"This is Paula Jones for USNN coming to you live from San
Francisco where in 2 days a historic meeting between U.S. President Mark
Richards and President Bill Clinton of the Confederate States will take
place. Clinton just arrived in his private jet from Richmond, Virginia
in San Francisco Airport this afternoon. If talks are successful, and both
men sign the proposed Richards Agreement, it could mean the end of the
Cold War between the two nations. A state of affairs that has endured since
1918, when the Confederacy and its allies England and France where
defeat by the United States and Germany in The Great War. The current
leaders of England, France and Germany will be attending the talks."
"What's going on?" Mary says. Quinn replies "Amazing, on this world the South won the Civil War and broke away from the U.S." Mary was confused and replied "What is this Civil War you're referring to?" "Don't worry baby, " says Bennish "I'll explain it to you later." "Listen up guys," says Autumn "There's more." as Paula Jones continued her report
"President Clinton has stated that for his country to get
out of its economic slump it must end its
hostile attitude toward the U.S. In his speech yesterday from the
Confederate States capitol in
Richmond, VA he had this to say, "We must end this Cold War
between us and our northern neighbors the United States. We can not keep
up our current military budget if we hope to survive economically in the
next century. It is time for the Confederate States to start to have a
healthy and friendly relationship with the United States." Formal economic
aide and a lessening of military fortifications along the borders of the
U.S. and C.S. are part of the proposed agreement. Many feel this is the
step in the right direction for both countries as the 21st Century looms
on the horizon. While others here in the United States feel that there
should be no friendly relations with the Confederate States until they
end their policy of segregation of whites and blacks across their country.
The most outspoken opponent to all of this is the prominent religious leader
Rev. Rembrandt Brown, who has stated he opposes the agreement unless segregation
is ended."
Bennish, Mary and especially Quinn are surprised to see a double of their missing friend standing in front of thousands of people preaching God and rallying opposition to the talks. "Come on guys, lets go.", says Quinn. The others are puzzled by Quinn's insistence they get going, but follow.
Later that night after a good dinner the group was relaxing
in their room at the Dominion Hotel. Bennish then explained what the Civil
War was about to Mary. Why the South tried to leave, Lincoln, slavery,
everything. When he was done Mary gave Bennish a kiss on the cheek and
said, "Thanks for the quick history lesson." "I want to head over the local
library, find out how the Confederacy won on this world." Autumn says to
Bennish and Mary. "Sounds cool. Count me
in.", says Bennish. While they continue to talk, Mary notices Quinn
off by himself trying to watch TV and not looking very happy. Mary asks
him, "Quinn? Are you upset because we saw a double of Rembrandt on that
news report?" Suddenly Quinn turns to them and screams "I really don't
expect any of you to understand how I'm feeling right now!" The others
are shocked by his sudden outburst, Quinn then says, "You know....I need
a drink, I'm going to get some ice!" and leaves the room. "Maybe we should
go talk to him." says Bennish. "Let me try" says Autumn.
She finds Quinn down the hall, angrily putting ice in the
bucket. "What do you want?" he asks her without turning around. "You shouldn't
just yell at us like that, especially Bennish and Mary. We are your friends
Quinn and we want to help you. I know I haven't known you as long as the
others and I can't claim to understand how you're feeling right now, but
I know that having two of your best friends and your wife who you love
very much taken away from you is hurting you a great deal. We are all here
for you Quinn, your not alone." Quinn stops, turns around to
face Autumn, shrugs his shoulders and says, "I'm…. I'm sorry I snapped
at you guys. It's..." Autumn puts a reassuring hand on his
shoulder and says "Its ok Quinn, don't worry, we'll find them."
Just after she finishes Quinn sees a familiar face walking
down the hall and knocking on one of the hotel room doors. "Oh my God....Rickman!"
he mutters, he then grabs Autumn and ducks behind the corner. "Quinn!?,
what's going on?" "Shhh!" he tells her as the door is answered and Rickman
walks inside. Quinn leads her over to the door and the two listen in to
a conversation. "Is everything set?" asks Rickman. "Yes sir," says the
other man "I have the weapon stashed
away in the building." "Excellent, now remember after you kill him
you meet me in the back room where our patsy will be waiting. Once the
frame up is done everything will be in place." "Thank you sir for this
opportunity to serve my country and protect its integrity from associating
with our enemies." "Your welcome, soon President Clinton will be dead,
the U.S. will take the blame for being negligent in his protection and
any hope for a friendship between the Confederacy and the U.S. will be
forever destroyed."
