Ben Loveland felt like his legs would give out on him any minute now. He couldn't stop though. They were so close.
"How much farther!" Nicole Harris asked Robert Bufford in front of him.
"Here we are!" Bufford said as he pointed at a warehouse door.
Ben pushed pass Nicole. He grabbed the door to open it.
What he found shocked him. Two figures that looked like Melissa and Richard were unconscious. A few feet away was a blue wormhole. Randy Heim was heading for it.
"Randy!" Ben yelled.
It was no use. The wind from the wormhole was too loud. Randy jumped into the wormhole and vanished.
"No!" Ben yelled as the vortex closed.
"We missed them," Bufford said.
"How much time do we have?" Nicole asked.
"A minute," Bufford said.
"Good," Ben said. "We can go directly after them."
"Where's Rembrandt?" Nicole asked.
"Right here," Rembrandt said. "Next time, someone else pay for the taxi." He looked down at the unconscious figures. "What happened?"
"We don't know," Nicole answered.
"And we don't have time to find out," Bufford said as he aimed the timer.
"So do we take them?" Ben asked as he looked at Melissa.
"Probably not a good idea," Rembrandt said. "They might be doubles."
"According to this timer, they are," Bufford said. "Let's go."
The wormhole formed in front of them. Nicole jumped in first. Bufford followed. Rembrandt went after him.
Ben looked down at the figures. For the first time in a while, he wondered what he had gotten into. He also wondered if Randy and Melissa were all right.
Then he jumped into the wormhole. The next minute he screamed as it tore apart.
WHAT IF YOU DISCOVERED NEW WORLDS WITHOUT LEAVING EARTH? YOU'RE THE SAME PERSON AND IT'S THE SAME YEAR, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS DIFFERENT? MY FRIENDS AND I FOUND A WAY! NOW WE'RE TRYING TO FIND THE WAY HOME!
SLIDERS: ALTERNATE SPIN-SEASON 2
EPISODE 6: BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS
Nicole screamed. It felt like her insides were being taken apart and put back together again...every second. She could not even make out the ned of the wormhole.
It fell on her quickly. She hit the floor with a thud. She stood and faced the wormhole.
It looked like it was trying to tear itself apart. Nicole looked away from it.
A man stood near her. He was in awe of the wormhole at the moment.
3 SECONDS, a female's voice said.
"What?" Nicole managed.
Bufford flew out of the wormhole. He hit Nicole and they fell at the man. Nicole hit the floor again.
"Watch it!" Nicole barked.
"I don't know what happened," Bufford managed.
A humming sound drowned out anything else he said. Nicole jumped to her feet again to find a laser aimed at her.
It fired before she could move.
Rembrandt fell out of the vortex to see a laser zap Nicole and Bufford. They vanished into nothing.
"Nicole! Bufford!" Rembrandt yelled.
MALFUNCTION DUE TO EXTRA MASS, a female's voice sounded through the room.
"What have you people done?"
Rembrandt looked from the laser to a middle-aged man running at him.
"Who are you? What have you done to my friends?" Rembrandt demanded.
Before the man could respond, Ben fell out of the vortex. It closed behind him quickly. He looked up at Rembrandt, back where the vortex had been, and back at Rembrandt again.
"What the hell was that?" Ben asked.
"We'll get to that in a second," Rembrandt said and turned to face the man. "Now where are our friends?"
The man crossed his arms. "I think I should be asking the questions here."
"We're travelers from a parallel dimension!" Ben shouted.
Rembrandt glared at Ben. "Goof!"
"What?" the man said in surprise. "How?"
"Long story," Rembrandt said. "Our friends? Where are they?"
"They...could be anywhere," the man said as he ran over to a console. "The extra mass threw off my calculations. They could be in the past or in the far future."
"What are you telling me? You built a time machine?"
"Yes."
"That's not all," Ben said as he made it to his feet. "Bufford has the timer."
