or an ever-expanding outward curve? Could it be both? Could the Catastrophe have been the ending of one spiral, birthing another at the point of its own demise?

If humanity has the chance to begin anew, then who we will become is yet to be determined. No one wants to encourage the behaviors that lead to the horrors of the Catastrophe. If humanity is to be more than who we were on the surface, the choices we make and the decisions we live by will determine who our descendants will become. And so it will be for the hopefully countless generations who follow.

From a historical perspective, the previous spiral of human civilization resembles a surface storm known as a tornado. As humankind progressed further on the spiral, destructive events occurred with increasing frequency, until the end was finally reached. It could be said that the demise of surface civilization hinged on one person’s ego; once Vladimir Putin realized his aspirations of returning to empire were fading, he and others secretly began implementing their final solution. As other nations became aware of these actions, they undertook their own drastic preparations. (1)

On the day this story takes place, the early news cycle had been dominated by the scheduled debate between presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, planned for later in the evening. Unfortunately for the political pundits of the day, another event captured the world’s attention hours earlier when we announced our presence through the Pharos Project.

Pharos is an ancient word meaning “lighthouse”, a tower shining a light upon and exposing hidden hazards. In this case, it meant revealing our presence to the world while highlighting the danger our unmasking would expose. Our purpose was also to give a small glimmer of hope to a world where individuals shouldered the burdens of a situation over which they had little to no control.

Pharos can have another meaning, that of a beacon, luring those who glimpse its light, akin to a siren’s song of enticement. And so too did our project, tempting those who met within the halls of the United States Capitol Congress, with overheard conversations which then led to finding scenes of extravagance within a luxurious underground bomb shelter. It was all fabricated, of course, and when those targeted nibbled at the first lure, they were rewarded in their search results with images, news articles, property records, and supposed episodes of decades-old television shows showing the lifestyles of those who had much, much more than anyone could ever need.

The circumstances of the Catastrophe do not excuse the behavior of those who traveled to West Virginia. Unlike the vast majority of the surface population, they actually had options in the event of a major attack on the nation. As elected officials, they and their immediate families were entitled to accommodations in shelters run by the federal government. While the locations were closely held, the fact of their existence was known. So when the identities of the five participants who tried to wrest control over a private luxury shelter were revealed, hardly anyone was surprised. These antics were, in fact, consistent with their personas. (2)

Introducing the Foundation and the Habitats to the surface world was historic in and of itself. That it came at the expense of such venomous characters gives the moment a sweet tinge of schadenfreude, even to this day. To be clear, the Foundation laid a trap, but in a way that required those targeted to seek it out actively. Our ethical and moral standards demanded no less.

The event was streamed live through an earlier agreement with various news media worldwide, and the Foundation announced our presence in the process. And so a transcript of a surface newscast covering Pharos seems to be the most apt retelling.

- September 10, 2024

[Author's Note: This entire story is a work of fiction. All historical characters were chosen to create a believable narrative, and every word they speak is a part of this author's imagination. However, any actions brought up by the main character have a verifiable source, which can be found in the citations. As always, you can toggle Citations on and off through the Focus Settings button should you find them annoying to your auditory or visual experience.]

scene description: [A video of a newscast appears, with a chyron displaying "Event near Woodville, WV," appearing alongside the MSNBC logo at the bottom. The rest of the screen is filled with video taken from a high overhead perspective, focusing on three black SUVs traveling along a narrow, one-lane road. The lead vehicle is farther ahead than the others and can be seen swinging left onto an even narrower road.]

action happening: [The voice of Nicole Wallace, anchor of the time slot, can be heard.]

Nicole Wallace (NW):

Good afternoon, it's 4:30 out east, 1:30 out west. While we wait for the presidential debate to begin later this evening, we are following an incident unfolding near Woodville, West Virginia, located approximately twenty-five miles southwest of Charleston. To the best of our understanding, the vehicles you see on your screen contain multiple members of Congress.

action happening: [The video changes to a closer overhead view of the first car entering a circle of fallen trees. The curved edge between the fallen trees and those left standing is as sharp as if it had been sliced with a laser. A cleared road and path lead to the steps of a concrete-block building.]

We have former Senator Claire McCaskill with us live from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Claire, do you have any idea what's going on?

Clair McCaskill (CM): [voice over]

I have no idea, Nicole. I cannot think what any member of Congress would be doing in such a remote area, let alone enough members to need three cars.

scene description: [The screen splits in two vertically, showing the original overhead view on the right. The left tracks the large SUV approaching and moving into the empty, cleared area.]

Rachel Maddow (RM): [voice over]

Whatever this is, it's giving us some great camera angles.

NW: [voice over]

Rachel Maddow is coming in for this. Rachel, do you have any more information on what we're seeing?

RM: [voice over]

Nothing we can verify yet, but we are hearing unsubstantiated rumors, and I mean not yet confirmed by NBC News or any other source, about highly secretive briefings given by the CIA and DOD to members of Congress within the last week. We've also seen an uptick in the immediate family of some members flying into Reagan National shortly after the first of those meetings.

scene description: [The left screen shows four figures exiting the parked SUV, and the angles change as cameras zoom in, displaying and identifying each one in turn.]

action happening: [The first closeup shows a man with a mottled, more gray than brown mustache, accompanied by a similarly colored beard growing under his round and jutting chin line. Words appear underneath the image: "Ted Cruz, Junior Senator of Texas."]

