The old scientist looked at the worker in the grey uniform. The worker met his gaze. The scientist's face was hard and determined. He gave a sharp decisive nod. It was the only command needed. It was the signal to proceed.
The worker turned away from the chief scientist. He faced a large freestanding control console. It was made of thick grey metal. A single heavy lever like a gear jutted out from its center.
He placed both his hands on the cold metal. He braced his feet. He began to pull the lever upwards. The mechanism resisted him. It was heavy. It was built to be moved slowly and with intention.
A deep resonant hum started to fill the laboratory. The sound seemed to come from the very walls. It grew louder with every inch the lever moved. It was the sound of immense power waking up. It was the sound of the particle collider.
The lever clicked into its first position. The worker let out a breath. He called out over the growing noise.
"Power level 25%!"
The scientists did not move. They stood like statues at their stations. Their faces were lit by the glow of their screens. Their gazes were fixed on the large central monitor.
The data streams there were no longer stable. They climbed upwards in clean sharp lines. The numbers accelerated. No one spoke. The only sound was the deep thrum of the machine.
The worker readjusted his grip on the lever. He bent his knees and pulled again. He forced the lever higher against its immense resistance.
The humming intensified. It was not just a sound anymore. It was a physical force. It vibrated through the concrete floor. It shook the metal consoles. A pen rolled off a desk and fell to the ground unseen.
"Power level 50%!" the worker shouted. His voice was strained.
The sound was now a deafening roar. It pressed in on them from all sides. It made conversation impossible. The air itself seemed to vibrate with energy.
The worker strained. He put his entire body into the effort. His knuckles were white on the lever. He heaved it further upwards. His muscles burned. Sweat dripped from his brow.
"Power level 75%!"
His words were almost lost in the noise. At that moment the main computer screen began to flicker. The clean lines of data broke apart.
The screen became a chaotic jumble of corrupted information. It flashed between green error messages and red warnings and fields of pure static. The numbers were changing too fast. They were no longer readable. They were a meaningless blur.
The worker ignored the failing screen. He had his orders.
He gave the lever one last powerful shove. He used all his remaining strength. He pushed it to its highest possible point. It locked into place with a final heavy clank.
He yelled at the top of his lungs. He had to be sure they heard him. "Power level 99%!"
The moment the words left his mouth the world ended. Every computer screen in the control room erupted. They became a single blinding flash of white light.
It was more intense than a lightning strike. It bleached all color from the room for a split second. Then they all went completely black. Darkness fell.
The scientists cried out. They stumbled backward from their dead consoles. They shielded their eyes. The bright afterimage was burned into their vision.
They saw a ghost of the white flash everywhere they looked. But the roar from the particle collider did not stop. It did not fade with the lights. It grew more unstable. It changed from a steady roar to a high-pitched scream.
The sound of particles traveling at impossible speeds through the accelerator loop continued to assault their ears. The experiment was still running. It was now completely without their control.
High above on the mountain's peak Adam remained asleep. He was a still dark shape against the ancient tree. He knew nothing of the world below. He was in a place of peace.
Suddenly the city before him vanished. The brilliant tapestry of lights spread out below simply ceased to exist. In one silent instant every single light went out.
The entire city was plunged into an unnatural profound darkness. It was a blackness that swallowed everything. Adam did not stir.
He was lost in his slumber. He knew nothing of the blackout. He knew nothing of the chaos unfolding in the earth beneath him.
Down in the silent darkened city the power grid failed. It failed catastrophically. Electrical poles along the streets began to spark. Blue and white flashes lit the empty sidewalks for a moment.
Wires heavy with useless current snapped. They whipped through the air like angry snakes. Transformers on the poles exploded. They let out a series of loud percussive bangs. The sounds echoed through the dead empty streets. There was no one to hear them.
Back in the underground lab absolute panic had taken hold. The main power was gone. The only illumination came from the faint red glow of emergency backup lights.
They cast long distorted shadows on the walls. The scientists were no longer a team. They were a terrified mob.
The old scientist was a pale figure in the red gloom. His composure was shattered. His face was a mask of terror. He spun around to face his frantic team.
"Shut it down! Shut it down immediately!" he yelled. His voice was thin and strained with fear. "The machine is out of our control! If the particles collide anything could happen!"
His warning was a spark in a room full of gasoline. A fresh wave of fear washed over them. The organized team of researchers dissolved.
They pushed and shoved each other in the dim red light. People were running in every direction. Some fumbled with the dark useless consoles. They hit buttons that did nothing. Others simply tried to get away. They ran for the exits. Their movements were frantic and without purpose.
They collided in the narrow aisles. Someone fell. They were trampled.
The controlled professional environment of the laboratory had descended into pure chaos. The screaming of the machine and the screaming of the people mixed into one terrible sound.