In an undisclosed research facility in Hessen, Germany, 5 Germans, 3 ex-soldiers, 1 was a medic, 1 a gunsmith drug addict, and 2 Russians, both ex-soldiers volunteered to test out a device that allows them to hop between different universes and maybe even different dimensions. 2 days after they volunteered, they finally arrive at the facility. The 6 volunteers along with the security guards monitoring them arrive in an olive tinted truck. They drove on a dirt road in an overcast day, around them were corniferous trees standing on ground higher than the ground the bus is on. The road they drove on was wet and the air smelled of pine.
The truck lurched forward as the driver braked outside a concrete stronghold, a massive steel gate guarding the entrance. The driver of the truck grabbed his radio and spoke into it. A few second later, the gates began to rumble, then, the gates began to slide open, shaking the ground aswell. The opening of the gate revealed a massive, long, concrete tunnel, there were cylindrical lights lining the sides, and pipes hanged from the ceiling.
The truck's engine revved, and they drove into the building. As they were driving down the tunnel, the gates rumbled to a close behind them. The tunnel was damp and smelled of soggy socks, water sometimes dripped down from above. As they continued down, one of the volunteers spoke,
"So... what are your guy's backstories?"
"Wait... Mikhail is that you?" asked one of the men
"Yes, you're Olek right? You're the one I saved from the Russian separatists' counter-assault back in 32 right?" Mikhail replied
"Yes, it's me, I didn't think we would met again after we were discharged, but you're here."
Just when Mikhail was about to talk, the truck lurched forward to a stop, cutting him off from his conversation with his old buddy. The truck stopped beside a platform. The tailgate flew open and the men hopped out and they lined up single file. Olek and Mikhail glanced at eachother before quickly catching up with the other men. The guards with them walked and stood in front of them lined up, then one of them spoke,
"Welcome to the facility. Follow us to the testing chamber, you better be on your best behaviour otherwise you will be reprimanded."
The guard said it in a lifeless robotic tone, then the guards turned around and they headed towards a bulkhead, the volunteers followed. As they approached, it opened and they continued down. The halls they were in were much cleaner and less damp than the tunnel they drove down on. On both of their sides were doors and entrances to other halls. They continued down until they reached another bulkhead. It opened up and they walked into a huge chamber, catwalks lined the tall walls and observation windows lined the walls. In the middle of the chamber, a machine containing a pulsating purple orb sat steadily.
The guards herded the volunteers in and they left, then an intercom crackled and a man spoke from it,
"Approach the Universe Hopper device until you are behind the red circle surrounding it."
"... Will we return after the device does its stuff?" Mikhail asked a camera in the corner of the room.
"Yes." The intercom replied in a souless tone. "Commencing activation."
The orb in the machine suddenly began shaking violently, then shutters closed onto the observation windows. The volunteers looked at each other and back to the machine. KRAK! The ground shook and cracked, and the power seemed to be out. Then there was a deafening crash, a deep rumble, and everything went black.