[Dungeon of Stories] 45 – Quarantine

[New Vegas Quarantine Zone]

At a tremendous speed, makeshift fortifications were erected around the spatial anomaly. Several NCR OSI operatives stood around the tear in space, devices in hand, measuring the tear for anything, some kind of energy or even anomalies that the human eye couldn't see, yet their scanners detected nothing, too primitive to detect the pure Mana radiating from the portal.

They had not noticed, but the streams of pure mana leaking through the portal were beginning to change and affect the environment around them, though it wouldn't become clear for quite some time.

At the head of the OSI, the Office of Science and Industry, was none other than Thomas Hildern, a man who was more focused on his career than anything else and the Director of the OSI branch in New Vegas. Alongside him were several junior scientists and, finally, his secretary and assistant, Angela Williams.

Due to Hildern's method of stealing the credit for his employees' work, many, if not all, of the OSI agents under his branch in New Vegas greatly disliked him. This led to many resignations over the years with the OSI, leaving the branch mostly staffed by interns or new hires. 

Due to this fact, the research and study on the anomaly were progressing excruciatingly slowly, so much so that Mr. House was getting impatient and, after taking control of one of the Securitrons in the area, rolled up to Hildern.

"I'm not satisfied with your team's lack of progress, so I'm taking over this operation," Mr. House's still visage said from the Securitron monitor.

"What?! No, you can't do this!" Hildern answered furiously, only to get handed a paper.

"I spoke with Ambassador Crocker. He agrees with me, allowing me to take control and head this amazing discovery myself. You are being dismissed, Director Hildern." Mr. House spoke with authority, gesturing towards the two troopers behind Hildern.

Mr. House and the many interns around wouldn't admit it, but they were pretty satisfied when they saw Hildern get dragged out of the Quarantine Zone by the two Soldiers.

"Alright, let's get to work," Mr. House said from the Securiton. First things first, I want to run a series of tests, starting with seeing what will happen if an organic touches the anomaly," Mr. House stated, waving the Securiton towards the gate, where two more Securitrons rolled in, a terrified man between the two robots.

"Barton, the deal still stands, all of your outstanding debt and your crimes for Murder on the New Vegas strip will be erased if you perform your duties to the fullest, understood?" Mr. House asked, getting rapid nods in response from the terrified man.

One of the Securitrons pushed the man forward, where the OSI agents looked on with interest and a hint of fear of what could happen.

"Get a move on, Barton, this is the only chance you will get," Mr House spoke with authority before looking towards the interns, "I want every scanner focused on him, I want to know exactly what happens."

As the man approached the tear in space, clearly hesitant, the debt prisoner and murderer reluctantly reached out to the tear in space, and abruptly turned golden and dissolved into particles that flowed into the tear.

"What was that?!" One of the interns shouted, while Mr. House looked at the scene with shocked surprise, surprise that quickly turned to interest as he focused on the interns.

"What did we get from the scanners?" He accidentally shouted.

Suddenly, the tear flared once more and before the team's eyes, the man's body reformed back where he stood, before he walked backwards and accidently fell onto his butt.

"What happened, what did you see?!" Mr. House shouted through the speakers, rolling forward.

Before the man could answer, the portal flared again, and a giant ebony colored ant formed from the portal and charged the man.

Instantly, the Securitrons and Soldiers around the room raised their weapons. Mr. House, piloting a Securitron, fired first, hitting the ant head-on and killing it near instantly, the other bullets only making sure that it stayed dead.

"An ant?" Someone called out, but Mr. House ignored them, focusing on Barton, "What did you see?" 

"A...A city," Barton answered with a gulp, staring at the dead ant carcass before him.

"A city?" Mr. House questioned, curious, looking towards the tear in space.