A PROBLEM, DR. WILLIS?
"It's okay, Lilah," Willis said to the ceiling. "They are not a threat to me. Power down."
POWERING DOWN NOW.
"What is that?" Ben asked.
"That," Willis said, "is a very sosphilcated computer that I designed from scratch. You are in my home. I am Dr. Tom Willis."
"I'm Rembrandt," Rembrandt said. "This is Ben."
"You two can see your way out," Willis said. "Lilah won't harm you."
"What about our friends?" Rembrandt said. "I'm not going anywhere without them."
"They're lost," Willis said. "Accept it."
"Accept it?" Ben said. "We are already looking for a group of our friends!"
"Goof!" Rembrandt said.
Ben looked at Rembrandt. He kept quiet.
"Your machine obviously had a destination, right?" Rembrandt asked.
"Yes, of course," Willis said, "But-"
"Then you can trace where they went, right?"
"Yes, but-"
"It's settled then," Rembrandt said. "We're staying."
Nicole screamed, but no sound came out. Her skin felt like it was on fire. Somehow her neck turned and she saw she wasn't alone. Bufford was going through the same thing.
"Rick, we found them. Attempting rescue."
Nicole could not remember anything else. The walls were closing in on her.
HOPEFULLY, THESE ACCOMMODATIONS ARE SUITABLE.
"They are, Lilah," Rembrandt said. "Thank you."
"So...we just wait?" Ben asked. "Nicole and Bufford have disappeared into time and space and we wait."
"What else can we do?" Rembrandt turned to Ben. "Dr. Willis said that the calculations would take at least an hour. Until then, we have to wait." He sat down on the bed. "I don't like it any more than you do, but we have to."
"It's more waiting though," Ben said. "Anything can happen between now and an hour. Nicole and Bufford could be in trouble. Not to mention Randy and Melissa..."
"I'm sure wherever Randy and Melissa are, they're safe. Sliding for a year can toughen up anyone. From what you told me, they're survivors."
Ben felt a smile crossing his face. "Yeah. Especially Melissa."
"What went wrong with the timer?" Ben asked. "It's never done that before."
Rembrandt just shook his head. "I don't know. I never had it on the last world."
"Neither did I," Ben said. He remembered that last world briefly. They had only been there for a few hours though, but it could have been home..."Bufford might have fiddled with it while we were out looking for the others?"
Rembrandt nodded his head. "It definitely was fiddle with...but by who?"
"Here it comes again!" Melissa Clark yelled behind the rock.
"Shut up!" Logan St. Clair shouted. "I'm trying to think!"
"A spaceship is shooting at us and you want to think?" Melissa yelled.
The manta ship opened fire on the two sliders again. It landed near their position near the rock.
"That was close!" Melissa yelled.
"I got it!" Logan shouted in triumph.
She jumped from behind the rock and headed for the side of the cliff. Melissa just shook her head.
Crazy bitch, she thought.
Logan looked up at the manta ship. It was baring down on her fast. She aimed the timer at it and flipped it on.
Melissa watched in surprise as the manta ship took a sharp right. Melissa ducked her head behind the rock as it glided past her. It hit the mountain side.
Melissa turned away from the mountain to face Logan. She had a big smirk on her face.
"Okay...explain," Melissa demanded.
"The timer and the ship seem to be sharing the same frequency," Logan said. "So I used that to do some damage."
"Wow."
"I know."
Logan aimed the timer. "Now it's time for us to go, my dear." Their vortex formed on the edge of the cliff.
"What about that ship?" Melissa asked.
"I would rather not be here when someone comes out," Logan responded. She ran for the vortex. She vanished into its light.
Melissa looked back at the ship. She didn't think it was a good idea to just leave it. However, she had no time to argue. She jumped into the vortex.
Ben crossed his arms. "No."
"I'm sorry, but I know my equipment, young man," Willis said. "I will go. Just think of it as my way of correcting this mistake."
