The chain of coincidences 3/11

Jennifer Jane ran excitedly along the forest path leading to the goblin village. She was carrying a copy of the local paper as she ran along, so that she could show them her latest photograph and wasn't really looking where she was going.
She hurried round a bend and before she could stop, ran into what seemed to be a large open room with one wall missing. She slid to a halt on the shiny floor and looked round in amazement.

There was just time to notice a boy of about her own age, who was looking just as surprised as she felt, when a crackling noise behind her made her look round. The woodland path was disappearing mistily, as the missing wall of the room flickered into solidity and blocked off the view.

She was standing in what she could now see was a laboratory full of humming electrical machinery. The glow in one of several tall columns was fading rapidly as she watched. A large metal frame near one end of the room, outlined the edges of the wall that had just re-materialised.

"It's no use son, that displacement valve has let us down again, it'll take weeks to get a new one up and running."

A man dressed in a silvery overall came from behind some of the machinery and then in his turn stood still in amazement beside his son.

All three stared at each other for a few more seconds and then Jennifer Jane spoke. After all, she was now used to being magicked to all sorts of strange places and assumed that this must be due to an accident of some sort at the Wish Warehouse.

"Can you tell me what the number of this world is please and how I'll be able to get back?"

"I've no idea what you're talking about," said the man, "I'm Professor Edwards and this is my son Peter. He's here today to help me with my latest experiment into the possibility of finding a parallel world. How did you get in here?"

Jennifer Jane laughed. "It seems your experiment was successful, I've accidentally come from parallel world number fifty seven, I came in through the door you'd produced at the end of this room. Don't you have any magic in this world?"

"Don't be silly child, there's no such thing as magic."

Jennifer Jane turned her back to the professor and did a quick twiddle to find out if he was right. She successfully produced a chocolate swiss roll which she put in her pocket. Knowing that magic worked here was a relief. Now she'd be able to reactivate the door herself and return home whenever she wanted.

Meanwhile the professor had been talking to his son and when Jennifer Jane turned round again to face them, they'd obviously come to some sort of agreement.

"Why don't you and Peter go outside and have a walk round while I tidy up in here. I've got to dismantle this faulty displacement valve and have it sent back to the makers for repair. I'll join you when I've finished and we can all talk this over."

Peter led the way out and Jennifer Jane found herself standing in what appeared to be a large garden surrounded by a high wire fence. Several people were walking along paths between ornamental flowerbeds and she noticed that they were all dressed in the same sort of silver fabric as the professor and his son. They walked towards a gate in the fence about fifty yards away.

Beyond this the scenery became very different. Very tall buildings glittering in the sunshine, were everywhere. They all appeared to be built from stainless steel and glass. Strangely, although they were obviously approaching a very large built up area; there was very little traffic noise.

Peter showed a pass to a man guarding the entrance, who was wearing the same sort of silver overalls, this time with the addition of a red belt hung with equipment.

"She's with me," he said and the man opened the gate and let them out into the city.

"Whatever is this place?" asked Jennifer Jane.