NW: [voice over]

Wow, now I'm even more curious.

action happening: [The next shows a man whose thin, indeterminate-colored hair was cut as if someone had trimmed it by setting a bowl around his head. The words "Paul Gosar, U.S. Rep., AZ-9" identify him. The other two are labeled as "unidentified OathKeeper Militia member," along with close-ups of the distinctive yellow insignia on their brown hats. Each of the militia members has a long black rifle slung over their back and is masked.

Chris Hayes (CH): [voice-over]

Ted Cruz, Paul Gosar, and what appears to be two members of the Oath Keepers militia group carrying semi-automatic rifles. Gee, I wonder what they all have in common? (1)

scene description: [The right side of the screen splits horizontally, the bottom half displaying the evening anchors from MSNBC sitting around a studio set decorated with red and white stripes on one side and a horizontally split red and blue color block on the other. In between, the words "Decision 2024" appear above an image of the White House, the official home of the President of the United States. The top half continues showing the overhead image tracking the remaining two vehicles as they move along the same one-lane road, while the larger image on the left focuses on the four figures walking toward the structure.

The chyron changes to: "Congress members, militia in WV for unknown reasons."]

NW:

It's 4:40 on the East Coast, 1:40 out west, and I've been joined by everyone slated to be on the air with us tonight. We have with us Lawrence O'Donnell, anchor of The Last Word, Joy Reid of the Reidout, Rachel Maddow of the Rachel Maddow Show, Chris Hayes of All In and Claire McCaskill, former Senator from Minnesota, still with us from Philadelphia, where we are waiting for the first, and possibly last presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, the disgraced twice impeached ex-president who has recently been convicted of thirty four felonies in the State of New York.

What you are seeing on your left is a live shot from Woodville, West Virginia, a sparsely populated area in the southwest portion of the state. We currently believe, but cannot independently confirm two of the people in the shot to be Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who is equally disliked by his fellow senators on both sides of the aisle and Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona, who, along with Cruz, did everything he could on January 6th to steal the election from Joe Biden. They are accompanied by two unidentified men wearing the insignia of the Oath Keepers militia group, whose leader, Stewart Rhodes, was convicted of seditious conspiracy in late 2022 for his role in the failed coup attempt. The upper right portion of your screen displays a live overhead view of two other vehicles headed to the same spot. For now, let's watch." (2)

scene description: [The left screen splits horizontally into two. The top half shows the four figures approaching from the front, while the bottom half shows the same scene from behind. The four figures move closer to the structure, composed of tightly fitted concrete blocks framing a deeply set metal door. The blocks on either side of the door flare out to frame a small porch at the top of three wide stairs.

Joy Reid (JR):

Wait, I've seen that doorway somewhere. But wasn't Eureka filmed in the Pacific Northwest? (3)

Lawrence O'Donnell (LO):

You're right, Joy; it does remind me of the bunker entrance.

scene description: [The top left screen shows Ted Cruz, a deep brown leather bag slung over his shoulder, a few steps ahead of Paul Gosar. Cruz is struggling to fasten the button of his sports coat as they walk toward the structure. Once the button finally holds, it strains and fails to contain his white shirt beneath the thin gray and blue plaid pattern of his sports coat.

The bottom left screen displays Gosar and Cruz's perspective as they approach the thick walls, which seem to enclose the steps, slanting slightly outward from the metal door looming larger every second. As Cruz places his foot on the first step, a large, dark red button appears on a rectangular screen set at shoulder height on the door. The words "Push for Service" are rendered in white. Once on the porch, he touches the button, and the old-fashioned "ding-dong" of house bells from the 1960s is audible through the door.] CM:

That doorbell is right out of my childhood.

CH:

This is really creepy.

scene description: [The top right image shows the remaining vehicles entering the cleared circle and moving to the parking area.]

JM:

This has to be a setup of some sort, those types of camera angles, all of it being streamed out like this?

NW:

I agree, Joy. Hold on, something's happening.

scene description: [The button fades, replaced by a video view of an older woman, her dark brown wavy hair hanging loose around her shoulders, combs topped with small red and yellow flowers catch her hair up on either side, away from her face. Her bare shoulders rise above a dark square caftan-like blouse, a broad open-edged square of brightly colored flowers embroidered at the top.

Woman:

Hi, how can I help you?

Ted Cruz (TC):

Hi, what's your name?

Woman:

My name is Alexandra.

action happening: [She lets out a slightly childish giggle.]