"I have to agree with Goof here," Rembrandt said. "It's our friends in danger. We're going."
"I just don't think that's...wise," Willis said. "I only have some callback bracelets. Without them, you can't get back."
"It's a risk we're willing to take," Rembrandt insisted.
"Lilah, I need two more bracelets, please," Willis said to the ceiling.
TO YOUR LEFT, DR. WILLIS.
Ben jumped away from the wall as it opened up next to him. A flat surface rolled out of it. Two more bracelets were on the flat surface.
FIVE SECONDS.
"Adjust time for addition of mass," Willis commanded.
ADJUSTING.
"So there aren't going to be any more problems?" Rembrandt asked.
Willis smiled at him. "None."
Ben looked at the smile. He wasn't so sure about that last part.
ADJUSTMENT COMPLETED, Lilah said. FOUR SECONDS.
"Wow. She's great!" Ben found himself saying.
"Yes...she is," Willis commented.
The room started to hum with energy. Ben looked at the laser that was aimed at the three of them. It fired at them. Ben had time to shut his eyes.
He felt like he was under a very hot sun for a second. Then he felt nothing.
"Goof, you okay?"
Ben opened his eyes to see Rembrandt looking at him with worry.
"Uh...yeah, Rembrandt," Ben said. "Laser in the face happen all the time. Where..."
"As far as I can tell...we're in Golden Gate Park," Rembrandt said. "And...we seem to have been out for a while."
Ben frowned. "How can you tell?"
"For one, it's dark," Rembrandt said. "When we slide, we land around the same time we left. For two, Willis is gone. For three...so are our bracelets."
"What?" Ben said. He grabbed for his arm. He found that his bracelet was gone. "That bastard!"
"There's something else," Rembrandt said. "If Willis did this, chances are we're not even in the same time as Nicole and Bufford."
Ben jumped up. "But that means we could be lost like them."
Rembrandt nodded. "Then we better get started trying to find the good doctor."
Nicole's eyes opened. The first time she saw was fluorescent lights. She raised a hand to block the light.
"Welcome back to the land of the living."
Nicole started to sit up. As Nicole sat up in her bed, her body protested to the movement.
"Calm down. You and Mr. Bufford seem to be very determined to hurt yourselves."
A hand calmly held Nicole in place. For the first time, she was able to see who was talking to her. It was a man who looked a few years older than her. He wore a white spacesuit. Nicole thought that was a little weird, but said nothing as the man pulled the covers on her.
"I'm surprised you two are even still alive," the man continued. "There is no oxygen outside anymore so people tend to die instantly."
Nicole smiled. "I guess someone's watching over us."
The man smiled at Nicole. "I would say so."
"Quite a place, Rick. I can't wait to hit the lab."
Nicole looked away from the man. Bufford was being wheeled in by a red-haired guy. They still look like they were in the middle of some kind of conversation. He saw Nicole.
"You're...awake!" Bufford exclaimed.
"Yeah," Nicole said. "It sounds like we were out in space or something."
"Or something," the man said.
"What do you mean?" Nicole asked.
"Yes, Jonathan, what are you talking about?" Bufford asked. "Now that Miss Harris is up what is going on here?"
"You're not in space," Jonathan, the man in the white suit said. "You're on what is left of Earth."
"What?" Nicole said in shock. "How is that possible?"
"Well, anything is possible," Bufford said. "You know that. Ever since Mr. Brown forced us on this trip, it's been one wild thing or another."
"Mr. Brown?" Jonathan asked.
"It's no one, Jonathan," Nicole said, trying to make sure Jonathan wouldn't ask more. "So what happened?"
"It was our country's feud with the Soviets," Jonathan explained. "Both were determined to be THE superpower. they used the cruelest weapon ever...children."
Nicole frowned. "Uh...I don't get it."
