From the front page of the Boston Globe, May 18, 20XX, 6 hours after the Event:

  "WHAT THE HELL?"

  That is the reaction of many Americans as fallout continues from President Bannister's stunning revetion this afternoon. The DOW continues to plummet as top economists struggle to grasp the implications of the Event on American supply chains. "I can't even begin to wrap my head around the implications," said Paul Wentford, professor of economics at Louisiana State University. "This is going to cause a shortage of so many different things: we're looking at a potential economic crisis the likes of which we've never seen. I hope your computer's a good one, because it's going to be a while before you're able to repce it. And that's just the tip of the iceberg."

  But while academics and policy officials wrestle with the path forward, ordinary Americans are trying to keep things together as best they can. "I've still got a job, and I've still got a wife and kids to feed," said Ronald Moore, a 35-year-old corporate employee who spoke this reporter. "Don't get me wrong, I'm as worried as anyone else, but what can I do about it? The best thing I can do for my family right now is to keep working and keep the lights on."

  Sandra Harris, a kindergarten teacher at a school in rural Marynd, had a simir perspective. "I know the world's gone crazy, but I have a cssroom full of five-year-olds who need to know they're safe so they can learn their ABCs," she said. "I've got to put on a brave face for them. They're looking to us to keep things normal." When asked how she was dealing with the news herself, she added, "I don't know how anyone can handle something like this. It defies belief."

  Others, however, are not as sanguine. Dr. James Franklin, a trauma doctor at Boston Hospital, bleakly described the potential implications of the mysterious event on the healthcare system. "So many of our pharmaceuticals and medical technologies rely on complex supply chains and international trade," he said. "If we're stuck in this...fantasy nd, we could face shortages of life-saving drugs and medical supplies unless we find some way to substitute for them. And let's not even talk about the mental health crisis that's about to hit us. The sheer shock of this will push some people over the edge."

  Indeed, many mental health professionals say they've been inundated with calls for sudden appointments. "I've got so many people wanting to come in and see me that I've had to extend my hours," said Dr. Laura Castillo, a psychologist in Washington D.C. "Some are just in denial, trying to process this as if it's some kind of collective hallucination. Others are dealing with panic attacks and severe anxiety, especially those with family members who were traveling abroad when this happened. It's heartbreaking."

  Meanwhile, w enforcement officials continue to fear the outbreak of civil disorder as news of the event continues to sink in. "We're all on tenterhooks," admitted Boston Chief of Police Wendy O'Connell. "We're seeing a spike in looting and violence in some areas. No full-on riots as yet, but it's in the back of our minds. People are scared and confused, and when they're scared and confused, they sometimes act irrationally." She went on to say that her officers are working around the clock to keep the peace and offer reassurance whenever possible, but that their resources are stretched thin. "We're doing the best we can," she said, "but we're going to need help from the community if we're going to get through this. The worst thing we can do right now is drive ourselves into hysteria."

  Along the Mexican border--or rather, what used to be the Mexican border--citizens of West Texas are still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that they are now a coastal region. The residents of the border town of Presidio, which used to lie right on the edge of the Mexican border, are already trying to adapt.

  "I kind of like it," Presidio resident Mary Juarez admitted. "The beach is less than a mile from my house. My kids are already cmoring to go there when they get off school today." Presidio Mayor Jorge Gonzalez, however, had a different view. "We're going to have to bring in experts from New Orleans or Miami or one of those pces," he groused. "We're going to have to build levees and bulwarks and seawalls and whatever the hell else to make sure we're not swept away by a flood or something. It's going to cost the town a fortune!"

  FEMA Director John Camilton was more circumspect. "I'm sure we can offer pces like Presidio all the support they need," he said, "but they're not the only one. There are lots of pces like it that need our help. The infrastructure changes alone are going to keep us busy for years, assuming Congress allocates the required funding. We'll need to assess the condition of roads, bridges, and ports, proof them against severe oceanic weather...it's going to take a while, but we'll get it done."

  Meanwhile, reports continue to filter in from fishermen, airpne pilots and others of unknown creatures in the skies and air. "I swear, it was a sea serpent!" cimed Charles Boudreaux, a third-generation shrimp fisherman based out of New Orleans. "It was huge! You have to believe me!" Jack Markovich, an airpne pilot for a commercial airline, also detailed his own experience. "We were en route from San Francisco to Seattle and then I looked out the cockpit window. There was this huge-ass bird flying not far away from us! It had a wingspan of at least twenty feet, maybe more! It looked like a giant eagle or something!"

  But no matter how they're coping--if they're coping at all--the question on everyone's mind is the same: How did this happen, and now that it has, what's next?"

  --By Haley Babcock, senior reporter, The Boston Globe.

