Into The Web

Chapter One

Power Surge

Inside the Ministry building, Sebastian exited the elevator on the main floor and headed down the corridor to the reception area. He quickly climbed the ornate staircase, with a brief nod to the armed guard stationed at the top of the steps before he hurried down the hallway to the intragate chamber. He’d been unnerved by what had happened during his recent conversation with the Chief Minister down in the Authoritarium. Burton hadn’t exactly said so, but he appeared to blame Sebastian for the Ministry personnel losing contact with Charlotte following the explosion at the train station. There was no way that he could have anticipated the course of events but Sebastian was still in a position of command. Higgins and his team might be punished for their failure but Sebastian also accepted that he had to take full responsibility for what had happened. Yet losing Charlotte at the station, and also not knowing Charlie’s exact whereabouts, were only two of many serious issues that now needed to be dealt with. Sebastian also knew that if the intragate remained non-operational for much longer he could be in deep trouble.

The intragate hadn’t been working since Ben had arrived without warning from the other Earth. He’d interrupted Charlotte during her mission and he’d been close enough to her to get caught up in the effect when the intragate’s portal suddenly reopened to link the two worlds. None of the other Earth’s inhabitants had ever traveled through the intragate before and Barclay suspected that Ben’s very presence might have caused the malfunction, although Barclay wasn’t exactly sure how that had occurred. The latest fierce electrical storm was also thought to be a possible factor in the failure of the intragate, but it was all pure speculation. Barclay and his team had been working feverishly to attempt to fix the problem but Sebastian hadn’t received any messages that they’d made any significant breakthroughs. As Sebastian approached the door to the intragate chamber, he took a deep breath, hoping that Barclay would have some good news for him.

Inside the chamber, Barclay, Phillips, and their colleagues were still attempting to repair the intragate. The large metal arch was silent and for the moment at least wasn’t pulsing with its familiar pale blue light. All the scientists and technicians were hard at work at their control stations and computer terminals, while a handful were examining the frame of the intragate itself. Barclay looked up from his console as Sebastian entered the chamber.

How are things coming along in here? said Sebastian. Have you made any progress at all with the repairs?

Barclay shook his head.

I’m afraid we’re still having trouble, he replied. The power for the intragate only stays on briefly then goes off again. It’s very frustrating. We think it’s being caused by some kind of power grid fluctuation.

Or the lingering effects from the storm, added Phillips. It may have stopped now, but it was one of the strongest storms we’ve ever recorded.

Well, whatever’s caused this, we need things fixed as soon as possible, Sebastian warned them both. I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that the Europeans will soon be here to view the intragate and all the great work we’re supposed to have been doing here. This simply has to be operational when they arrive at the Ministry, no excuses.

I understand that, believe me, said Barclay. We’re all working as fast as we can here.

His attention was then distracted by some unexpected activity at one of the nearby consoles.

That’s odd, he said, frowning as he peered at the complex instrument panel and its adjacent screen.

What is it? Sebastian asked.

Some sort of power surge, Barclay replied, before turning to Phillips. Did you see that too?

Wait a second, she said, quickly manipulating some of the console controls. Yes, I see it now. What is that?

Her brow furrowed, as she studied the evidence of the power fluctuation on the panel in front of her.

What’s causing it? asked Sebastian.

I’m not entirely sure, Phillips replied. It was quite powerful but then it was gone.

Can you pinpoint a location? said Sebastian.

Possibly, Phillips replied. Let me try something.

She concentrated as she focused on the console, adjusting the controls slightly.

There, she said. Got it.

Barclay leaned in to study the panel more closely.

Whatever it is, it’s coming from the old subway system, he remarked, with a puzzled expression.

But there’s nothing down there that could cause a power surge like that, said Phillips. Not since all the trains stopped running and most of the electricity supply was cut off.

The Subrads are down there, Sebastian reminded them.

Yes, that’s right, said Barclay. There’s still some power down there too, I think, even if it’s only sporadic. But the Subrads don’t have access to any high-tech equipment or sophisticated machinery, not as far as I know.

What about the prototype? Sebastian asked.

The what? said Phillips.

The original intragate project, Barclay replied. It was built down there in a deep section of the subway system years ago but it hasn’t been operational for over a decade. The whole place was abandoned and anything that wasn’t destroyed by the Ministry’s explosives was securely sealed off years ago. There’s also a lot of residual radiation down there. Even the Subrads wouldn’t try and access it because of that danger, even if they knew what the intragate was.