"Education in the sciences...were emphasized," Jonathan said. "Imagine what kind of weapons can come from the mind of one who has a full imagination. Imagine what could happen if people were breed for one thing...to find ways to keep the United States ahead fo the Soviets. My father, Tom Willis, died for that madness.
"Now we have to live in technological boxes because some idiot decided to create a machine that turned oxygen into something unbreathable. He hoped to use it on the Soviets in the Great War. Took out everyone instead."
Nicole saw the sadness in Jonathan's eyes. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault," Jonathan said. He headed for the door. "You two should get some rest. I can't wait to hear how you two survived outside."
As soon as Jonathan and his assistant Rick were gone, Nicole turned to Bufford.
"Do you still have the timer?" Nicole asked.
"Of course, I do," Bufford said. "Do you think I would let someone mess with it?"
"I think someone did," Nicole said. "How else do you explain that rough slide?"
"I am sure there are several reasons for the timer malfunctioning. I just cannot think of any...at the moment."
"I bet."
Bufford frowned. "What is that suppose to mean?"
"Nothing. How much time?"
"A couple of days."
"We got to get back to that man's lab."
"That could be a problem."
Nicole frowned. "Why?"
"While you were...out...I took a glimpse of a newscam, and-"
"Newscam?"
"Computerized newspaper," Bufford said with a roll of his eyes. "Anyway, there is no way to find Brown or Loveland."
"Why? Are they dead?"
"No. We're just lost in time...that's all."
Rembrandt Brown sat down at the Dominion restaurant. He was so used to the Dominion being a hotel on every world he slid to. It being a restaurant was definitely a surprise. He was sure that Wade would get a kick out of it...
Wade. Q-ball. Maggie. They were his friends. They were gone in one form or another. And now he was back searching for another group of sliders...
"How dare you!"
Rembrandt came out of his thoughts. Nearby a young woman jumped up from a table. She glared at her suitor.
"Lilah, wait!" the young man said. "Just sit down and let me explain!"
"I thought we were going to be road tripping this summer, Thomas?" Lilah asked. "What happened to that?"
"Do you know how long I've been waiting to hear about whether I'll be part of the Elite?" Thomas asked. "I'll get to go toe to toe with the Soviets' top brains. Are you saying I should be a non-patriot?"
Lilah slowly let her glance wander around the room. Rembrandt caught her eye for a second. She eventually turned back to Thomas.
"No, I'm not saying that, Thomas," Lilah said. "I just want to spend the summer with you."
"I know," Thomas said. "How about we sit back down and talk about this."
"So...I miss anything?"
Rembrandt looked away from the couple. Ben sat down across from him.
"Just a couple arguing," Rembrandt said. "I still have no idea how to find Willis."
"Neither do I," Ben admitted. "We better find him soon though. Who knows when the timer will go off."
"Maybe he's trying to find his younger self and prevent something?"
Ben frowned. "Sounds far-fetched."
"It's the best lead we got, Goof."
"Okay, everybody!!"
Rembrandt looked to the sound of the voice. It was the couple again. Thomas was trying to get the restaurant's customers' attention.
"I want everyone to be a witness," Thomas said as he got down on his knees, "as I ask this beautiful woman...if she'll be my wife."
"Oh, Thomas!" Lilah cried as her hands touched her mouth. "Yes! Yes, I will marry you, Thomas Willis!"
As several customers cheered on the happy couple, Rembrandt turned back to look at Ben. He shrugged his shoulders.
"Okay, your idea isn't far-fetched after all," Ben said.
Nicole headed for the lab. The tour that Jonathan had given her was coming in handy. She knew where to find Bufford.
Rick stood outside the door. "Good day, Miss Harris?"
"Yeah," Nicole said. "I was just looking to see if Bufford was in the lab."
"Yes, he is," Rick said. "He told me to tell you to meet him later tonight."
"Oh?"
"I think he's trying to figure out a way to get you two out of...your situation."
Nicole felt the smile coming. "That's one way to put it. You never had any time lost people here?"
