Melissa watched Randy as he headed out of the alley. He had not even
looked at her since he made his confession.  He told her that he loved her.
She was...flattered.  What should she do?
  It would have to wait.
  Melissa followed Randy, Richard, and Brown.  She observed the San
Francisco streets.  It looked like a plain old busy day.  Nothing was out of
the ordinary.
  "It looks like home," Melissa said.
  "Yeah," Randy said.
  "Well, it is not," Brown said as he read through his newspaper.  "Unless
Al Capone, Jr. go got elected President since we left."
  "What?" Melissa said.
  "Are we ever going to get home?" Richard said.
  "Let's head over to the motel," Randy said.
  Melissa started to walk with the others.  Suddenly, a woman stormed out of
a nearby store.
  "Randy, look--" Melissa said.
  She was too late.  The woman bumped into Randy.  They both went flying.
  "I am so sorry," the woman said.  "I didn't see you."
  "That's okay," Randy said as he stood up.  "Do you need help with your
bag?"
  The woman had managed to put the fell supplies back in her bag.  "Don't
worry, cutie.  I got it.  Good day to you."
  The woman was gone before they said anything.
  "She was hot," Richard commented.
  "Is that all you think about?" Melissa snapped.
  "Mr. Heim, how long until the next slide?" Brown asked before a fight
could start.
  "We have--" Randy started to say.  He stopped as he searched his pockets.
"Uh oh."
  "What's wrong?" Melissa asked.
  "The timer's gone," Randy said.  His eyes expressed Melissa's fear.

WHAT IF YOU DISCOVERED NEW WORLDS?  WHAT IF YOU COULD FIND THESE WORLDS
WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR EARTH?  YOU'RE THE SAME PERSON AND IT'S THE SAME YEAR,
BUT EVERYTHING AROUND YOU IS DIFFERENT?  I FOUND A WAY TO TRAVEL TO PARALLEL
WORLDS!!!

   SLIDERS: ALTERNATE SPIN
   EPISODE 4-THE BEST CON
   (first part)

  "Great, Egghead! Great!"
  Melissa looked away from the window.  Richard was pacing back and forth in
the motel room.  Brown was watching the television.  Randy watched RIchard
pace the room.
  "How are we going to find her now?" Richard asked.
  "We ask around," Randy said.  "We can even go back to that store and
look."
  "And if we can't find anything?"
  "We will."
  "How about we stop sitting and start looking?" Melissa asked.
  "Good idea, Melissa," Brown said.  "Mr. Hall and I are going back to the
store and ask about the woman.  You and Mr. Heim can ask around."
  "Okay," Melissa said.
  "Yeah," Randy said.
  The sliders grabbed their jackets and headed out of the motel room.   The
man in the black van grinned.  He had watched them since their run in with
Rebecca Pryce.  He knew it was a matter of time before they led him to her.
Then Rebecca would pay.

  Two hours passed.  Melissa had been all around downtown San Francisco.  No
one seem to know who the black haired woman was.
  Melissa walked into McDonald's and went to the counter.  Randy was suppose
to meet her here in a few minutes.  There was no sign of him.   "Well, Ms.
Clark, we meet again."
  Melissa turned back to the counter.  She stepped back for a second. The
guy at the counter grinned.
  "Ben?" Melissa said.
  "Good, you remember," Ben Loveland said.  "Maybe you should have
remembered...I told you not to come back for two more weeks.  people are
going to put two and two together.  Then the Feds will book us for conning
with intent to takeover."
  "Well...I...what I mean to say..." Melissa struggled to say the right
thing to Ben.
  Ben's hand brushed Melissa's hand for a second.  He leaned a little
closer.
  "Don't worry, baby," Ben whispered.  "All's forgiven.  Just run along.  If
we pull this off, we'll be the Bonnie and Clyde of cons on the West Coast."
  Melissa backed away a little more.  This was a little bit too much. Ben
and Melissa...a couple of con artists.  The Bonnie and Clyde of the West
Coast.  What kind of world was this?
  "Bye," Melissa said.  She headed for the door as quick as her legs will
let her.
  "Hey! How--" Randy started to say as he entered McDonald's.
  "Just walk with me," Melissa said as she walked past Randy.
  They were a couple of blocks away before Randy turned to Melissa.
  "Any luck?" Randy asked.
  "No," Melissa said.  "However, I think we slid into it this time.  I just
bumped into a double of Ben's.  I'm not only his girlfriend, but his partner
in crime, too."
  "Hmmm...interesting.  Even more interesting than me running into Richard's
double.  He...or should I say 'Andrew Larson' told me the lay of the land."
  "And?"
  "I think we should get off the streets before someone recognizes you.
Richard told me you had a lot of history.  One of the rising cons in
California."
  Melissa started to look around.  People were just going about their
business.  No one pay her or Randy any attention.
  "We can head over to the library," Randy suggested.  "Maybe we can find
out more information about this world."
  "Okay," Melissa agreed.  "Let's go."
  As the two sliders headed down the street, one figure watched from the
shadows.

