The Carter Laboratory seemed completely cut off from the world, but outside, the world was on the brink of collapse.
Once, there was a mysterious disappearance incident in Japan. Back then, America even expressed its intent to offer some support. Unexpectedly, it lost an aircraft carrier and an air force base shortly afterward—poof, gone, just like that, without the slightest warning.
Those two incidents left America unsettled for quite some time. It's not exactly societal regression we're talking about, but during that period, the ruling class was certainly in a state of heightened paranoia, like the sound of the wind and the cry of the stork. Luckily, one incident happened in the vast ocean, and the other happened in Japan. Especially Japan—they're practically accustomed to mysterious disappearances by now. Plus, it was far from the American mainland, so the impact was relatively minor.
But now, it's different. It's happening right on home soil.