"I have to admit this is a first," Rick said. "It makes me happy though."
"Really? Why?"
"I don't know of any Soviets who invented a time machine for one," Rick continued. "And it gave me the chance to meet a beautiful woman and ask her out for two."
Nicole felt her face warm up. "Well, I..."
The double doors to the lab opened. Jonathan walked out and stared at Nicole.
"Is everything okay?" Jonathan asked.
"Great!" Nicole exclaimed. "Can I talk to you?"
"Yeah," Jonathan said. He turned to Rick. "Be right back."
Nicole headed down the corridor with Jonathan. She looked at him to see that h e was looking out of one of the windows. Outside a lightning storm was shaping up on the horizon.
"I'm so sorry about your loss," Nicole said.
"Like I said, it's not your fault," Jonathan said. "I just can't see why people ha to prove who was the biggest bully. It cost us dearly."
Tears seem to be forming in Jonathan's eyes. Nicole put a hand on his shoulder. His hand felt it. He looked at her and smiled. "So tell me...did you get the man's name who was responsible for your...situation?"
Nicole shook her head. "No. It all happened so quickly."
Jonathan nodded his head in sympathy. He looked out the window again. "I think it was my dad. He once told me about creating a time machine. There was a girl he had lost that he...loved. I think her name was Lilah. He hoped to save her from her fate."
"What happened?"
"I don't know. He died before he told me the whole story."
"But if he goes back and changes events, won't it effect things here?"
Jonathan nodded. "Let's hope not."
"Then we should do something," Nicole said. "Who knows what he will do?"
"We'll find a way."
"Not here you will."
Nicole looked away to see a blonde-haired woman walking toward them. Her walk was definitely one of someone who was in charge. She glared at Jonathan.
"I find it interesting how you are intent on using this facility's resources for your own interest, Dr. Willis," the blonde woman said. "Perhaps you are your father's son."
"Except I work to help people, not kill them," Jonathan retorted.
"Ooh! Sounds like you don't like Daddy," the blonde woman said.
"I hate to interrupt the banter," Nicole cut in, "but who are you?"
"Tess Morgan," the woman introduced herself. "I head the research facility here. Our goal is simple: restore our country to its prime before the Soviets restore their. you are not part of that goal...Miss..."
"Nicole," Nicole said. "Nicole Harris."
"Well, Nicole," Tess as she gestured to a nearby man, "Benjamin here will be escorting you to your cell until I decide if you're a danger to our goal."
"What?" Jonathan said in shock. "Morgan, are you insane?"
"Dr. Willis, I think you forget your place," Tess said coldly. "I would hate to have to put you in a cell."
"Ms. Morgan, I'm not a threat," Nicole said. "There's nothing for you to worry about."
"We'll see," Tess said. "Benjamin, take Miss Harris and her lab friend to a cell. I'll be there soon."
Benjamin grabbed Nicole and headed down the hall. She turned to look at Jonathan, hoping he would do something. He just stood there without a word.
"I feel like a pervert!" Ben exclaimed.
"Sshh!" Rembrandt whispered in the bushes next to him.
"I'm just being honest," Ben whispered to Rembrandt.
"We have no choice," Rembrandt whispered to him. "If we don't watch the lovebirds, then Girl could die and we don't know. Also Scientist Guy has our bracelets."
Ben just sighed in frustration. He and Rembrandt have been hiding outside Tom Willis's house for twelve hours now. He knew he could use some rest.
"So...any idea on who messed with the timer?" Ben asked, hoping to change the subject.
"Maybe Logan got to it somehow," Rembrandt suggested.
"OR," Ben added, "Bufford did some fiddling with it. He never lets the timer out of his sight."
"That's good. At least we know it won't be stolen."
"But can we trust him?"
Rembrandt looked over at Ben. "Where is this all coming from?"
Ben shook his head. "I don't know. It's just been on my mind."