  "Yeah, I know her," the cashier said to Richard and Brown.  "It's Nikki
Cross.  She shops in here all the time.  Stays on Crossett Street."
  "Thank you, Sir," Brown said.
  Richard and Brown headed out of the store.
  "This is good," Richard said.  "Crossett is right down the street.  We
meet with the woman, get the timer, and slide on out."
  "Andrew?  Andrew Larson!" the voice said from behind them.
  Richard and Brown turned around and saw the girl with curly blonde hair.
She hugged Richard.
  "I thought you ran out on me!" the girl said.
  "What?"
  "Remember...it was fifty/fifty on our little deal," the girl continued.
She leaned in closer.  "We're like a match made in hell."
  "I'll meet you back at the hotel," Richard grinned as he fit into his
role.  "Then we can get more...comfortable." He leaned in to kiss the girl.
  "Later," the girl said.  Then she walked away.
  Richard grinned.  "Looks like my double is getting some play here.  I like
it!"
  Brown frowned at Richard.  "You are just a walking hormone, Mr. Hall.  Can
we go now?"
  The two sliders continued down the street.  A little distance behind them,
the black van slowly followed.

  Randy typed away on the computer.  It was pretty much easy access at this
library.  the librarian had given Melissa a questioning glance, but she kept
on working at the front desk.
  "Randy?"
  Randy came out of his trance and turned to look at Melissa.  She looked so
different with short blonde hair.  Randy shook the thought away.
  "Yeah, Melissa?"
  "We never got a chance to talk on that last world," Melissa said.
  "Uh...no, we didn't," Randy said.  He pulled at his collar.  "About
that..."
  "So you...you're in love with me?" Melissa asked.  Her eyes searched his
face.
  "Well...yeah," Randy finally said.
  Melissa grinned.  "Most people would have asked me on a date, but you--"
  "So how do you feel?" Randy asked.
  "I don't know," Melissa answered.  "This...is new to me.  How about we
take it slow and see what happens?"
  "That's good enough for me."
  "Great!  How about dinner tonight?"
  "I thought the guy was suppose to ask the girl out."
  "Rules change," Melissa said.  She looked over Randy's shoulder.  "You got
info."
  "Huh?" Randy said.  He turned back to the computer screen.  "Oh."
  Randy looked over the information that he had had the computer look for.
It was full of interesting information.
  "So? What's the verdict?" Melissa asked.
  "It has to do with mergers," Randy explained.  "There weren't any
anti-trust or anti-monopoly laws past here.  the reason seems to be that the
President and major Congressmen were in on it."
  "And got a healthy sum of money," Melissa added.  "The bastards."
  "Al Capone, instead of becoming a mob boss he became, protested the doings
of the ...'Merger Years.'  The result?  He had...an accident."
  Randy looked at Melissa.  He saw from her eyes that they thought the same
thing.
  "However, his son went on to become a politician...and a squeaky clean
one.  He became President, but he thought like his dad did and passed the
Conwell Protocols."
  "Conwell Protocols?"
  "Junior wasn't squeaky clean really.  He had been doing things on the side
with aliases.  In order to make sure no one could rise to the top like he
did, the Conwell Protocols are heavily enforced laws aimed at punishing con
artists."
  "Let me guess...con artistry is a big occupation here?"
  "Yes."
  Melissa frowned.  "How is that possible?  There are plenty of other jobs."
  Randy scanned through his information.  After a few minutes, he turned to
look at Melissa.
  "Five years ago, there was a scandal involving most of the high paying
jobs.  The government sharply...in the interest of the mergers...started to
control peoples' only option being...find a way to be on the intake and--"
  "And creating new identities to pull it off!" Melissa said.  "The people
started to con anyone wealthy, even if the government gets their support
from them.  The greedy became the victims...the victims became enemies of
the government."
  "We got to get you out of here," Randy said.  "Your double obviously must
be in on something big."
  "McDonald's? Big?" Melissa said.  "Yeah, right."
  Randy stood up and grabbed Melissa.
  "Come on."

