Chapter One: Every Satellite Forgot It

[LOW-LEVEL OBSERVATION RECORDS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY CORRECTED.] “It was inside my computer,” Zhou whispered. “What was?” The black seed appeared directly above his telescope—not on the screen, but beneath the clouds. Its immense hull covered half the moon without making a sound. Then an unseen hand seemed to fold it inward: 170 meters, fifty, ten, until it was the size of an SUV. It dropped toward the city. No one below looked up. Billboards flickered exactly as it passed. Security cameras turned away at precisely the right moment. The craft stopped over Zhou's head. “Lin,” he said, staring at the bent starlight, “you should stop investigating.” “Why?” “Because it found me.” The call ended.