It looks like there's more coming. Buzz me when everyone's here.

action happening: [Alexandra's face is replaced by the service button. Cruz turns around on the bottom left screen, as the top right screen shows those exiting the other two vehicles, each labeled with their identity. "Lauren Boebert, U.S. Rep., CO-3" and "Matt Gaetz, U.S. Rep., FL-1" overlay two of the figures. The woman, identified as Boebert, is slim with dark brown hair streaming below her shoulders, while Gaetz's receding hairline, combined with his large forehead, gives off a horn-like aspect. The other two individuals, both masked and dressed in black and yellow with matching caps, are labeled "unidentified Proud Boys." We can see Cruz and Gosar, accompanied by their security, move back to the vehicles to speak with the new arrivals. (4)

Four more disembark from the last vehicle. "Marjorie Taylor Greene, U.S. Rep., GA-14" references a woman whose thin, blond, stringy hair hangs lifelessly across her shoulders, sporting a sneer on her face. Three men also exit, two of whom are masked and wearing hats adorned with a small round emblem labeled "unidentified Three Percenter militia." The last man, wearing a blue shirt, approaches the named figures, and the unseen camera zooms in to show him affixing portable microphones onto each. He reaches into the back of the vehicle and hefts a camera emblazoned with the Fox News logo onto his shoulder. (5)]

scene description: [The screen rearranges itself into two side-by-side images as everyone returns to the building. The right shows the group approaching, with Cruz in the lead, followed by Gosar and Boebert, then Gaetz, and finally Greene. The Fox cameraman trails behind, followed by the militia members who are spread behind, guns at the ready. The left screen shows the perspective of the group from the back as the bunker with the inset doors looms as everyone approaches.]

[Cruz once again pushes the button displayed on the door, and on the left side, the view changes to show the door, the entirety resolving into a screen. A large image of the same woman appears, seated at a desk in a nondescript cubicle. The image tightens on the woman.]

AH:

Oh, hi, everyone, I'm Alexandra. Wow, this is quite a crowd; what can I help you with?

TC:

Well, we'd like to come in.

AH:

I'm sorry, I can't do that.

Marjorie Taylor-Green (MTG):

Why the hell not?

AH:

Well, to start with, a number of your party are carrying weapons, and we have a strict no firearms policy here, so if you want to get to the next part, you'll have to leave your guns in your cars. If not, well, I guess we're done."

scene description: [She reaches in front of her and the left screen once again shows the metal door with complete with the small screen showing the Push for Service button, the image slowly pulling back until the figures facing the door come into view.]

LO: [voice-over]

Well, she certainly told him.

<

scene description: [The right side of the screen resolves back to the studio set as the left side shows the entire group walking back to the parking area.]

NW:

Does anyone have any additional information about what's going on? Is that really a bomb shelter?

CH:

It certainly looks like it could be the entrance to one, but something seems really off to me.

scene description: [The left screen shows the militia members divesting themselves of the long rifles, and taking up mercenary-like weapons, which fit into holsters they tuck under their jackets. Boebert can also be seen holstering a gun. Gaetz removes an aluminum case from the back of one of the vehicles.

LO:

So much for compliance.

action happening: [Everyone walks back to the door, Gaetz, Gosar and Greene trailing Boebert and Cruz, who once again pushes the button. The screen once again shows two split images, showing both perspectives of the interaction. On the left screen, the entire door once again becomes a monitor, and Alexandra is seen seated with cubicle walls clearly visible behind her. Her image once again fills the screen.]

AH:

Did everyone put away their guns? Good!"

action happening: [She beams]

Now, what can I do for you?

TC:

action happening: [His lips curve up in what might be meant as a smile.]

Well, we'd like to come in.

AH:

Certainly. Can I have your names, please?

TC:

I'm Ted Cruz, and behind me are Paul Gosar, Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz, and Marjorie Taylor Greene. The rest are just here to keep us safe.

AH:

Thank you!

action happening: [Keys can be heard clicking.]

Now I just need everyone's access codes.

Lauren Boebert (LB):

Access codes, I never heard anything about access codes.

AH:

Well, everyone who has been invited to succor with us is given an access code. No code, no entry.

TC:

Are you a believer, Alexandra?

AH:

action happening: [She pauses notably before answering.]

I carry deeply held beliefs.

TC:

I can tell you're someone who shares the same beliefs I do. As a Christian, I implore you to have mercy on those of us here seeking shelter from the oncoming storm. Who in authority can we speak to? I'm sure there's someone who will do the right thing and open the door to us.

AH:

Well, I'm on door duty today, which means I'm the one in authority. You could always try again when someone else is on and see if they'll do it differently. Clarissa is on rotation after me, but she's a stickler for the rules, that one. Oh, Richard is up after her; he's pretty easy going.

action happening: [another pause]

Naw, that won't work either; he's as scared of Effie as any of us, and if we broke the rules, well, I don't even want to think about what she'd do.

Nope, I'm sorry, but everyone who's given this location is also given an access code. I don't know why you don't have one, but maybe if you contacted whoever told you about us, they'd be able to hook you up.

action happening: [She gives an obvious shrug of her shoulders and begins to reach out, obviously ready to terminate the encounter.]

TC:

Wait.

action happening: [Digs into his bag and comes out with a legal file.]

AH:

What now?

TC:

I hoped you'd give us access in a friendly manner, but since that's obviously not going to happen, we'll have to go another route.

action happening: [clears his throat]

I'm not sure you are aware that I am a United States Senator, and my four friends here are with me as representatives of their districts in the United States Congress. We stand here as authorized by the United States Government, which declares the land we are standing on is now claimed as federal land. I have a Federal Declaration of Taking for this property. You might know it as eminent domain. This document requires everyone to vacate the grounds immediately. I need you to open the door to accept service. (6)

AH:

A court order? Why didn't you say so in the first place? Hold up.

action happening: [The sounds of a keyboard are audible, and a rectangular glow appears on the wall to Cruz's right.]