  Richard knocked on the door again.  There was still no answer.
  "Maybe we should go," Brown suggested.
  "You may want to stay here, Proper," Richard said, "but I don't."
  Richard was about to knock again when the door sprung open.  It was the
woman from earlier.  Her hair was wrapped in a towel.
  "Can I help you?" the woman asked.
  "Yes, madam, you can," Brown said.  "May we come in?"
  "Sure."
  The woman opened the door wider.  Richard and Brown walked into the small
apartment.
  "Thank you, madam," Brown said.
  "Just call me Nikki," the woman said.  "What's wrong?"
  "We seem to have misplaced a small device today," Brown explained.  "It
happened when we ran into you earlier.  Do you happen to still have it?"
  The woman smiled.  "So that's who that belonged to.  Give me a minute."
  Nikki headed for her bedroom.  Brown looked over at Richard and saw he had
a big grin on his face.
  "What, Mr. Hall?" Brown asked.
  "We did it," Richard said.  "We found the timer and nothing went wrong."
  "Good luck I am sure."
  "Here you go!"
  Nikki had the timer in her hand.  She smiled again and was about to give
it to Brown.
  The front door swung open suddenly.  The man charged in and aimed the
machine gun at Nikki.
  "Nobody move!" the man barked.  "Hands up!"
  Brown quickly raised his hands.  He looked at Richard to see if he did the
same.  Richard was laughing.
  "Is this some kind of joke?" Richard asked.  "It's Sean Curtis!  He
wouldn't hurt a--"
  Sean aimed the gun and fired.  Pictures fell to the floor in pieces.
Brown and Nikki looked at richard.  He quickly raised his hands.
  "What I meant was...Sean is a badass!" Richard shouted.
  "Lookie here!" Sean said.  "One of San Francisco's dumbest and Europe's
finest.  Hello, Nikki...or should I say Rebecca?"
  "How did Bufford find me?" Nikki said as she tossed her towel down from
her head.
  "Bufford!" Richard bellowed.  "What does--"
  Brown kicked Richard.  "Shut up."
  "Bufford answers to a higher power," Sean said as he aimed at
Rebecca/Nikki.  "Your mistake was crossing it."
  Rebecca grinned.  "Your mistake was in coming here.  Don't you know that
you don't bait the lioness in her den?"
  Before Sean (or the others) could react, Rebecca pulled a grenade out of
her robe.  She threw it at the floor.  It exploded with gas  flying from it.
  "Adios, muchachos!" Rebecca yelled.  Then she climbed out of a window.
  Sean tried to fight the gas's effects.  He fell to the floor.
  "After her!" Richard said between coughs.  "She has the timer!"
  Richard climbed through the window.  He was on a fire escape.
  "Help!"
  Richard turned to see that Brown was starting to feel the effects of the
gas.  He could barely make it through the window.  Richard grabbed Brown and
pulled him through the window.
  "Where...is...she?" Brown asked.
  "Long gone," Richard said.  "Let's get out of here before the police show
up."