But you still think that the power surge could have come from down there? asked Phillips.

It’s possible, Barclay replied, nodding. But I really don’t know how.

I’ll get someone to go down there and check it out right away, said Sebastian.

He reached into his pocket and took out his phone, quickly punching in the numbers on the dial pad.

Higgins? I need you to take a team down to the subway. I’ll send you the coordinates. Yes, take as many men as you think you’ll need. If you run into the Subrads you’ll need all the firepower you can get too. Keep me informed.

He ended the call and turned back to address Barclay and Phillips.

Any signs of anything else that I should know about?

Not yet, said Phillips, but we’ll keep monitoring the situation. Maybe we’ll be able to pinpoint an exact location for that power surge. I’ll let you know as soon as we find anything.

Good, said Sebastian. Once the team’s down in the subway network, we can direct them to the source of the surge and solve this little mystery.

Chapter Two

Camp Terraine

In a bright burst of light, Ben and Charlie appeared in the corner of the darkened area adjacent to one of the security gates at Camp Terraine. They both stumbled and staggered backward against the wall, before regaining their balance.

Are you okay? said Charlie.

Yeah, I think so, Ben replied, shaking his head.

Where are we? asked Charlie, looking around. What’s happened?

This is Camp Terraine, in my world, Ben replied, quickly scanning their surroundings. It really worked. Where are Bishop and Elena?

I don’t know, said Charlie. You all looked as if you were fading away and even seemed to be in pain. I grabbed you then there was a huge flash of light. It looks like Bishop and Elena didn’t make it.

Do you think they’re dead?

Charlie shrugged.

No idea. We got here okay so hopefully they weren’t hurt at the other end of the intragate either. Do you think it’s broken or something?

I hope not, Ben replied. We have no way to get back if it’s no longer working, although Michael did warn us that the prototype was unstable. They probably all think we’re dead back there.

Maybe, said Charlie. But they’re not going to abandon us without trying to learn what went wrong, are they?

No, Ben replied. Okay, we need to find my parents. I saw some of this place when I came here with my dad, but not the more secure areas. We should probably try down that way first.

He pointed toward the nearby security gate.

It doesn’t look like it’s working, said Charlie.

Yeah, Ben replied. But even at night, there are always people wandering around in this place. There are plenty of security cameras too, covering just about everywhere. The people that run this place might already know we’re here.

They slipped through the inactive security gate and hurried along the short hallway. They were in a part of Camp Terraine that appeared to be deserted, but Ben and Charlie still had to duck inside one of the doorways and hide when they saw a woman with medium length black hair and wearing a white lab coat cross the hallway just ahead of them. The woman stopped at a door and entered a security code onto the pad on the adjacent wall. As the door opened, the hallway was briefly bathed in a pale blue light, which disappeared when the woman stepped into the room and closed the door.

Emerging from their hiding place, Ben and Charlie hurried along the corridor. As they turned the corner, they arrived outside a wide room that had a front wall constructed from large glass panels. The room was only dimly lit but the lights automatically came on fully as Ben and Charlie stepped inside. The room appeared to be a research laboratory. Most of the workstations had cupboards and drawers and a few featured built-in computers or were equipped with sinks. The surfaces of the workstations had an array of scientific and medical equipment, including microscopes, adjustable lights, and racks of glass test tubes, along with jars, dishes, and beakers in varying sizes. A large glass-walled booth stood against the outer wall in one corner of the lab. Beside it, a steel staircase led to an upper level containing more equipment.

Ben noticed some large sheets of paper on one of the workstations. He went over to look at the papers more closely.

Look at these diagrams and drawings, he gasped. They’re just like the intragate.

No, they’re not, said Charlie, as she examined the papers. That was shaped like a wide doorframe.

No, not the prototype. I mean the one that looks like a big arch that I came through at the Ministry building. It looks like they’re planning to build an intragate here too.

So they know about my world? asked Charlie.

It seems like it.

As he studied the plans in more detail, Charlie picked up a small slide of glass from the nearby counter and held it up to the light.

What’s that? asked Ben.

It looks like a tissue sample, said Charlie, taking a closer look. We’ve used these at school sometimes in biology classes. It looks like they’ve been scanning them with this light.

She reached for the small reading lamp that was