Okay, we're good to go; I've turned on the scanner. Just hold each piece of paper to the lighted rectangle, and I'll capture the image.

action happening: [Cruz appears unsure of what to do with this turn of events. Finally, Boebert walks up, takes the papers, and begins holding each piece up to the lighted rectangle. While this is happening, Alexandra's image on the left fades and is replaced by the digital images of each page as it is scanned. The right side once again shows the seated anchors on the MSNBC set.]

NW:

While this document scanning is happening, I want to try to summarize what looks to be an ultra crazy situation. We are watching five self-identified members of Congress, along with six members of the various militias who participated in the January 6th storming of the Capitol, standing in front of a bomb shelter that looks like it was plucked straight out of a science fiction series, attempting to gain access through eminent domain.

RM:

You know, a Hollywood studio would reject anyone coming in and pitching this as too unbelievable. But here we are, smack dab in the middle of Earth 2.

action happening: [Boebert holds up the last page and passes it to Cruz, who angrily stuffs the now loose papers back into his bag. After a brief pause, the left screen is again filled with the image of Alexandra.]

scene description: [The MSNBC set on the right is replaced by a view taken from the perspective of the door, showing everyone who is standing in front of the building.]

AH:

Good news! I found a lawyer down here. They're going through the documents now, so we've got a few minutes to chat, and there's something I have to ask you. Ted, you said you're all members of Congress, four representatives and one senator, each from a different state, none of which even borders West Virginia. Why are you here?

Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG):

We're here because you're rated the best bomb shelter closest to DC. If I've gotta live underground for a while, I'd rather live like a queen instead of in a shithole.

MG:

Shut up! We aren't supposed to talk about it!

scene description: [The video on the right shows everyone, including the militia members, turn to stare at Greene, who begins to turn red.]

[Note: This audio was available only through the Fox News camera feed and added in order to maintain a complete record.]

action happening: [Quiet audio between voices recognizable as Gosar and Gaetz is heard.]

Paul Gosar (PG):

Hey Matt, what's in the case?

MG:

Just a little something something to encourage them to cooperate with us once we get inside.

PG:

What is it? Tell me.

MG:

It's a dirty bomb.

PG:

Woah, you brought a nuclear weapon with us? You're crazy, man. Where'd you get it?

MG:

I wouldn't use it, not while we're in there, for sure. But just having it should make them cooperate.

PG:

Maybe man, but I'm not sure I like it.

[official transcript audio begins again.]

AH:

You know, I can totally understand wanting to protect yourselves and those you love from violence; we all have an instinct for survival. But you are the last people I'd expect to hear this argument from, especially since I know every one of you has demonized others for the same instinct. (7)

Personally, I don't think any of you belong with us, regardless of this eminent domain thingie. None of you is anything like anyone who's sheltering here. I mean, your entire so-called security detail is made up of members of the militias involved in the attempt to overthrow the same government you claim to represent.

action happening: [She begins to laugh, and has to wipe her face before continuing.]

And each of you; self-serving, greedy, chaotic and amoral. You want to live with us? It's so horrifying, it's almost funny. There's no way any of you would ever fit in here.

scene description: [The right screen focuses on each person in turn as Alexandra addresses them.]

Ted, you tried to take away healthcare for millions of your fellow citizens by forcing a government shutdown lasting sixteen days, during which time, on the Senate Floor, you read from the lengthy tome, "Green Eggs and Ham." How can we open our doors to someone who believes not everyone has the right to healthcare? (8)

action happening: [Cruz begins to glower, and his skin becomes flushed.]

And Paul, you tried to cut off aid to an ally of the very government you are a part of. Instead of upholding the cause of democracy, your actions encouraged a despot bent on recreating a lost empire, and you've been just fine with leaving the millions of people whose land he invaded at risk of death and subjugation. Who does that? What kind of person blithely advocates for the very ideologies this country fought against at its inception? Why would we want such a person to live among us? (9)

action happening: [Gosar's mouth opens and shuts, rapidly, with no sounds appearing.]

Matt, you single-handedly deposed the Speaker of the House in revenge for an ethics investigation into charges that you had sex with underage girls. We have an ethical and moral obligation to protect those who cannot yet protect themselves; you are definitely not welcome. (10)

action happening: [Greene starts snickering at Gaetz's squirming.]

AH:

And Marge.

MTG:

action happening: [Greene stops snickering abruptly.]

My name is Marjorie.

AH:

Is it? I'm sure it's what you prefer, but you look like a Marge to me, so that's what I'll call you. After all, who are you to insist on others honoring your chosen identity when you refuse to do the same? My, you're nothing but antics, aren't you? No real regard for those you were elected to serve. You chase children who were forced to live through a horrific school shooting, spewing hatred at someone who had the audacity to survive what should never have happened, when in fact, you've called for more guns on the streets. You heckled the duly elected President during a formal speech, and while you've introduced 52 bills into Congress, none of them did anything to help anyone in the district you supposedly represent. To say you are self-serving and care only for yourself is simply stating the obvious, and your antics aren't welcome here. (11)

action happening: [Greene's pale skin slowly begins to turn red, creeping up from her neck, staining her cheeks all the way into her hairline.]

