Crossing Over

Jay had anticipated that Kairi Technology Creative Company might be a tough nut to crack, but he hadn't expected them to be so openly hostile. They hadn't even bothered with a courtesy warning or threat; they just attacked.

He didn't know how many people like him they had dealt with using such crude methods in the past, but this time, they had picked the wrong target. Two researchers in white lab coats stealthily tried to inject Jay with some kind of drug, only for the needle to snap in half with a crack against his impenetrable skin. Before the two could even react, Jay casually shoved them away with a backhand, sending them flying.

The person in charge, who called himself Kevin, saw his expression change drastically. He realized this intruder wouldn't be easy to get rid of. While loudly ordering others to capture Jay, he was the first to quickly distance himself from the troublesome guest. Suddenly, many of the individuals in the lab who had appeared scholarly in their white coats tore them off, revealing incredibly muscular physiques like small mountains. Some even leaped directly from the second-floor railings, landing on the floor with heavy thuds that seemed to make the entire structure vibrate.

Jay couldn't help but frown. He had never visited such a large company before, but he figured it wasn't normal for laboratory researchers to be as strong as bulls. The burly men cracked their knuckles, their joints popping loudly, and stretched their limbs in exaggerated movements. They formed a semi-circle, closing in on Jay layer by layer, like a pack of wolves surrounding a cornered sheep.

What they didn't know, however, was that the real wolf was in the middle. In their eyes, they were all lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

Jay could have dealt with all of them in the blink of an eye, but he didn't want to be so ostentatious. It would be better if he could solve the problem without revealing his strength. But before he could figure things out, a new variable appeared.

The sound of something cutting through the air like a high-speed bullet reached Jay's super-hearing from outside the ceiling, nearly ten meters above. A red and blue afterimage, moving too fast for anyone to see clearly, violently tore a massive hole in the lab's dome. It landed with a crash right in front of Jay, and the invisible shockwave it created forced the burly men to involuntarily step back half a pace.

Deep red thigh-high boots pressed into the floor, causing it to crack and dent. The cape, lifted by the air pressure, fluttered gently. Supergirl descended like a fiery storm, her golden hair shining brilliantly under the lights like the sun.

Jay felt almost as surprised as everyone else in the room. "Kara!?"

What followed was a rather comical scene. A group of hulking men, built like small mountains, were intimidated by the presence of a petite girl and involuntarily retreated. Their previous arrogant demeanor vanished completely, leaving not even a shred of defiance. However, considering the large "S" emblazoned on Supergirl's chest, no one found it particularly funny.

The girl opened her mouth wide and took a deep breath. Everyone vaguely anticipated the unpleasant scene that was about to unfold, their hearts pounding in their chests.

She exhaled forcefully, and a visible wave of air surged out, like a miniature typhoon sweeping through the underground laboratory. The sturdy men were lifted into the air one after another within the vortex, screaming as they were violently flung outwards, landing in disarray in various corners of the lab. Heavy equipment toppled over from the gale, and papers and documents flew everywhere, raining down like snow.

With Kara having resolved the situation in one breath, Jay finally found an opportunity to ask, "Kara? How did you...? Weren't you supposed to be back in National City?"

"I was worried about you."

"You were following me?"

Kara's pretty face flushed, and she waved her hands repeatedly. "No, I wasn't... I heard about your dad's disappearance, and I figured you'd do something. I was just a little worried, so... okay, maybe I was following you."

At least this showed she cared about him. Jay felt a slight sense of comfort and smiled. "Thank you."

At this moment, Jay's eyes caught sight of the person in charge, Kevin, climbing to the second floor. He reached the large, arched instrument in the center of the hall. Facing the sparking purple vortex in the center, he took a deep breath and leaped into the massive vortex.

Jay and Kara's figures flickered, and they both appeared before the vortex almost simultaneously. They stopped and examined the device for a moment. Kara said, "This looks like some kind of teleportation device. But I can't see the other side. I don't know where this thing goes."

"Maybe that guy brought me down here just to throw me into this," Jay said. "They seemed to know what they were doing. I guess they handle many other people this way."

Kara asked, "So you think this might lead to a prison?"

"I don't know, but it's the only clue I have. I have no choice." Jay paused. "You know you don't have to come with me. We don't know what we might face on the other side."

"Since I came all the way here, I'm not turning back now," Kara said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"Then thank you." Jay turned back to the massive vortex before them. "Ready?"

"Hmm... let me take a deep breath first." Kara genuinely took two deep breaths. "Okay, now I'm ready."

They exchanged a look, nodded at each other, and then leaped into the giant vortex side by side. The moment his body touched the trembling purple light, Jay felt an invisible giant hand reach out from the abyss and grab him without warning. His feet left the ground, and he was sucked into a completely different space. Violent energy filled the surroundings, roaring like omnipresent beasts. Electricity and light intertwined, pouring intensely into his nose and mouth, causing extreme discomfort.

He could only hope Kara was faring better than him.

After an unknown amount of time tumbling through the energy flow, Jay finally landed back on solid ground with a sigh of relief. He felt as if he had been thrown from a height of over fifty meters, crashing heavily into a pile of miscellaneous debris. The moment he landed, he seemed to have smashed some kind of machine into pieces, turning into a large heap of shattered parts and old wires beneath him.

Kara landed not far from him about two seconds later. Judging by her disheveled beautiful blonde hair and her groggy expression, it was evident that her situation wasn't much better than his.

"Alright, that felt like a super thrilling cosmic roller coaster ride," Kara said, shaking her head as she stood up. "Where are we?"

"Good question. You stumped me," Jay replied, standing up and finding himself amidst a pile of scrap metal that was unrecognizable in its original form. He looked around, and as far as the eye could see, there were only similar piles of junk, forming hill after hill, stretching endlessly.

"Looks like a... junkyard?"