Part 7
Quinn knew that the group desperately needed to privately discuss what had happened. "Excuse me, Mr. Barnes, but if you don't mind, we'd like..."
"A little privacy?" Theodosius finished for him. Quinn looked a tad surprised. "My old group was the same way. Always having conferences about things. I'll be inside the house if you need me."
The foursome went into their traditional huddle. Even though there was no one nearby they kept their voices low. "Well, this is a very interesting turn of events, wouldn't you say, Mr. Mallory?" the Professor asked.
"Yeah, this place sure beats your average Kromaggot world." Rembrandt added under his breath.
"It looks like paradise, all right," Quinn said, but continued, "but haven't we learned by now that these idealic worlds are never what they seem?"
"Well, there's a first time for everything," Wade added lightheartedly. At Quinn's 'Get serious' stare, she continued. "Alright, yes, it seems a little suspicious, Quinn. But there's nobody here but that Mr. Barnes guy and we can slide out of here whenever we want. Face it, there's not much that could go wrong here." Wade had experienced enough to know that something could always go wrong.
The Professor looked thoughtful. "You know, I tend to agree with Ms. Wells. Humanity could have discovered sliding hundreds, even thousands of years ago taking into account different paths of evolution. Wouldn't it make sense for such a people to build a place where travelers between worlds could have a haven from the dangers of parallel worlds?"
"I don't know, Professor, doesn't it seem just a little too convenient?" Quinn asked.
"Look, Mr. Mallory, the fact is we are here. Why not enjoy ourselves until we are given genuine reason for suspicion?" the Professor countered.
Knowing when he was beaten, Quinn decided to stop the arguing. He noticed that Rembrandt had not taken sides at all. Perhaps he had decided to enjoy the ride, go with the flow. As Quinn was thinking this, Remmy finally broke the silence that had settled over them by saying, "Bet they have some great fishing here. Want to try your hand at it again, Professor? Maybe you'll catch some monstrous minnows, this time, huh?" Rembrandt laughed a bit, but at the Professor's completely deadpan expression, he wondered if that had even happened with this group. When Wade started laughing and the Professor went off into the main house muttering to himself, though, he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Quinn looked at Wade as she laughed at some joke Rembrandt was making. He couldn't help but think of her as his Wade. Oh his mind was telling him how she was her double, but how often did he think with his mind these days? He knew that he hadn't been thinking with it when he had let her go without a fight. Shaking his mind of these thoughts, or at least attempting to, Quinn followed the others into the house.
After showing the other three to their rooms, Theodosius Barnes came back to take Quinn to his. "You know what I love about working in a hotel for sliders? No luggage." He chuckled lightly and Quinn cracked a small smile.
"So," Quinn started, "you say you've run into other versions of me before?"
"Yes, you apparently invented sliding in many of these worlds. It is your destiny, Quinn Mallory." Theodosius said with a knowing look in his eyes.
An incredulous look crossed the young man's face. "I've seen too much to believe in destiny." Quinn replied.
"On each world, man does what he is meant to. No amount of parallel worlds could shake me of that belief." Theodosius said.
"I've seen worlds where my doubles started plagues, destroyed entire worlds! I've been a car mechanic, a British rock star, I've even been a woman! How could destiny play any part in that?" Quinn was taking this way too personally and risking the possibility he was offending his host. He had no idea why he was acting like this, but made no move to apologize for his actions.
"On my world, there was a poem by Robert Frost, a Civil War poet. It was called 'The Road Less Travelled'. Have you heard of it?" Quinn shook his head no. "In it, he says that there is a path that we travel, and we must keep to it. A person knows when they have strayed from it. But there will always be a way that lets you come back. Now tell me, Quinn Mallory, haven't you ever felt that there was something missing from your life, but then you were given an opportunity to make it right again?"
Quinn was dumbfounded. It was like the old man knew all about him. He could only nod his head slightly. "See, then? Even you know your destiny. It's just a matter of following it." They walked a few steps and Mr. Barnes stopped. "Right here is your room, Mr. Mallory. Have a nice stay here."
"Thanks," he replied weakly. He had meant to ask Mr. Barnes about Colin and Maggie. Really, he had meant to. He would just have to do that some other time. Much later, maybe. After all, they had all the time they wanted on this world, right?
End of Chapter 7
