Enchained WATTPAD VERSION [Inter-Universal Protectors: Book 4]

PROLOGUE

Terpolite Monitor Station, Intersection

The job was boring. Uneventful. Unchanging.

But it was the job.

Their Queen had ordered the Walls of Creation to be monitored at all times for the last year, something about an accidental attempt to fuse megaverses, and now it was time for the change in shifts.

Finn collapsed into a chair as Jordan pulled a bag over their shoulder, the two other monitors in their team having already left.

"Have fun," they said with a wink.

Finn rolled his head over the back of the chair. "Watching a bunch of Walls do nothing at all. Oh, yeah. Lots of fun."

Jordan laughed. "See you tomorrow, Finn."

Finn waited until they left before turning back to his screen, pointedly ignoring the interested looks he got from his two workmates. It was hardly a secret that he and Jordan had chemistry. Hell, Finn was just waiting until he built up the courage to ask them to dinner! Next time, he told himself.

He scanned the readings on his screen. Everything was normal, as per usual. Nothing changed. Not that they ever changed.

"Maybe I should start that book . . ."

"Might as well," Ali agreed, kicking her feet onto the desk. "Nothing will happen. Nothing ever happens."

"I'd be amazed if it did."

A groan from across the room. "Why do we have to do this?" Xen complained.

"Queen's orders," Ali answered, blowing a gum bubble. "Someone tried to fuse megaverses together last year. Apparently that's possible. Anyway, it's possible something might've happened to the Walls."

"This is the spot where several Walls meet," Finn continued, pulling a book from his workbag. "If anything were to happen—which it won't—it would be here or other places like it."

"Still," Xen said, "ten-hour shift for a thirty-hour day doing nothing but staring at shit—"

"Hey, we agreed to this." Ali blew and popped another bubble. "This is hard to read shit. We're some of the few people who can make heads or tails of it!"

"Doesn't make it any less boring."

* * * * * * * *

Two hours into the shift, Ali stretched and yawned. She rocked to her feet, walking the length of the room to get the feeling back in her numbed legs. Finn watched with a fond shake of the head, turning back to his book. Xen's eyes were glued to his phone. He was focused on some Earth group-matching game.

"Coffee," Ali announced. "I need coffee. You guys want coffee?"

"Sure," Finn said.

"Same for me!" Xen called with an enthusiastic raise of the hand.

Ali laughed. "Coffee all around! Be right back, boys."

As she walked to the door, Ali stopped suddenly, backtracking to her screen. She leaned in closer with a frown. "What in the worlds . . ."

Finn and Zen spun at her tone.

"What is it?" Finn asked.

"Something impossible." Ali moved into the chair, eyes scanning the screen with expert precision. "Something is happening."

"What?"

"Something very very bad!"

She typed furiously, copying the readings into a message and sending it to the Research Station back home on Terpola. The message sent in seconds—thank the Gods for inter-universal signal! Ali had titled the message "URGENT VERY URGENT ABSOULTEY AN EMERGENCY", there was no doubt the results would be sent to the Queen as soon as possible. Hopefully that was before anything actually happened.