-Eminent Domain Act gave the federal government a major discount on buying up property around the Pentagon. This included Reagan International Airport, which was turned into the new Andrews Air Force Base in 2006. At the same time, the old Andrews base was expanded and reopened as the new Reagan airport-

Gibbs turned his gaze from Hollis back towards the ring down in the auditorium, and then he couldn't tear himself away.

He guessed the ring itself was roughly five stories high and equally as wide, the base two stories thick and roughly 60 yards long by 60 yards wide. From his angle, Gibbs noted steps going up two of the four sides visible from his angle and people on both sides of the ring; they were standing or walking on, or by, ramps arching up towards the ring and meeting in the middle.

An alarm then sounded in the auditorium, spooking Gibbs. "It's alright, that's not for us," Hollis said. "Watch."

As the white-coated people hurried down to the floor, Gibbs looked around the auditorium. He noticed more people in the white coats, some in civilian attire, and others in military uniform or military gear. He was way too distant from them to see details, and his eyesight wasn't that great anyway.

The next best thing for Gibbs was to ask someone with better eyesight who had been here before. "Civilians AND military down there?"

"Yeah," Hollis answered. "Scientists, computer techs, military officers, nurses, Marines, you name it, all culled from dozens of civilian and government agencies from NASA to Microsoft."

"How often do they test that thing?"

"I've been told daily."

"Is that another test going on, down there?"

"Yeah, and we won't have long to wait to see it in action. You'll hear a loud 'whirr' and the ring itself will to glow green. As long as you don't stare directly at the light in the middle for too long, you'll be fine."

Hollis and Gibbs saw the pace pick up all across the auditorium, especially around the ring and its base. As people moved to their workstations and to other areas, a group of civilians, scientists and military personnel gathered around a large station roughly 40 feet from the front of the ring.

A couple of minutes later, the side of the ring began to glow as another alarm sounded. Shortly afterwards, rays of light emanated from inside the ring towards its middle, into a disc. Within minutes, the disc had filled the rim.

"Watch," Hollis said.

Gibbs saw the air vibrate at the base of the right side, then watched in astonishment as two beige military humvees slowly came through the disc. The vehicles stopped, then turned towards, and down, the steps on the far side.

"Did I just see what I thought I saw?" Gibbs asked.

"I had the same reaction the first time I saw that for myself," Hollis said. "And by the way it was four Army humvees, an entire company on foot, an SUV filled with Congresspeople and a K-9 unit."

"You could tell this how?"

"The vehicles, soldiers and dogs were obvious. I was told about the Congresspeople on my second visit."

Hollis expected the side of the ring to dim, and for the disc of light to slowly shrink until it disappeared. However, the side continued to glow, and they saw the air vibrating on the other side.

To her surprise, three Black Hawk helicopters flew out that side and went towards the rear of the auditorium, where each landed. Only then did the disc shrink and the side of the ring dim until it returned to the state it was when Gibbs first saw it.

Afterwards, as business proceeded throughout the auditorium, Gibbs squatted down and tried to collect his thoughts. Hollis gave him a few minutes, then put her hand on his arm. "Jethro, we need to leave. I'll debrief you in the car."

He got up, looked at the scene and tried to memorize as much of it as he could in 30 seconds, then followed Hollis out of the hallway, and all the way back to her car. As she placed calls to her fellow CID agents, Gibbs reflected on what he had just seen.

Although he grew up watching Gunsmoke and reading Jack London, Gibbs in fact did have some working knowledge of science fiction. He had read Asimov, Bradbury and Wells and - despite what he had hinted to Abby - had watched a few Star Trek episodes. And he had watched a handful of sci-fi movies with DiNozzo ranging from the classic (2001) to the absurd (Plan 9 from Outer Space).

Gibbs had no more than a bare-bones familiarity with the genre, however. His world was filled with boats, bastards, military and a fierce devotion to the family and friends he had built for himself to make up for the loss of those he couldn't protect. Despite their brief separation, Hollis was among those whom Gibbs considered family. He trusted and loved her greatly, and if she said something was serious he was going to pay attention.

What he had just seen, he realized, was as big and serious as it might get in this world.

"How many people know about this, besides us?" he asked.

"I'm not exactly sure. Tens of thousands-"

"How many!?"

"-the President, the Joint Chiefs, Congress, the Supreme Court," Hollis said. "I know all five branches of the military are involved but Army and Air Force are taking the lead. The CIA's involved in some way, how I can't tell you yet. NASA and FEMA's involved for certain, and from what we've been able to dig up, anyone from any agency you would expect to be involved in an operation to rebuild civilization elsewhere."

From there, Gibbs threw question after question at her. Hollis said this particular ring was the only one she knew for certain existed, but there were strong rumors of more rings. Large rings in Area 51 in Nevada, upstate New York, west Texas, Montana, Alaska and the Appalachians, and smaller rings in 52 of the top 75 cities. Britain, Japan, China, Israel, France and Germany had their own rings; Hollis had even heard rumors that the Communist Bloc had their own devices, either copied from the Americans or developed independently.

"You said this had to do with McCallister," Gibbs said. "How many people in the government know about this? Does this extend to directors?"

"Jethro, yes. We think from every federal agency. Again, think of who you would need to rebuild the government-"

"So Jenny would have known most likely."

"She would have, and her family if she had one."

"But not assistant directors."

"If there were time, perhaps."

"Would someone kill for that kind of access, assuming they thought the world was coming to an end and they themselves weren't on the short list?"

"Theoretically, yes," Hollis said. "In actuality, you'd have to answer that for yourself."

"I suppose I'll have to, now."

The drive home was quiet, although they both kept an eye out for unexpected and unwanted guests. Hollis had told Gibbs everything she could, and Gibbs took advantage of the ride to reflect on what he'd seen and been told.

As he did so, he asked himself where his investigation was heading. Would finding Jenny's killer be the easy part of it? And, would uncovering the reasons behind the murder be what put himself, and his family, in the crosshairs?