Timeline: 1981

Don Newman is approached by recruiters for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). His reputation for flying all manner of aircraft in unorthodox ways as a movie stunt pilot has reached the agency and they are interested in recruiting him.

When he hears the job description—secretly flying DEA agents into Mexico and Central America—he considers the matter very carefully. Ten seconds later, he accepts.

The DEA has already performed the necessary background checks. He is quickly inducted and begins a short but intense training period.

Anarchists begin the subversion of Detroit's industrial centres.

Alan Ryan born.

Harry Eastwood promoted to Major.

Alan Long joins the staff of Colombian drug baron Ricardo Montoya as bodyguard and enforcer.

Harry Eastwood and Don Newman meet for the first time, on a mission to Central America.

After living for years in an iron lung, Joe Kline is declared dead.

The truth, however, is that he has voluntarily joined the research team of Doctor Carl Capek, as a test subject for their experiments. Due to the extreme secrecy of their work, it is necessary to fabricate his death.

Mark Brown joins the Cosmos project.