  ********The White House, Washington, D.C.**********

  For the second time in 24 hours, Bannister met with the members of his cabinet. Now that they had an idea of what happened--Bannister didn't dwell on the impossibility of it--the most urgent priority was to chart a way forward. He turned to his Secretary of Commerce, Bill Mason, and put his question bluntly.

  "How bad is it going to get?"

  Mason sighed. "Pretty bad, unless something changes quickly. While we have the agricultural and mineral wealth to sustain ourselves, we can’t ignore the goods we used to import. Specialized machinery, rare metals, and a vast swathe of manufactured goods we used to import from pces like China and Japan are now luxuries we may not be able to produce on our own. We’re not facing a famine, thank God, but we’re going to be facing shortages of lots and lots of other things if we don’t find a way to rebuild our trade network quickly. My recommendation is that we send out feelers in every direction, try and make contact with as many of this world's inhabitants as possible. We need to know who’s friendly, who’s not, and who’s got what we need."

  The room buzzed with murmurs of agreement, and President Bannister nodded. "Agreed. We'll begin sending out diplomatic missions immediately." He turned to the Joint Chiefs and singled out the Chief of Naval Operations, “Admiral, what is the status of our naval and other military assets? Do the...creatures...encountered in the waters off our coasts pose a significant threat?”

  The CNO stood and saluted. “As to your first question, our current fleet capabilities consist of 12 Ford-css aircraft carriers, 9 Reagan-css carriers, 12 America-css amphibious assault craft, 20 Consteltion-css Corvettes, 73 Arleigh-Burke Css destroyers, 71 Columbia-css submarines, numerous support vessels of varying size and tonnage, and approximately 4,012 operational aircraft. Additionally, our emergency reserve fleet comprises a further 120 vessels. The U.S. Army's current composition consists of 452,689 active duty personnel, 4,406 crewed aircraft, and around 225,000 vehicles of all types, including 2,200 tanks. Additionally, the Army has 325,218 Army National Guard personnel and 176,968 Army Reserve personnel to draw upon if needed. The U.S. Marine Corps has at this time 273,364 active duty and reserve personnel, along with 1,317 manned aircraft, 450 tanks, and 32 amphibious warfare vessels. Finally, the U.S. Air Force's current strength is tallied at 689,000 personnel and 13,000 aircraft. I can confirm that none of these assets sustained damage during the...whatever it was."

  He paused to take a breath. "As to your second question...that’s more difficult to say. The enormous serpentine creatures captured on some of the videos currently making the rounds on social media have not shown any outward aggression as yet, but they could potentially cause damage or loss of life if they turn hostile. We have also had reports, particurly from our submarine fleet, of enormous squid or octopus-like creatures. We are recalibrating sonar and developing protocols to engage these threats effectively, and we’ve begun deploying unmanned underwater reconnaissance craft to ascertain just what else might be waiting for us down there.”

  “Will sonar deter them?” Bannister inquired.

  A scientist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spoke up, “Mr. President, while sonar may deter certain marine life, these creatures are of an unknown nature. We can’t guarantee they'll react the way we hope they will, but what we can do is make an educated guess based on the behavior of marine animals back home. Sonar produces sound waves that can be unpleasant or disorienting to aquatic life forms. We suspect that these beings might be affected the same way ocean-dwelling animals back home were, but we won’t know for certain until we are able to run some tests."

  "Run them," Bannister ordered.

  "Yes, sir."

  "I'll begin preparing first contact protocols," the Secretary of State added. "And I will order my people onto some of the naval vessels currently doing patrols along our new coastlines. If we run into someone, we'll be ready."

  He surveyed the faces around the table, looking at each of them in turn. "The only way out of this is forward. We either pull together, or fall to pieces. There is no alternative.”

  No one in the room had any way of knowing it, but first contact was about to be made whether they were ready for it or not. A hundred miles off the coast of California, the bow of the Consteltion-css frigate U.S.S. Lexington cut through the waves of a foreign sea like knife through satin. The vessel, only recently commissioned and pced into active duty, had received its orders not long after the Event, and the orders were simple: coordinate with other vessels in the fleet to establish a maritime perimeter, scout ahead as far as possible, and report back any unusual activity. The Lexington's CO, 24-year-old Lt-Commander Aisha Kingley, had just finished her third cup of coffee that day when the call came from the bridge.

  "Ma'am! You should see this!"

  Aisha put her cup aside hastily and hurried to the bridge, where she found one of the men stationed there looking through the viewport with a pair of binocurs. "What? What is it?"

  He pointed out at sea. "Contact, Captain! Bearing 045 degrees, approximately five nautical miles! See the smoke?"

  Aisha snatched the binocurs and held them to her eyes. "Vessel? What kind of vessel?"

  "Unknown, but it's not one of ours. It's got paddlewheels or something on either side of it, no masts or anything like that. Got a big smokestack on it, though, and that's what first alerted us."

