What if you found a portal to a parallel universe? What if you could slide into a thousand different dimensions. Where it's the same year and you're the same person, but everything else is different? What if that portal took everything you've ever held dear? And what if the nightmare never ends?
Starring:
-Mary spoke, 'I don't think we are who you think we are." Rembrandt had joined Wade and Jayson. At the front of the church. He spoke, "If you're not who we think you are, then who are you?" "And why are you interrupting our wedding?" Wade asked. "Sorry, we didn't mean to intrude. We have been sent to obtain Jayson Garrick's help," Mary replied. Jayson was puzzled, "My help?" Bennish spoke, "Have you ever heard of The Draconian Empire? Jayson's face went white as he spoke, "I'm yours."
-Quinn Mallory laid upon a table in the med-lab. Autumn stood by his side. Andrew spoke, "Nimbus, I'm picking up some strange activity in his brain." "Let me see these readings." Nimbus looked at the readings on the screen and spoke, "I should have known." "What is it?" Autumn asked. Nimbus replied, "Have you noticed any changes in Quinn's behavior?" "In the six months I've known Quinn? No . . . he's been very disturbed the whole time. I mean why wouldn't he? His wife and friends were captured by the Draconians." Nimbus replied, "It's more than that. Quinn invented sliding on his world. Yet, he does not strike me as the type of person who would have done so." "Well, it's sort of complicated. From what Bennish and Mary told me, after Wade and the others were abducted, he had to recreate sliding from scratch. The Draconians had destroyed his equipment, his notes, everything. He couldn't even remember the equation for sliding. If I hadn't stumbled upon his world, he'd probably still be there." Nimbus raised an eyebrow and spoke, "That is what I thought." "Is it what I think it is?" Andrew asked. "What?" Autumn replied. "Autumn, the Draconians placed a block in Quinn's mind. That is why he has been unable to remember the dynamics behind sliding." Autumn replied, "Can you do anything about it?" Andrew smiled, "I've already started the process to remove the block. When Quinn wakes up, he'll have full access to his mind."
-"Jayson you can't!' Wade said. "Wade, honey, I have too. you know that." Rembrandt spoke, "Then we're going with you." "No. I won't risk your lives." "Jay. . ." "Remmy, you know I'm right." Jayson grabbed his wife and pulled her close. Tears had began to fall from her eyes. "Don't cry Wade. I'll be back . . . as soon as I can." "What if . . . ." "Don't even say it. You thought you lost me once, remember? I found you then. I'll be back. After all, we just got married . . . .no way am I letting you out of spending the rest of your life with me." Jayson kissed his wife and turned to Rembrandt, "You look after her . . . . . ." Rembrandt nodded, "I understand." Jayson turned to Bennish and Mary and spoke, "I'm ready." Mary lifted the wrist-com and spoke, "DALIUS?" A mechanized voice replied. {Yes Mary? I assume you have found Garrick1014 and are ready to return.} "Yes," she replied. {One moment. The traverse should be opening at nay moment. I will see you when you return.} The traverse opened and Bennish and Mary dove in. Jayson took one last look at his wife and followed.
-Quinn's eyes began to focus. He saw Autumn standing over him. "Autumn?" he spoke groggily. "Yes Quinn. How do you feel?" "Hand me some paper and a pen . . . please." Autumn handed Quinn what he had asked for. He began to write something down on the paper. He handed it to her and spoke, "Does this look familiar?" Autumn glanced at the writing and spoke, "It's the equation for sliding Quinn." Quinn cracked a smile. "I'm back Autumn. My mind is whole." "I'm glad to hear that." Quinn and Autumn turned to see Andrew Summers. "What happened to me?" Quinn asked. Andrew replied, "Simply put, Quinn. The Draconians placed a mental block in your mind that prevented you from accessing your knowledge of sliding. They probably used a neural stunner on you when you encountered them. It takes the form of a bluish electricity." Quinn's memory flashed. Dragonius had shot him with some sort of device. Blue electricity spewed forth from it. It had destroyed the timer . . . .now to discover that was the beginning of all of this. "They're going to pay," Quinn said. "Slow down, Quinn. We still have a few things to do. Stay level headed on this. Besides. Bennish and Mary are back. We have someone you need to meet." Quinn walked out of the lab, followed by Autumn. Autumn turned around for a moment and saw Andrew still standing in the med-lab. He appeared to be watching her walk away, at least until she had turned around . . . now he was trying to hide this. Andrew thought to himself, "Come on Summers, you have to get a hold of yourself. It's not Meggan. Keep telling yourself that. No matter how much like her she is, it's not Meggan." Unfortunately, Andrew's heart was in no mood to listen to his brain.
-Jayson Garrick stood on the deck of the Traveller unit DALIUS. Nimbus had greeted him and began to explain the situation. The doors to the deck slid open and Quinn and Autumn walked through. Jayson's eyes meet Quinn immediately. His mind flashed back to what had become of his Quinn Mallory . . . it was an experience he didn't care to think about. "I never thought I would see a Jayson Garrick who was a slider," Quinn said. "That is what makes him a nexus being, Quinn. His is the only world where a Jayson Garrick has ever slid," Nimbus replied. Jayson spoke, "I'd always wondered if that was the case. I've never encountered a sliding double of me. Now I know." Quinn spoke, "What now, Nimbus?" Nimbus spoke, "Well, the next member of our group should be arriving right now." As if on cue, a reddish-orange vortex opened and two figures were deposited. One was male, the other female. The two figures arose and the female's eyes immediately turned to Quinn. "Quinn Mallory!" Her eyes showed hate and disgust. Only one word could escape Quinn's lips, "Logan."
To Be Continued