"I doubt he has an agenda. He was dragged into this."
"I think the fact that you originally were is clouding your judgment."
Ben saw Rembrandt's face clouded over.
"It happens to everybody." Rembrandt said. "I know you can't wait to see Melissa."
Ben smiled. "Yeah. I bet she doesn't even remember me."
"A goof like you?" Rembrandt said. "Nah!"
"What about Professor Brown? You think he's looking forward to the rescue?"
"No doubt," Rembrandt said dryly.
"Not on good terms, huh?" Ben asked. "What happened?"
"He resents me for something I had no control over."
"Why be here then?"
"He's my-"
A loud sound came from the house. Ben saw a flash. He looked away from Rembrandt to see Tom Willis rushing for the house door. He started to bang on it.
"There's our man!" Ben yelled. He rushed for him.
Willis had no time to react. Ben held him up against the wall. Rembrandt meanwhile went through Willis's pockets.
"Found 'em!" Rembrandt said.
"Let me go!" Willis yelled. "I have to get in there."
"You gave us a good chase," Rembrandt said. "I think it's time you took us to our friends. Right, Goof?"
"Amen, Remmy," Ben said. "Before-"
"What the hell is going on out here?"
Ben looked behind him to see Willis's younger self opening the door. He frowned at the three men.
" You got to get to the pool!" Willis yelled at his younger self.
"What the-" Thomas started.
"Now, man!" Willis barked. He tried to reach the door, but Ben had him penned in place.
"It's nothing, sir," Rembrandt said. "We were just catching this guy who escaped from Gatehaven earlier this evening. You can go back-"
"Don't listen to him!" Willis cut him off. "Lilah's in trouble!"
"What?" Thomas asked. "Oh, just come on in and-"
Willis broke free of Ben's grip. He pushed pass his younger self and headed into the house. Rembrandt was right behind him.
Ben ran into the house. He made it into the living room. There was no one in sight. He looked to his left to see the patio door was open.
Lilah was on the pool. Rembrandt and Willis were attempting CPR on her. Thomas meanwhile seem beside himself.
"Come on," Willis said. "Don't die on me."
Ben stared at Rembrandt. He wondered if Rembrandt should be helping Willis at all. What if saving Lilah resulted in changing the future?
"Unhand me!" Bufford barked at Benjamin as he stormed into the cell. "I can walk just fine thank you!"
A figure jumped out of the bed in front of him. It was Nicole.
"Bufford!" Nicole cried.
"Yeah, they got me here, too," Bufford said. "I was just brainstorming about a time machine when Benjamin showed up with Jonathan."
"Did they take the timer?"
"I didn't give them time to," Bufford said. "It's in a safe place."
Bufford pulled up the sleeve of his lab coat. He took off one of the bracelets he had on and gaved it to Nicole. He had just finished them before he planned to work on a time machine.
"What is it?" Nicole asked.
"They are temporal anchors," Bufford explained. "When we get back to that scientist's lab, it should keep us from bouncing back here or anywhere else in time. Also in the event, the scientist has already altered anything before we get-"
A scream cut off Bufford's words. It was followed by another scream that was totally different from the other. The first was abruptly cut off. The second scream faded out like it had never been.
"Okay, what was that?" Nicole asked.
"Good question," Bufford said as he headed for the cell door. He backed away from it. "Run for cover!"
"What?" Nicole asked.
A yellow wave of energy hit the cell door. It came through it and bared down the two sliders. Bufford closed his eyes.
A second passed by. It was followed by another.
"Bufford?"
"What?"
"You can open your eyes now."
Bufford opened his eyes to find they were no longer in a cell. In fact, they were in open air.
"Where are we?" Nicole asked.
Bufford looked at his bracelet and grinned. "I told you my anchors would work." He frowned. "That means one thing though."
He looked at Nicole. Her expression matched his own.
"Time has been changed," Nicole said.
"Who the hell are you?"
