Carla recovered consciousness about a quarter of a mile away from the installation when Ken pulled over to let the first fire engine—with siren wailing at ear-splitting amplitude—roar past. She opened her eyes, looked around in terror for a moment, then realized that they were safe and on the way home. He had to pull over and stop to let another fire engine go by, and Carla took hold of his arm. He turned and their eyes met. She was crying again, but now she was smiling through the tears.

“Look at me, Ken,” she said between sobs. “Something happened to me— something wonderful. Can you tell?”

“Are you telling me... ?”

Ken had been growing uneasy as the afternoon progressed. It was now after 5 o’clock. What was happening out there? Was it enough just to pray, or was there something he had to do as well? Decisively he rose from his knees and announced to the rest, “I’ve got to leave. I just know I’m supposed to get out to the installation as soon as possible. I don’t know what I may be getting into or why the Lord is directing me to do this, so please pray for me! You know the guards have my picture and instructions not to let me in.”

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished representatives of the world’s nations, select members of the media,” Leighton began at last, “it is a great honor and joy to welcome each of you here today to this most important occasion in the long and too-often tragic history of our race. We are gathered just to the south of San Francisco where, in 1945, hopeful delegates from less than half of the nations we represent met to lay the foundation for the United Nations. Today we lay the foundation for something far more significant—not just an organization of nations that remain hopelessly separated by national rivalries, but a New World Order that will make all people and all nations equal and one. When we have proven ourselves to be united and at peace, then we will qualify to apply for entrance into an intergalactic community of civilizations that have evolved far beyond us and who stand ready to share technology and supernatural powers that will give us undreamed of access to the vast universe of space and its limitless resources.