And Lauren, so many scandals. Grandmother to a child fathered by your then seventeen-year-old son, who was subsequently arrested for theft and identity theft. I'm guessing the apple doesn't fall far from the tree since you seemed to have no problem spending campaign money on rent and utilities until you got caught and had to pay it back. Not only is it clear you lack moral clarity, but you've also raised your children in the same manner. (12)

action happening: [Each of the named persons begins to yell and argue, and nothing coherent can be made out.]

AH:

I have our lawyer's response, which I'm instructed to read to you verbatim.

action happening: [She clears her throat and puts on a serious expression.]

We reject your silly attempt at taking our property away. Your document isn't legal; it lacks two necessary items. An offer of fair market value at the time of the taking, and most importantly, the order is neither signed nor docketed. This document is a waste of paper, and therefore, our door monitor has been instructed to deny you entrance.

So there it is, I'm instructed not to let you in. I want to be clear, though, even if you did have valid access codes, I wouldn't open the door to any of you since none of you possess the character traits we're looking for.

You can all leave now.

Goodbye.

LO:

Huzzah for someone actually knowing the law. Did we just watch Ted Cruz, former Solicitor General of Texas, knowingly pass phony documents in order to seize land? I certainly hope someone at DOJ is monitoring these shenanigans.

MTG:

action happening: [grabs the aluminum case from Gaetz and runs to the door.]

You open the door this moment, or I'll blow this!

MG:

Majorie, you dumb bitch! A dirty bomb won't work through a blast door. We've got to get in there first.

MTG:

Yeah, but if we set it off, it'll poison everything and everyone around here, won't it? Wouldn't want that to happen now, would we? You say you're a Christian, Alexandra. Now, would a real Christian want to be the reason something so bad happened? Do you really want a bunch of people dying because you wouldn't open the door? Do you really want to live with all that on your conscious?

AH:

action happening: [suddenly looks nervous]

No one who follows the teachings of Jesus could even conceive of shouldering such a responsibility; I'll unlock the door.

action happening: [The door opens, and the members of Congress begin to crowd into the entrance, ignoring the attempts of the militia members to enter first. ]

scene description: [The screen becomes one full image, displaying an overhead view of an empty, dimly lit interior room set upon a solid concrete slab. There are no windows, just bare corrugated steel walls set along three sides. The doorway is visible and shows everyone entering, then stopping abruptly, halting the militia members who are still outside.]

PG:

What in the ever-loving hell?

action happening: [Everyone slowly moves further into the building, militia members fan out along the walls, as the members of Congress gather about a third of the way inside.]

AH:

Shaka!

action happening: [The steel walls, along with all the roof panels, fall outward with a dramatic crash. Everyone whips around at the sound as the room brightens and a full-sized image of a standing Alexandra Hanlon appears a few feet in front of the still standing open door.]

AH:

For your own sakes, I hope you'll listen to me before doing anything with the bomb Marge is so eager to throw around. We have scientists among us who have found a way to contain the effects of an explosion, radioactive or not, within a delineated space. Don't believe me? Look around, and you'll see the results of our testing. Don't forget to look up.

scene description: [The screen splits horizontally, the lower half continuing to focus on those in the building as they survey past the now fallen walls. The top half begins with a high overhead panoramic shot of the skyline, showing what appears to be a perfect circle of fallen trees, with the remains of the original building at its center. The supports holding the roof joists and the front wall, which holds the opened door, are all that remain.

The trees nearest the now-skeletal building had broken and fallen outward, each one pointing toward the still-standing trees further back. Closer to the neat line at the edge, the trees appear to have fallen askew as if they had knocked into something and been deflected back. Just behind the nearest of the standing trees, a fence of thin red lines rises out of the ground, crisscrossing to create a grid. The same red line fence reaches across the road, cutting off any escape. Where the crossed lines end, higher than anyone can reach, a canopy of lights begins, rising from the trees and into the sky above. Twinkles of iridescent colors outline a dome above the entire clearing centered upon a single, almost invisible pole rising from what had been the center of the building.]

AH:

Fair warning, the net won't allow anything through while it's on; if you try to go through it, you'll be cut to ribbons. If you trigger your bomb, either on purpose or by accident, you will be the only ones who suffer. We certainly won't.

LB:

Who the hell are you?

JR: [voice over]

That's something I'd also like to know.

AH:

Who are we? We're just ordinary people, from all around this region, who've agreed to live underground. We were founded by a group called the Foundation Glossary – opens in a new tab, and we refer to our home as a habitat Glossary – opens in a new tab.

action happening: [She pauses]

It's probably better if I just show you a short video, which should explain things much more clearly.

<

scene description: [The entire screen becomes one image, a white screen with black letters replacing the image of Alexandra. The lettering spells out, "The Foundation".]

[Video footage of a nuclear bomb blast begins to play.]

Narrator:

Since the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945, and the resulting nuclear arms race Glossary – opens in a new tab, people of conscious around the world began speaking out against the use of these weapons. Eventually, a number of them came together and decided to plan for the worst. (13)

action happening: [Images of book covers of a science fiction series appear, all of them with the word "Foundation" prominently displayed, each morphing rapidly into the next, until a still of a tall metal object with a distinctive vertical split is shown hovering above the ground at the top of a mountain.]