Bufford frowned. He realized that they were in someone's backyard. He turned to the speaker of the voice.
It was Jonathan Willis...with a gun aimed at him.
Rembrandt watched the ambulance leave the house. He turned to Willis who has a smile on his face.
"So I was right," Rembrandt said. "You came back to save Lilah."
Willis nodded. "She shouldn't have drowned. Now everything is right."
"Right?" Ben barked. "What about our friends?"
"I'm very sorry," Willis cried.
"Sorry won't cut it!" Ben barked. He turned to Rembrandt. Hate was in his eyes. "And you! If you figured it out, why did you help him?"
"I couldn't just let some girl just die, Goof," Rembrandt said.
"Your action could have affected Nicole and Bufford!" Ben said. "We may never find them!"
"Lilah, come in," Willis said into his bracelet.
YES, DR. WILLIS?
"Three heading back," Willis said. He looked at Ben. "Unless you two are staying here."
"You son of-" Ben started.
"Yes, we'll coming with you," Rembrandt said. "No more games this time."
Ben felt his body start to form again. As his eyes formed, his sight made out a shape. At first, he thought it was the time machine's laser. Then the shape started to move.
Ben started to try to move. All he found was a gun aimed at him. He looked around to see that several guns were closing in on him.
"What the-" Willis said.
"Sorry, lover," the voice of Lilah said as she aimed her gun at him. "I was hoping you would still be gone. Oh, well."
"Lilah..." Willis managed before Lilah shot him in the chest.
"Now who are you?" Lilah asked. "Give me one reason why I need to keep you alive?"
"Because we just saved your life," Ben said.
"Maybe you should have let me die then," Lilah said. "Then I wouldn't have gotten a beautiful offer from Stefan. He understands what I want more than Thomas did. All Thomas cares about is his inventions for the Elite. I just don't care."
"So you'll just betray the country because your boyfriend isn't giving you enough attention?" Rembrandt asked. "You're crazy, girl."
"No," Lilah said. "You're crazy if you think you're making it out of this room alive."
"We're time travelers," Bufford said.
Nicole looked at Jonathan. He still aimed the gun at them. His stare did not change.
"You expect me to believe that?" Jonathan asked. "What kind of fool do you take me for?"
"He's telling the truth," Nicole said. "We are lost in time. There was this accident with Tom Willis's machine and-"
Jonathan aimed his gun at Nicole. "Don't you dare mention that name here!"
"Son, who is it?"
An old woman came to stand next to Jonathan. He looked away from the two sliders to her. Nicole noticed that his face filled with warmth.
"Mother, it's just some thieves," Jonathan told his mother. "You can go back in the house."
"Lilah..." Nicole said.
The old woman looked at her. "What? How do you know my name?"
"Because my friend was right," Nicole said. "We're time travelers."
"Nicole, I don't think your words are going to make a difference," Bufford said.
Nicole turned around to ask him why. The words caught in her mouth. A wave of yellow was bearing down on them.
"Oh," Nicole said.
She closed her eyes quickly. The sound of gunfire forced her to open her eyes.
Nicole grabbed Bufford's hand and headed for the nearest alley. They made it to one before a bomb went off. The damage could be felt as the ground shook.
"Let me guess," Nicole said. "Timeline got changed again?"
Bufford nodded his head. "We have got to get off this street. I refuse to die here."
Several men ran by the alley. Nicole noticed that they were dressed like soldiers. They also had the Soviet insignia on their suits.
"I think we better get off the streets," Nicole said, "Unless you know how to speak excellent Russian."
The door came open easily in Bufford's hand. He thought that was a good thing. Outside seem to be exploding into Armageddon. He could do without it.
As he wander into the room he wondered if he would encounter yet another threat to his existence. It seem it was always something. He preferred being home and getting rich off of Randy Heim's discovery. He didn't want to die before he did that.
