The Portal Effect

*Karen's POV, Third Rift Gate location*

She watched the video several times. She saw Harley collapse, her friends coming to her aid. The betrayal that sealed itself to her face was hard to forget. But Karen knew it was for the better. She loved Harley, and her group. But she couldn't let that get in her way of trying to make a new world. Especially if it might get people killed in the process.

The final phase was to destroy the NASA Rift Gate. She knew the Russian one was fully destroyed. Conan had seen to it weeks ago. But the fact that her old colleagues were now at the old location harvesting blue energy put a wall in her way. Dr. Jake Solace was failing at his job. But then again, his son was another wall. It meant he was conflicted. She would have to send another person in to finish the job.

"What is taking so long? You said it would take a few months at most. It has been almost four. Today is September third." hissed the voice she had come to really hate and fear at the same time.

"I know. But we have hit a few snags. The initial portal explosion only fueled my old colleagues to fight back. If you want to speed it up, bring some more beasts and let them loose on NASA's base." Karen said irritably.

"You know I cannot. I have already spent much energy to open this one for you as a test run. Maybe you should take a hint from the technologically smart kid, Leo Campion. He found a way to siphon energy from portals." the shadowed voice said.

"We do not know the full effects of what Campion is doing. While his logic makes sense, there's as of yet no evidence to support it." Karen snapped. For a moment, her heart rate spiked as she realized her mistake. But the voice did not rebuke her. Instead, it just chuckled and said nothing else. She was left with the feeling of being alone.

She looked back at the screen and watched as the group moved back to the main chamber and retrieved the cannisters of blue energy. When she saw the brightness of the seven cannisters, she realized how much was in them. But the portal was fully drained, and it slowly faded, a slight pop following it as it closed.

"I will talk to Solace myself. I think it is time we intervene fully now." Karen said to no in particular. Conan had just walked in.

"What do you plan to do?" he asked.

"This portal will be the final distraction for Harley and her team. I will make sure my mole goes with them. He will try to convince Harley that the NASA leadership is corrupted and get her to work with Dr. Solace instead of against him." Karen explained.

"This one will need to attract them first. Once they have come here and then gone, we need to destroy it. It already has proven more difficult to start it than the original." Conan said, pacing to the other side of the room.

"I agree. Once they arrive here, we will take over NASA. When they get back, they will either join us or try to fight." Karen agreed. She was looking at their Rift Gate. It looked exactly like the original, but because they didn't have experts on how to build it, the thing would not function fully.

"Doubt is already being planted. Once they find out who tampered with the machines to hide the portal, Harley's team will go on auto defense, and trust will be hard earned." Conan rumbled.

He then took off his hood, which was concealing the effects the remnants of the Breacher had on his face. Green lines spider webbed across his head, pulsing and spreading slowly. Karen knew he didn't have too long before the energy building up inside him killed him.

"Indeed. I just hope our mole can get them to trust him fully. Because that is when we make our move." What Karen didn't say is that he would not be involved in the final stage of her plan to merge both worlds.