  "McDonald's...because you can trust us."
  "Whatever," Melissa said.  She aimed the remote at the television screen
and turned it off.
  "It's not the only restaurant," Randy said, sitting beside her, "but no
chances of a con happening."
  "Don't bet on it," Melissa said.  "If I and Ben can get in..."
  Melissa regretted what she said.  Randy moved apart from her.
  "It's okay," Melissa said.  "I feel the same way."
  "You don't live with Ben," Randy said.  "I feel...like I'm backstabbing my
best friend."
  "It was one date," Melissa protested.
  "So far...three worlds have you two together?  What if Richard hadn't ruin
your date?"
  Melissa did not answer the question.  She had no time to. The door opened
and Richard walked in half-carrying Professor Brown.
  "Professor!" Randy exclaimed as he ran over to help Richard with Brown.
  "I am just...a little dizzy," Brown said.
  "What happened?" Melissa asked.
  Richard and Randy laid Brown down on the bed.  Richard looked over at
Melissa.
  "We found the girl," Richard said.  "We're not the only person who found
her though."
  "Let me guess....con-artist?" Randy asked.
  "Yeah," Richard said.  "How did you guess?"
  "It's a staple of this society," Randy replied.
  "If we keep going to worlds where I'll fit in, you might have to leave
me."
  "Sounds like a nice idea."
  "Guys!" Melissa said.  "What about Brown? What happened?"
  "Rebecca attacked us with tear gas that's what happened," Richard said.
"We lost her.  I'm going to find her."
  "Wait!" Randy said.  "I'm coming with you."
  Richard looked at Randy and laughed.
  "You're kidding, right?" Richard asked.
  Randy frowned.  "No."
  "Egghead, you wouldn't lasts five seconds without sticking out."
  Melissa faced Richard.  "Well, then.  I'll go."
  "I don't think so, Melissa," Richard said flatly.
  "Assuming you think," Melissa commented.  'Just think of it as us
reuniting for a common good.  Let's go."
  Melissa did not wait for Richard's answer.  She didn't even look at Randy.
  She grabbed her jacket and headed for the door.
  Richard shrugged his shoulders.  He started to follow when he felt a firm
grip on his arm.  He turned to see Randy with a look that looked like anger.
  "Watch her back," Randy said.
  "Always," Richard said.  Then he left.
  "So tell me..." Brown said to Randy, "...when did you and Melissa get
overprotective of each other?"
  Randy smiled.  "It's a long story, Professor..."

  "How's your jaw?" Richard asked as they walked into the bar.
  "It's looking fine," Melissa said.  "Don't worry."
  "You should be saying that to Egghead."
  Some of the people in the bar looked up to see the new people.  Then they
went back to their drinking.
  "Follow my lead," Richard whispered.  He grabbed Melissa around her waist
and headed for the bartender.  He planted a kiss on Melissa's lips and
grinned at the bartender.
  "What's happening?" Richard asked.
  The bartender grinned back.  "I'll be...if it isn't 'Andrew Larson!'"  He
looked at Melissa.  "I see you have another blonde.  Does Harley know?"
  Melissa looked at Richard puzzled.
  "Uh...just keep it under your hat," Richard pulled out a fifty dollar bill
and passed it to the bartender, "for now."
  The bartender slowly grabbed the dollar bill.  He smiled.  "Is
there...ANYTHING else I can get you?"
  "Well, Trixie here loves a little...menage a trois and heard her ex was in
town," Richard held Melissa a little closer.  "Right, dear?"
  Melissa grinned at Richard and put one of her arms around Richard's neck.
She looked at the bartender.  "Yeah.  It's getting so..."
  Melissa left Richard and leaned in on the bartender. She grabbed the sides
of his face.  "...hard to find fun in this town.  So where's Rebecca Pryce,
Mr..."
  "It's Mitch," the bartender grinned.  "As for Rebecca...P., she would be
at..."

  The bodyguard let them into the club.  Melissa zipped her leather no
sleeve top back up.
  "Having fun yet?" Richard said.
  "Knocking those two people out for their clothes was a rush," Melissa
admitted.  "I'm getting a little sick of using my sex appeal. I feel like a
slut in this leather."
  "We needed to get in," Richard said.  "The leather sexiness was a sure
thing."
  "And you get to cop a feel all at the same time."
  The techno music started to drown out their voices.  People were jumping
and dancing on the dance floor.  Some people sat on the outskirts of the
dance floor.
  "You take the dance floor!" Richard yelled over the music.
  "Yeah!" Melissa yelled.
  Melissa headed off into the dance floor.  She danced into the crowd and
between couples.  Richard grinned at the fact Melissa was really looking
hot.
  He started to walk along the outskirts of the dance floor.  He didn't see
Rebecca along the outskirts nearest him.  He started to walk along and
observing the people.
  Richard just ignored the dance floor.  The hand came out of nowhere and
grabbed him unto the dance floor.  The kiss took him even more by surprise.
Not that it was bad.
  "Going my way?" Rebecca asked as she danced upon him.
  "Well...yeah," Richard whispered into Rebecca's ear.
  "You have nice breathe," she commented.  "Now...are you with Bufford?"
  "Hell, no," Richard said.  "All I want is...the device back.  Then you
won't see me again."
  Rebecca started to kiss Richard.  Then they felt taps on their shoulders.
They looked to see Sean in front of them.
  "I hate to break up the lustfest," Sean said with a smirk, "but you're not
going anywhere!"
 

TO BE CONTINUED

 Back To Season 1