This chapter is dedicated to Ranger_of_the_North and Jolo815 . Thanks for all your votes and adding my stories to your reading lists.

Zak hummed. Things were looking up. He not only escaped the post-apocalyptic wastelands, but he'd told Jess how he felt about her. And she felt the same. Everything seemed brighter and better; even the commute to the Company. Normally it was filled with screaming children or people complaining about something, but it was quiet—or it at least seemed that way to Zak.

He greeted each person he knew on his way to his cubical where he'd get the day's assignments. He then spotted Dean and waved. But Dean didn't respond.

"Hey, man," said Zak catching up. "You won't believe what happened to me. It was downright crazy...and awesome."

Dean continued to stare straight ahead and continue down the hall.

Zak made an "OK, fine" shrug. "Eh, fine. But, just so you know, I'm so much cooler than you now." That should have gotten some kind of reaction out of Dean; but nothing. Zak sighed. "Fine. I'll just tell Wiley or Marty. Maybe they'll be interested."

Dean still didn't react, but stopped at a door and entered a code. The door buzzed open. Zak was in no way finished with Dean so he slipped inside.

Zak's mouth dropped. "What the?"

The large room looked like something out of a science fiction novel. A large window separated the room. On one side, he saw Alyx, Marty, Jess, and others sitting in chairs similar to hairdryers in a salon, but more high-tech and with flashing lights and buttons. Dean headed straight for an empty one and sat down. Restraints suddenly strapped him in and the hairdryer dome settled over his head. The room was filled with beeps, bops, and blips.

On the other side of the window, flashes of lights bombarded Zak. It looked similar to what you'd expect from a movie that warns viewers about photosensitive epilepsy. In between the moments of psychedelic flashes, Zak saw people being transported along a conveyer belt like cattle. A young man with black hair was positioned under what looked like a fancier version of a pneumatic tube. The lights flashed and suddenly the man had red hair and was dressed in Bermuda shorts and sandals. The man was pushed to another pneumatic tube but this time wires snaked out and attached themselves to the man. Another flash occurred. A ding was followed by a computerized voice from somewhere saying, "Character Reboot complete." The wires unhooked and the man disappeared through a set of doors.

A woman with long, blond hair in her 30s was next. The lights flashed and now she was a 10-year-old boy with short, brown hair. She/he was moved to the wire tube. Zak turned back to the first tube as an elderly man was pushed under said tube. The lights flashed and a horse stood in his place. Next, Zak saw someone who looked similar to Dean. The lights flashed and they were turned into a glowing blue and white sphere. The sphere was sucked into the tube. Zak watched as the glowing orb traveled through the tube and down through the wires that were hooked to Dean's "hairdryer." Dean's hands clenched like he was in pain for a moment then relaxed. "Integration complete," said the same unknown voice.

"What is going on?"

The next person on the conveyer belt was a young girl, about eight. Zak pressed his face against the glass. He recognized her. In the mass chaos of the Dark Star mission, he'd seen her wondering around. Zak stepped back as the tube machine fired. The girl looked mostly the same; she just wore a blue and white dress instead of a pink one. "These are the refugees from that fallen realm."