  Aisha looked, and sure enough, she could see the telltale bck plume of smoke rising against the horizon. Then, suddenly, a tiny ball of bright orange blossomed into light on its starboard side. Aisha didn't need to guess to know what it was. An explosion. A second ter, she saw what caused it.

  From beneath the waves around the stricken vessel--now gushing smoke from the jagged wound in her hull as well as from her smokestack--a huge serpentine head appeared. Even from this distance Aisha could see the huge needle-teeth in its maw and the size of it...Christ, the size of it! It was almost as big as the Consteltion itself!

  The thing opened its mouth and snatched something off the mysterious ship's deck. Aisha caught a glimpse of filing limbs before it bit down on its prey. Sickened, she turned to her Executive Officer. "All hands to battle stations. Whatever that thing is, let's see how it likes picking on something more its own size. That ship needs help, and we're going to give it to them."

  "Aye, ma'am." The XO, a man a few years her junior, picked up the ship's comm and spoke into it. His voice echoed through the Lexington from stem to stern. "Now hear this. Now hear this. Vessel in distress sighted under attack from hostile marine wildlife. All hands, man your battle stations! This is not a drill. Repeat, this is not a drill!"

  The Lexington burst into a frenzy of activity like an anthill kicked over. Sailors hurried to their stations, their movements precise and practiced from hours of drilling. The frigate's engines roared as it was pushed to its maximum speed and it all but dashed through the water straight toward the beast and its stricken prey. The Lexington's main battery, a 32-cell Mk 41 Vertical Launch System, was already filled with ordnance and required only the proper targeting solutions to unleash devastation.

  Aisha gnced at the sea monster. It didn't seem to have noticed them, or if it did, it didn't care. It was too distracted by the crew of the other ship, which it was gleefully picking off one by one. As they got closer, Aisha could pick out more details about the vessel: it reminded her, in a way, of the turtle ships used by the Koreans against Japan in the 16th century: squat, almost rectangur in shape, with a raised forecastle and aftcastle that looked like they had been carved from a single piece of wood. The ship's hull was sturdy, reinforced with iron pting and powered by two rge paddlewheels on either side of its stern. There were no masts, as she'd been told, only a now-demolished smokestack that protruded from the deck and which the creature had crumpled like a beer can in its mighty coils. As she watched, the sides of the ship opened and the stubby mouths of what were unmistakably cannons were run out and fired in quick succession. Several shots hit the beast, and they impacted with sprays of blood and mulched flesh, but the metal cannonballs--or that's what Aisha assumed they were using--didn't do enough damage to kill it. All they really did was piss it off.

  "All weapons, fire at will," Aisha said.

  "Yes, ma'am!" The XO turned to the bridge crew. "You heard her! Authorization given! Open fire! Fire at will!"

  A heartbeat ter, the Lexington's unch tubes erupted with fire and smoke, and a volley of Tomahawk missiles streaked through the air toward the sea monster.

  The Tomahawk has long been a staple of the U.S. Navy, and there is a reason for its enduring use. Its combination of versatility, accuracy, and range make it a valuable asset on nd, air or sea and it is capable of being deployed from a wide variety of delivery systems. Its sophisticated guidance system allows it to change its course in mid-flight, making it difficult for enemy defenses to intercept. It flies at low altitudes, which makes it difficult to detect on radar. And, most importantly, the standard payload for the most recent iteration of the Tomahawk consists of a 1,000-pound high-explosive warhead. One of these was enough to create a crater 20 feet wide and destroy a two-story house in the blink of an eye.

  The Lexington fired three of them.

  The sea serpent was a true monster. Its size and power were terrifying. But for all its fearsome aspect, for all its huge teeth and predatory aggression and awesome strength, it was still made of blood and bone and flesh. Against the firepower now unleashed against it, even a beast like itself could not endure.

  When they hit their target, the impact was hiriously, predictably, jaw-droppingly gruesome. The first two missiles hit the beast's serpentine body as it reared up out of the water and detonated with such force that it was nearly torn in two. The third missile hit the creature right in the head a fraction of a second ter, and the effect of that was enough to make even the strongest stomach churn. The monster's skull exploded like a huge overripe watermelon amidst a billowing bloom of fire, vanishing in a titanic burst of shattered bone, pulped brains, and crimson blood.

  The creature's body colpsed and fell into the ocean like a great fallen tree. Blood stained the waves and its carcass floated there, lifelessly, for several moments before sinking out of sight. Aisha watched it disappear, then turned her attention to the other vessel. The surviving crew were all staring right at the Lexington. They were shorter then she expected, but then, nothing about this new world made much sense. Their ship, still afloat for now but listing to one side and still belching smoke from the breach in her hull, had slowed to a crawl as its sole remaining paddlewheel struggled to keep it moving through the water. That it hadn't capsized already spoke volumes about the quality of its construction.

  "Bring us alongside," Aisha ordered. "I think they could use a hand, so let's go and introduce ourselves."