In the beginning, our founders named themselves the Foundation, in homage to stories then being told by science fiction writer Isaac Asimov Glossary – opens in a new tab. Early on, it became apparent that the mission declared by Asimov's protagonist, Hari Seldon, was similar to the situation our founders faced. In the stories, Seldon voices the mission of his Foundation as one preserving knowledge, in the hopes of shortening an inevitable decline of their galactic civilization. Since we have only this one planet, our founders knew their dreams had to be larger than Seldon's.

Those who founded us exhibited the traits of intellect, ability and far-sightedness; some even had means.

action happening: [A map appears, zooming into and pausing across mountain ranges as various continents are displayed.]

An ark was required to preserve the knowledge, skills and seed for the future; and so they chose to finance, design and build small self-sustaining cities, twenty of them scattered around the world, and recruited those who were willing to try to preserve everything survivors would need after a catastrophic event. Currently, there are two million of us around the world, living underground, hoping our skills and knowledge will not be necessary on the surface, but ready for a time when they are.

action happening: [The video shifts rapidly in a montage, showing groups engaged in various activities in the outdoors. At times, when the camera is close, flashes of wall appear between the ubiquitous trees, appearing at the edges. Images appear and are quickly replaced by others. Fields of wheat, then coconut trees, and grapes appear, one after the other. Images of cows, goats and sheep grazing appear, while chickens peck in between.]

Our cities are self-sustaining with multiple floors dedicated to food production.

action happening: [Scenes change from food production to those of recreation. A group of people kicking a ball along a field then segues to another group running along a track, and then to scenes of mature adults hitting a ball across a net with paddles. The image moves up from the walls, and focuses on a perfect sky, clouds teasing around the sun as it sits up high.]

We live, play, and work on floors that display videos of the sky, which brings a sense of living in an expansive space. We gather on floors designated for eating, purchasing a variety of items made by our residents, and fulfilling our entertainment needs.

action happening: [The montage changes to show a curved corridor with people moving into and out of elevators; a moving walkway can be seen in the middle. Images of groups gathered and eating together at various locations are seen. Small shops, brightly lit, line a curved path, and people can be seen browsing through the windows. An amusement park for small children is shown, along with scenes of people gathered playing board games, attending a musical presentation and gathered in discussion.]

Families of all kinds live side by side.

action happening: [Images show people outside of neatly fenced front yards, each with their own individual garden surrounding different-sized houses. As the video moves through the streets, groups are seen talking together, others are taking care of their yards, and through it all, the sounds of childish laughter are heard as flocks of children chase each other in a complicated game in the middle of the street.]

Our first priority is to preserve the foundational knowledge and skills underpinning human civilization. In this regard, knowledge of our existence has been an open secret in many areas of public life and commerce.

action happening: [The video dissolves to images of office campuses, and then rows and rows of computer servers.]

We have contracted with companies to safeguard their source code and have welcomed some of their employees, along with their families, to live with us while they continue to maintain their code bases. Others have entrusted our vaults to hold their valuable encrypted data, as well as other more physical reminders of our civilization.

action happening: [An image of stacks of paintings, each carefully packaged, is shown, next to tall crates. The montage changes to images of people carding wool, spinning, and weaving. The image stills on one woman, seated in front of a spinning wheel placed on a colorful rug outside, her bright creations surrounding her as she spins yarn from a hank of wool roving.]

The ancient skills necessary to rebuild at any level are also maintained. The Foundation specifically recruited individuals who had learned and continued to use the old techniques.

action happening: [Pause, and then the scene shifts to an older woman of Indian heritage who appears at the front of a crowd of the same, standing on a green field on a sunny day. A label appears: Rupal Kumar - Foundation Board Member, India Habitat Central Glossary – opens in a new tab.]

Rupal Kumar:

Here in IHC, as with all other habitats, our primary purpose is to help bring humanity back from a catastrophic event. And while it is our primary purpose, it is not our only focus. In its wisdom, the Foundation chose to launch the habitats as a social experiment.

What could we achieve if everyone recruited was someone who viewed all individuals as worthy and deserving to live fulfilling lives, and indeed, every person was treated as such? Here, we deem each person of equal value and worth not only in our own habitat, but in the others as well.

We owe it to our ancestors to preserve the skills and knowledge they accumulated at great cost to themselves, but we have a higher duty to those who will be our descendants. To create a way of life where everyone is treated with respect, no matter the color of their skin, the spirituality they choose to embrace, how they identify, or who they choose to love. The bell curve of physical, mental, and emotional ability should be a formula for inclusion, not exclusion.

Each and every one of us signed the Charter Glossary – opens in a new tab before moving underground. By virtue of signing, we reap the benefits of equitable treatment and entitlements, and take up the responsibilities mentioned as well. We are all required to treat one another with respect, both personally and professionally. Individual choices are respected, so long as they do not intrude upon others. And like any other public official, journalists, and those campaigning, I am required to be truthful with my words and speech when communicating with you.

action happening: [The video ends, and Alexandra's face reappears.]

AH:

As our Foundation Board member, Rupal Kumar, points out in the video, we exist to help humanity come back from a catastrophic event. Because we are living in a confined space, we specifically recruited those who might best live amicably within our confines. We consider each person to be of equal worth and value, and we strive to treat everyone equitably. We don't discriminate against someone who looks or believes differently, nor do we show a preference for one race, as many of you have during your time in public office. Our society places a high priority on taking care of everyone and treating them with respect, unlike all of you. Here, no person is considered to exist outside of our rules. In fact, our public officials are required to always tell the truth. (14)

scene description: [The screen once again splits vertically, and the view on the right screen pulls back until we see the full-sized image of Alexandra Hanlon still standing a few feet in front of the door, partially hiding it from view. One of the militia members, wearing the insignia and colors of a Proud Boy, is seen walking behind her to guard the open doorway. The left screen begins to focus on the relevant person as she mentions each one in turn.]

