Chapter 1: A Night on the Beach

The previous episode left Kurt and Cassandra with a startling revelation regarding the extraterrestrial beings.

As they settled into their stakeout, Jessica exchanged a knowing glance with Jake.

"Not your typical stakeout, right?" she said, her expression a mix of excitement and anxiety.

They found themselves in a secluded area, cloaked in darkness, hidden among the trees along a beach, waiting for the arrival of aliens. They had carefully concealed Jessica’s compact, turbocharged Mini Coupe amidst the shrubbery, providing a perfect vantage point over a quiet inlet, notorious for being a landing site for the tripods.

Rumors suggested that the alien machines would rise from the ocean at night, emerging to wreak havoc on land. Yet, there was an uneasy feeling of futility in their mission. It felt reminiscent of a wild goose chase, reminiscent of Linus Van Pelt and Snoopy's playful adventures.

Despite the Pentagon's Project Pandora's Box failing to decode the aliens' primary signals—transmissions that burst on the same military satellite frequencies—Jessica and Jake focused on intercepting any low-frequency communications that might be unencrypted. They set up directional parabolic antennas on their roof, aimed at the beach.

With headphones on, Jessica monitored CB frequencies while Jake tuned into WiFi signals, although Jessica's CIA-grade equipment was simultaneously recording hundreds of channels, routing the most active one.

They shared club sandwiches and sipped on Shiraz as Jessica inquired, "Have you ever shared your invasion day story with me?"

Jake recounted their frantic preparations, explaining, "We were in San Francisco when the chaos erupted. We took refuge in the physics department's basements, but soon ran out of supplies, and the basement flooded after a few direct hits."

Their survival story echoed the choices made by many who believed rural areas would be safer than urban centers, a belief that ultimately proved misguided.

"And your family?" Jessica pressed, curiosity evident in her tone.

"I haven't had contact with Puerto Rico since that day. I hear it remains unscathed," Jake replied, his voice tinged with concern.

Suddenly, Jessica's expression shifted. "I’m picking up some crackling sounds."

Jake adjusted his volume, and as he did, he too caught something unusual. "It's not static... the modulation seems off," he noted, his tone shifting to one of alarm.

Jessica's hand shot up again as she clutched Jake's arm. Flicking the channel to speaker mode, a chilling sound filled the Coupe.

"Yikes... that’s definitely not human," Jake stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

The unmistakable guttural sounds of an alien language echoed around them, sending shivers down their spines.

Jake pointed towards the beach, his finger trembling. "Here they come... we’re recording, right?"

As Jake lowered the volume to ease the tension, Jessica whispered, "Thank God," glancing at her instruments, her fear palpable.

"Sorry," she murmured as she fumbled for he