After hearing all this, Quinn and Autumn raced back to their room. "Hey guys, everything cool?" asks Bennish. "Not exactly," says Autumn "We just ran into some trouble."
After Autumn tells them what happened, and Quinn explains
who Angus Rickman was, Mary says. "Oh no! What are we going to do?" "I
know what we should do," says Autumn "Tomorrow we go to the FBI and we
tell them everything. They can handle this." "No way dude!" says Bennish;
"My last experience with the Feds was not cool so count me out." "Look
Bennish we
can't just sit on our butts and let these guys kill President Clinton.
These talks could lead to a era of peace and friendship for these two countries
and that's obviously what Rickman wants to stop." says Quinn "If this double
of Rickman is as bad as the Rickman I knew then this nation is in big trouble."
Autumn nods and says, "I'm with Quinn, if we do nothing then we are just
as guilty as these guys are." Mary takes Bennish's hand and says, "They're
right, we have to do what we can to stop this." Bennish thinks it over
and says, "Ok, let's do it."
The next mourning the gang takes a cab, with Pavel Kurlienko behind the wheel, over to the FBI's headquarters in San Francisco. Along the way they learned, thanks to Pavel, that Canada didn't exist, Quebec, Ontario and all the other provinces where states in the USA, England had lost them in a war with the U.S. in the 1870's.
The FBI building was not only large but very stylish. After
waiting for almost two hours in the
lobby, Quinn and Autumn finally get to talk with someone. They are
taken into an office and sit down. "Why is this taking so long?" Autumn
asks Quinn. Quinn replies "They must get lots of reports like this, and
many are bogus. They have to treat all reports like ours with caution."
A few minutes after a young man and woman enter the room wearing
FBI badges identifying them as Agents. While the woman is unfamiliar the
man is all too familiar to Quinn, a double of Ryan! Ryan's double speaks
first. "I'm Special Agent Ryan Styles, this is my partner Agent Jaime Pratt.
I've read your report, are you sure you got a good look at the man who
entered the hotel room?" Autumn says "We saw the man and we know his identity,
his name is Rickman, Angus
Rickman." At the mention of the name Ryan and Agent Pratt give each
other a look of disbelief. Agent Pratt replies "We saw that in the report
you filed, you must be mistaken." Quinn says, "No, I know who I saw it
was Rickman." Ryan says "Then either your mistaken or you are a bunch of
liars trying to pull a prank on the FBI." "Why do you say that?" asks Autumn.
"Because I was never near that hotel last night," says a voice behind them.
They turn to see Rickman standing in the doorway wearing a FBI badge! "Sir!"
says Ryan as he stands up from the desk "I didn't know you had heard about
this…" "I just found out, I wanted to meet my accusers face to face." "Mr.
Director Sir, we can take care of this." Quinn and Autumn do a double
take saying "You're the Director of the FBI!" "Yes, and I resent your pitiful
lie about me trying to assassinate President Clinton!" "Its not a lie!"
says Quinn who gets up and stands in Rickman's face "We saw you at the
hotel last night and we heard your plans!" "That is ridiculous! I
was here at the office! I have witnesses!" Pratt says, "Its true, we already
checked." "We know who we saw, it was him!" says Autumn. "I'm sorry but
I'm afraid I'm going to ask you and your friends to leave now!" says Ryan
"The FBI doesn't like pranks like this, you've been warned. Now leave before
I call
security." Angry, but realizing they won't listen to them, Quinn
and Autumn leave the office.
A few hours later, after getting some lunch, The Sliders take
another cab back to the hotel to
discuss their next move. "Well that trip was a complete bust," says
Bennish "Now what?" "I don't
know" Quinn replies, " but we can't just give up." Autumn says,
"Well we had better think of something soon because the meeting between
the Presidents is tomorrow." Suddenly the door bursts open and two men
holding guns with silencers on them enter the room. "Oh man!" says Bennish.
"All of you get down on your knees with your hands on top of your head
NOW!" says
one of the men. They comply with the gunman's order. "What's going
on!?" asks Autumn. "You four stuck your noses where they don't belong,
now you're going to pay the price." says the other gunman, who cocks his
gun. As the two men prepare to kill them, Quinn thinks this is the end
and whispers to himself "I'll always love you Wade."
To Be Continued