In fact, I'll provide examples of how each of you is unfit to reside in our society.

You, Ted, show little regard for those who elected you. Your attitude was prominently displayed when power outages hit your state during the middle of a freeze in one of the coldest winters in recent history. You flew yourself and your family to a warm tropical beach. Instead of working to help those who needed it, you chose to frolic. Over two hundred people died, and you did nothing. Cancun Cruz indeed. (15)

Paul, you regularly associate with those who think the color of your skin or the way you worship holds the meaning to the type of treatment one deserves. It's obvious, even to your own family, you are unfit for the office you hold. (16)

Matt, it's been credibly reported you've shown porn on the floor of the House of Representatives. And that porn has been of blatant sexual acts between yourself and your girlfriend. What about her privacy? How does predatory sexual behavior and a blatant disregard for even common decency mesh with serving those who elected you? Regardless, your actions are not those of someone we want living among us. (17)

Lauren, you seem to have no issues with deriding anyone you deem different; bigotry is obviously baked into your character. Yet you are known to be intimate with someone who promotes the very things you say you are disgusted with. Bigotry, along with hypocritical thinking and behavior, is not welcome here. (18)

And finally, Marge. You blatantly lied under oath in order to continue to abuse your office. I'll admit, misspelling martial as "m-a-r-s-h-a-l-l" only points to your own stupidity, and while intelligence isn't a factor in who resides with us, blatant lying and cruelty are. I'm sure it comes as no surprise when you claim credit for a bill you voted against. We have severe penalties for those in public office who lie. Why should we accept someone who's already proven they can't live by our rules? (19)

The five of you are the antithesis of who we would want to join our society.

action happening: [Marjorie Taylor Greene beckons one of the Three Percenters, and after a whispered interchange, takes his holstered weapon from him. Meanwhile, Lauren Boebert unholsters her own concealed weapon.]

RM: [voice-over]

Are they planning on shooting at anything in particular?

LB:

Eat lead and die bitch!

action happening: [Boebert begins firing directly at the image of Alexandra Hanlon as Marjorie Taylor Greene holds what looks like a semi-automatic rifle above her head with one hand, and it lets off a shot. The recoil from the weapon lands her flat on her back, the rifle in her hand firing into the sky once more. There are audible pings as both of the shots appear to hit the iridescent lights above and ricochet back, causing everyone to scatter as one hits an Oathkeeper in the shoulder.]

action happening: [Sounds of gunfire stop.]

CM:

Did Lauren Boebert just shoot that guy in the leg?

action happening: [The video on the right focuses on Alexandra as her image floats over to the side, revealing the Proud Boy who had been guarding the door, lying in front of it, holding his bloody leg and writhing in pain.]

MG:

action happening: [moving to face Alexandra, putting on a charismatic smile.]

Please, you have to let us in; we've got hurt people here.

JR: [voice-over]

What part of you've been lured to a deserted area and duped does he not understand?

CH: [voice-over]

It takes a special type of person. In fact, it takes the same type of person who could be lured into a trap like this. Another great example would be someone who shoots at an obvious holographic image, thinking it's another human being.

AH:

Are you saying we have a duty to help? What about your duty to help? You were elected to represent and help the people of your district. Have you? What about now? What kind of help are you rendering? (20)

scene description: [The left screen shifts its distance to include the image of Alexandra standing in front of the others as militia members try to render aid to their fallen comrades; the five instigators simply watching, making no move to help. The right screen splits horizontally, with Alexandra's face occupying the top as the MSNBC set is shown below.]

AH:

Your actions, or rather non-actions, when it comes to helping someone you yourself caused injury to, shout who you are to the heavens, or at least to everyone watching this around the world.

I thank you for your help in publicizing the Foundation and our efforts to preserve humankind in the face of the obvious stupidity and self-serving behavior, which is apparently alive and well in the Congress of the United States of America. Since you brought along your pet propaganda network to film and broadcast our interaction, we, too, have sent our feed to every other major network, and the viewership of this tableau is worldwide.

There's a first aid kit in the broken tree closest to the steps. Stabilize your wounded, and take everything with you when you leave. There's a hospital about a half hour from here.

action happening: [A militia member runs and returns with the first aid kit, and they bandage up the wounded. Everyone slowly leaves the building. Marjorie Taylor Greene appears to deliberately walk through the projected image of Alexandra, which then vanishes.]

scene description: [The left screen follows the dejected party away from the now obvious set. The red lines are still visible among the trees, but those crossing the road have disappeared, while the iridescent lights still sparkle above them; a stark reminder of the net's imperviousness.

Alexandra's face disappears on the right, replaced by a QR code and a YouTube address. (21)]

action happening: [The militia members drag their wounded and weapons to two of the vehicles, threatening Ted Cruz when he tries to protest. They allow the cameraman to travel with them and leave rapidly.

