Chapter 5: Area 52
The Ark soared through the clouds, cutting through the blue sky with ease as it descended toward the secure landing zone. For the first time since the battle with the Vrak, the crew could breathe. The adrenaline of the fight had finally subsided, replaced by the quiet hum of the ship's engines. Below them, the aftermath of the invasion was evident. The once pristine cities of Earth were now littered with debris, smoke still rising from the distant battle zones where the Vrak had struck hardest.
Ethan sat in the captain's chair, his eyes fixed on the viewscreen as the Earth's landscape spread out beneath them. He hadn't quite processed it all yet. They had fought off an alien invasion, saved the planet, and now, somehow, they were heading back to Earth… as heroes? The idea still felt strange.