The same word kept running through my head: "CRAP!" I pumped my long legs as fast as I could, but to no avail. The Wytean TrackerBots were hot on my trail. In a futile attempt to elude them, I darted out of the derelict street and into a dark, cold alleyway filled with aged, dusty rubble. The sense of disgust that filled me as I inhaled the putrid stench of rodent feces and decomposing flesh was only outdone by the massive sense of fear filling me. As a last resort, I plunged my hand into the inner pocket of my long, black jacket. The grating sound of the TrackerBots engines filled my ears, when, much to my relief, my hand met with the feeling of cold metal. Jumping forwards, I flung my body into a less than graceful twist. Simultaneously, I pulled forth my Laser Cannon. As the wretched figures of the loathsome TrackerBots came into my vision, hovering a few feet above the ground, I pulled the trigger on the long, shiny weapon I had pulled forth from my jacket. A beautiful, if anything that destructive can be called that, blue bolt of pure energy cut it's way across the dank alleyway, slamming into the front panel of the lead TrackerBot. A nauseating fizzling noise filled the air as the lead Bot fluttered towards the ground. A few seconds passed, and my entire vision was filled with a blinding flash as the Bot detonated.

In the compact area of the alleyway, the single explosion was one explosion too many. The rapidly expanding flames engulfed the following TrackerBots, causing them to detonate as well. Soon the entire alleyway was filled with naught but a bright white light, the violent, painful sounds of explosions, and the searing pain of the massive flames licking at my limbs. My life was saved only by the fact the massive force of the explosions hurled me out of the alleyway in a blur. All I remember is seeing my vision be cleared of the white light, only to be met by an unyielding brick wall. One thought filled my frantic existence before the ensuing painful collision: "…not good…" A loud SMACK reverberated in my ears and everything went black.

"I told you this was a bad idea." These words echoed in my ears, despite almost being drowned out by the painful thrumming within my wounded head. Slowly, my blurred vision focused, allowing my recovering brain to recognize who was speaking. Relief flooded through my brain. Looking up at the tall blonde, I couldn't help but be distracted by her shapely body, dressed in cargo pants and a halter-top. My vision progressed up towards her beautiful features, only to be jolted back to reality by the harsh glare from her usually jovial green eyes. A coating of agitation dripped off of her words. "I told you, Andrew, we aren't powerful enough yet, but you insisted we go ahead with the recovery mission." She extended her hand towards me.

"Oh, shut up, Michelle," I retorted. I grabbed her hand, and, with her aid, pulled my tall frame upright. "They had Beth and Justin captive."

"And now they have everyone else captive! I'm amazed we weren't captured!" she barked at me. Her tone suddenly changed from one of agitation to one of sarcasm. "Hey, lets try to sneak into the heavily guarded compound of the Dictator of Earth! Brilliant idea!"

The thrumming within my head suddenly increased, despite a marked decrease in pain. A plan was slowly forming within my battered cranium. I reached into one of the many pockets on my cargo pants, and pulled forth my greatest invention, a gray rectangular device covered with transparent buttons. Michelle looked quizzically at it. "What is that?"

"This," I explained to her, "is the Time-Space Coordinate Alternator. Through the manipulation of the nature of the atom, via the principals of quantum physics, it allows the user to be able to shift his or her coordinates on the time-space plane. Basically, it allows you to teleport, travel to alternate dimensions, even do the equivalent of time travel, given how actual time travel is, in truthful reality, impossible. You see, people see time as a stable thing they move through, when, in fact, it's more like a river that moves around them. Due to that, it is im-"

"Whoa! Enough!" Michelle interrupted with a look and tone of impatience. "I didn't ask for Quantum Physics 101. Now what crazy plan are you thinking of now?"

A wicked smirk crossed my lips. "The flaw in our original plan is that it involved sneaking in. Why sneak in, when we can just teleport in?"

"Oh no. I am not going back there."

I hammered some buttons into the Alternator. "Either you come with me, or you stay here, and battle what comes after us; most likely, an entire Wytean army." I extended my hand to her. "You coming or not?"

She grabbed my hand. "This better work."

I slammed my thumb down on the button marked "Travel." A bright green glow emanated from the Alternator. Slowly a dull hum began to fill our ears. It grew louder, until it was all we could hear. "Don't worry! This is normal!" I yelled to Michelle, but it had no effect. I couldn't even hear myself over the now screeching hum. The Alternator grew warm. I braced myself for what I knew would come. The sound of a loud explosion ripped my existence into shreds just after the green glow enveloped us.

The street was empty. Nothing moved, except for the wisps of smoke drifting from the burnt out alleyway. Throughout the ruins of the once great city, there was no life to be found in the vacant streets, or within the hollowed, burnt forms of what were once some of the tallest building known to man. Within the ruins, nothing moved..…

To be continued...