The crowd, a motley mix of characters, huddled together within the confines of the square marked by the mysterious black line. Among them, Zac and the enigmatic ape-faced guy exchanged intrigued glances as an air of anticipation gripped the gathering. Suddenly, a radiant beam enveloped them, casting a momentary glow before fading away. Zac surveyed his transformed surroundings, his eyes widening with wonder.
"Whoa, what just happened?" he queried, turning to Bella for answers.
A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes as she responded, "Congratulations, you've just been whisked away to Base-17."
"Just like that?" Zac exclaimed, his curiosity piqued.
"Just like that," Bella affirmed with a mysterious smile.
Skepticism etched across Zac's face as he questioned, "What about the whole traveling through the space tunnel thingy?"
Bella chuckled, her tone carrying a hint of amusement, "Think of it as the cutting-edge version of teleportation."
