When Worlds Collide (MxM)

Chapter 1 - The Accident

Red lights flashed and alarms blared through the otherwise pristine hallways. Scientists shouted as they rushed to evacuate the facility before their latest experiment went nuclear. Kade was one of the unfortunate souls left behind with a small group of engineers who were ordered to see if the imminent malfunction was preventable.

The room they were in had a wall of lead glass along the north side that the scientists would normally stand behind during testing. In the center was a metal arc, with three mechanical arms sticking out from the sides and top. Each one held a single laser that, when all three came to a head, would result in a quantum reaction that could open a doorway to another dimension.

Kade and his coworkers were responsible for overseeing many of the technical aspects of the experiment. A few days ago they had done a health check on the portal, and Kade noticed a few wires missing from the side panel. He had reported it to the senior engineer, since all changes needed approval before being implemented, and trusted that someone else had repaired it by now.

That was not the case.

During today's test, the lasers had activated at an unstable level, with no breaker to prevent overheating. The bluish-green light that emitted from their intense rays was almost blinding, and the whole room smelled of ozone. Mixed with the alarms was the loud hum of the three power cores reaching max capacity.

The four engineers rushed around the device, plugging in their tablets and running commands to reduce power output in hopes of a safe shutdown.

Xavier, the senior engineer who Kade had reported the wiring problem to, was sweating bullets. He knew that his job was on the line. If they managed to shut down this machine, he'd have to explain what went wrong and be at fault for not following inspection protocol. In other words, his career was over.

One engineer hissed as the heat from the paneling melted away the outlet. Another panel short-circuited, and that was when the group exchanged a hopeless look, before bolting toward the exit.

Kade was the last one to the door and was shocked when it was slammed in his face.

"What are you doing!?" He shouted. "Let me out!"

"We can't!" Xavier replied, loud enough for the other two engineers to hear. "I'm sorry, but it's too dangerous. The radiation levels are too high!"

"What are you talking about? Open the door! There's still time!"

A loud whine was heard as the metal panels started to bend inwards, warping the portal frame. Kade glanced back at the machine, and his throat tightened in fear.

"Xavier!" He screamed.

But the man cast a knowing look, and that was when Kade realized what the man was planning. If Kade died, then Xavier could lay all the blame on him and save his job.

"Xavier! You bastard! You won't get away with this!" Kade punched the lead glass door as he watched his coworkers rush away.

Trapped in the room, he knew there was nowhere he could hide from the explosion, so he did the only thing he could think to do, and returned to the panel with the missing wires.

His white lab coat billowed around him as the quantum fluctuations caused gravity to reverse. But he had to keep calm and focus on the task at hand. If he was going to die anyway, he might as well try something.

He hissed in pain as he touched the hot metal, but continued rerouting the wires. Just as he connected the last one, there was a blinding green light, and everything fell away.

Kade assumed he had died. That was the only explanation for why it had become so quiet. But a soft breeze encouraged him to open his eyes.

Sitting up, he found himself in a field of grass, as blue-green as the ocean. Above, the orange sky had a visible planetary ring that stretched across the middle of it, with a small red sun.