"I think I found the light switch," Bufford said to Nicole. He turned it on. The sight that stood in front of him brought a smile to his face. "Well...if it isn't Tom Willis's time machine."
"Really?" Nicole shrieked. "That means we can get out of here then. We can go back to our time."
Bufford smiled. "Exactly."
Suddenly, the door fell to pieces behind them. Bufford saw Soviet soldiers rushing for them. They started to aim their rifles.
"Oh, crap!" Bufford yelled.
"Say dos vandoya," Lilah said as she aimed the gun at Rembrandt.
ALTERNATE PROGRAM INITIATED. SELF-DESTRUCTION IN TWENTY SECONDS.
Lilah looked up at the ceiling. "What?"
"Sounds like your ex was ready for us," a soldier next to Lilah said. He aimed the gun at Lilah. "Too bad for you."
Lilah's eyes widened. "Stefan-"
Stefan shot Lilah in the chest. Rembrandt grabbed Ben and made it to the door.
"We got to get out of here," Rembrandt said.
"I'm open to suggestions," Ben said.
FIFTEEN SECONDS came Lilah's voice from the ceiling.
Several men headed out of the room. They were rushing down a hall behind the two sliders.
"Follow them," Rembrandt said.
"What about Nicole and Bufford?" Ben asked as he made it down the hall with Rembrandt. "If this machine explodes-"
Rembrandt tried to find words, but he couldn't. To have to go through this again...losing a comrade...was too much to even consider.
"Not now!" Rembrandt barked. "Not again!"
"What are you talking about?" Ben asked.
A light in front of them blinded Rembrandt. He opened his eyes again to find two figures appear. They quickly fell to the ground. One of the figures looked up at Rembrandt and smiled.
"Remmy!" Nicole exclaimed.
"Nicole? Bufford?" Ben said.
"No time, guys!" Rembrandt yelled as he helped Nicole up. "We got to move!"
"But the time machine-" Bufford started.
SELF-DESTRUCTION IN TEN SECONDS.
"Where's the door?" Bufford asked.
Ben saw the door upfront as Nicole ran through it. Bufford was right behind her. He jumped through the door. The Russian soldiers were still outside running in every which distance.
"Hit the deck!" Rembrandt yelled out as he ran out the door.
Ben jumped for the sidewalk as a loud boom sounded through the air. He covered his head as the sound of bricks falling seem to be behind him. He tied to ignore the screams.
A moment later, he looked up. The ground was covered with bricks and debris. Soldiers were on the ground, hiding their faces. Nearby, Nicole was on the ground motionless.
"Nicole?" Ben said as he crawled over to her.
Nicole slowly turned to face Ben. "I'm okay. Just...dirty." She dusted her clothes off as she stood up. "Bufford!"
"Why is it that no one can say my first name?" Bufford asked as he stood up. "It's Robert. YOU call each other by your first name or some nickname. I'm a genius, not some-"
"Rembrandt!" Nicole ran over to him on the ground. He was just now getting up.
"I'm getting too old for this," Rembrandt said as Nicole helped him up.
"That's good to know," Bufford said sarcastically. "Now could someone explain what's going on?"
"I think it might be a good idea if we did the explaining somewhere else," Ben said. "The soldiers are coming to."
A beeping started to come from Bufford's pants. He looked at the others.
"It's time to go," Bufford said. He looked at Nicole. "Could you look away while I...retrieve the timer?"
"Sure," Nicole said.
Stefan saw the four sliders and glared.
"Kill the Americans!" Stefan barked.
"Uh...Bufford..." Rembrandt said.
"My name is..." Bufford started.
"Turn on the timer or, it's not going to matter what your name is!" Ben barked.
Bufford aimed the timer at the ground. A circle formed near them. Nicole jumped in first.
"My name is Robert!" Bufford said as he jumped into the wormhole.
Rembrandt vanished after Bufford.
Ben ran for the wormhole and jumped in before the soldiers could fire on them.
THE-END
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