After squabbling among themselves, the five, with Ted Cruz gingerly holding the aluminum case, load themselves into the remaining SUV. Matt Gaetz can be seen sitting between the two females, arguing furiously with each other, as Paul Gosar is seen to reluctantly enter the driver's seat and drive the vehicle away from the scene.]

AH: [voice over]

We of the Foundation are determined to preserve the hard-earned knowledge and exhibits of creativity our ancestors have gathered throughout our entire history on this planet. We wish to preserve this for all of humanity, no matter what may occur in the future. We hold no power on the surface; all we can do is make sure humanity's knowledge survives for a time when it might be needed.

scene description: [The full screen is now taken up by the MSNBC cast. A popover video on the upper right corner of the screen shows the three SUVs following the road away from the now abandoned site, walls fallen, and the twinkling lights blinking themselves out of existence in a complex spiral pattern.]

NW:

Wow, that was a lot to watch, and there's a lot to unpack. It's coming up to 5:30 on the East Coast, 3:30 out West, and we have just witnessed something extraordinary. But bear with us, we're going to take a commercial break, and we'll break it down right here on the other side.

[Video ends]

Written by: Alexandra Hanlon 20625/05/01

I have never been comfortable with the idea of Project Pharos as an individual, but the project’s boundaries aligned with my ethics, so I chose to accept responsibility for my actions, which might explain why my remarks to those I spoke with perhaps lacked the cutting edge apparently many had hoped for.

I resisted calls for sound bites and zingers in favor of simply being factual. Thus, we were able to compile citations for each of my observations, which we distributed to the networks as well as on our own website, unveiled along with the complete revamping of our YouTube site, no longer showcasing video blogs critiquing a two-season streaming series. Instead, videos and other materials were made available, showcasing the habitats and our diverse populations. With permission, videos of residents explaining why they moved below the Earth’s surface were featured. Except for the first introductory video, all of the information we disseminated was positive and looked toward a brighter and more accepting future.

The video stream and our cuts were used by most networks through previous agreements. Our broadcast live agreement with the networks required me to speak in real-time with journalists from those networks over the two days following the event. I was rushed from floor to floor to different sets to speak with whoever was asking me a question before turning the interview over to a trained spokesperson and rushing to the next. I spoke in English where possible and through translators where it was not.

Those two days are still a blur to me. However, the day of the event remains as clear to me now as it did when it happened.

It’s about a six-hour drive from Washington, DC, to West Virginia, so I had plenty of time to prepare once our targets were on their way. It was early afternoon when Faye came over, and Eileen happily went into the house to spend time with Grandpa Kevin.

I didn’t need Faye for anything except moral support, which she was wonderful at. She had a knack for creating an entire conversation out of a phrase, which I found mildly distracting. And so we passed the time as I brushed my hair out, styling it away from my face and securing small combs to hold my hair back on either side before I donned my costume.

Jae and the rest of the Pharos team had agreed I needed to wear something to push a judgment of little account onto myself. A dark-haired older woman wearing bright colors in a style reminiscent of the origins of some of the immigrants who came in from the southern border was just the thing. My clothing had to look as if it were of surface make; any of our usual clothing down here would come across as different on the video image and create suspicion. We commissioned a dark dyed cotton skirt and blouse brightened by embroidered flowers in the front from a resident of NAHS, originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, in a style known as Tehuana. (1)

Having Faye keep me company also kept me from going back to the book, as we commonly called the database interface holding the decision trees. We hoped to use the information to guide them along a path of our choosing, allowing us to introduce ourselves to the world with the least amount of damage, both physical and emotional.

I’d practiced the various scenarios over the last year, and most of our sessions had brought us to a suitable resolution, but there were still variables, such as who actually followed our lure to its end. It was obvious with only three SUVs and little baggage, whoever was converging on Pharos had left their families behind. I was grateful; gaming out scenarios with children present had been excruciating.

Once we knew exactly which members of Congress had taken our bait, more branches of the decision tree would be cut off. My worry was what would happen if those who appeared veered off into the unknown; how would I be able to thread the air and maneuver them back to the storyline we wanted to stay on? My intuition hadn’t worked during test runs; I could only hope it would work during the actual event.

No matter who showed up, the first act was the same: to discomfort them, to nicely deny them entrance based on the firearms we knew would come with them in an obvious signal of violence-based dominance. It would also serve as a subtle reminder that we could see them. How far and in how many ways could I take the game of denying them entrance? How would the game play out?

I needed to keep them fooled until the time was right, so my demeanor had to reflect someone easily manipulated. I aimed to present as flighty and slightly silly at first, subtly changing to a more authoritative version of myself as our farce progressed.

So I did, and the video transcription tells the rest.

They say history is written by the victors; in this case, history has been written by the survivors, and I have nothing positive to say about those who sowed discord and promoted hatred and anger at others for their own selfish purposes and gains.

After Pharos occurred, our residents were allowed to be honest with those they knew on the surface, and many took advantage of the fact. All facets of human behavior were revealed when those in the habitats confessed their true location to those on the surface. For some, it alleviated the guilt they felt; for others, the guilt was compounded by the response. To my immense relief, Noodin was able to contact his daughter and sincerely apologize to her for his past actions. Although the time they had to reconnect was short, they were reconciled. Noodin later told us he was grateful he was able to do so before it became impossible.

End Notes

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