The Ruins — Steve Elliott

Not everything is as it seems. This is a lesson soon to be discovered by David, Carl, Vivian, Simone and Vanish. Thanks to the magic of Mel, they embark on a visit to another world, where they encounter a set of ruins, which may, or may not, be of alien origin. However, the artifact they discover in those ruins causes an astonishing and surprising development in their lives. Their ordered existence descends into utter chaos, as they struggle to comprehend what has happened. But, as they frantically attempt to rectify the situation, it is obvious there will be no easy fix to their problem. It is up to Vanish, with his ingrained ability to notice even the tiniest detail, to come up with a solution, although it proves to be a very dangerous remedy indeed. Along the way, they thwart a power-mad megalomaniac, who has plans to conquer Earth, and all the other planets as well. If he isn't stopped, then death and destruction will ensue.