As the new year begins, the anomalies breach the surface and begin affecting the atmosphere.
The Satellite Blind Spots: In February, the Pentagon notes that military satellites experience split-second blackouts precisely as their orbits cross the outer borders of North America. It is as if a massive, invisible cylinder is projecting upward from the continent, interfering with high-altitude optics.
The DEFCON Shift: Wildlife migration patterns collapse. Millions of birds refuse to cross the Canadian or Mexican borders, circling violently in the sky before dropping from exhaustion. Assuming an invisible, high-frequency biological or EMP attack is imminent, the U.S. military quietly elevates its readiness level to DEFCON 3. The entire continent is unknowingly bracing for a war that will never happen.