The three-minute countdown reached zero.
The entire world suddenly turned pure white, as though someone had detonated a nuclear weapon that erased all color and substance from reality itself. A brilliant white light shone with such intensity that it overwhelmed all other sensations.
Vogue squinted his eyes against the radiance, raising one hand to shield his face. When the initial intensity faded slightly and he cautiously opened his eyes again, he suddenly realized his surroundings had completely changed.
He was no longer standing in the destroyed corporate building. Instead, he found himself inside what appeared to be a massive white cube-shaped space that extended in all directions as far as he could see. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all perfectly smooth and glowing with soft white light.
