"What is eternal? Is it for real? Is it really forever? Or is it an abstract concept created by society in order to hide the truth? The truth that no one stays together forever?"
  "What a crock."
  Melissa Clark looked over at Richard Hall. Her look said it all as they headed away from the campus courtyard. Richard turned to look back at the speaker and the crowd in the courtyard. He was getting glares. He looked back at Melissa, putting an arm around her shoulder.
  "Sorry, hon," Richard said, "but they're just losers."
  "Never can make anything easy, can you?" Melissa asked.
  "Me? Naaah!"
  Melissa paused. Her forehead wrinkled up. She started to look around.
  "What?" Richard asked.
  Melissa shook her head. "Nothing. Just thought for a second. We were being watched."

  "Quinn!"
  Quinn Mallory looked at the door. Rembrandt Brown stood in the door, his arms over his chest. He frowned.
  "Rembrandt--" Quinn started.
  "Q-ball, a week ago you were hit by a car," Rembrandt said. "Until the doctor gives you the okay, I don't want you up."
  "But the slide--"
  "--is still a day away."
  Quinn sat on his hospital bed. "But...no way of knowing if it's going to get us home."
  Rembrandt sat next to Quinn on the bed. "What else is new?"

  Randy Heim walked down the hospital hallway. Doctors. Nurses. Orderlies. They all got out of his way as he stormed froward, his cold eyes forward. His long brown hair, wifebeater, and stiff upper lip made him look like a warrior. All he was missing was a Mad Max theme...and a pair of shades.
  He hoped the doctor would give Quinn the okay. He would love nothing better than to get back to tracking Professor Darnell Brown. Make him pay for--
  An orderly bumped into him. His eyes widened. An image shot into his head. He was on the ground. The barrel of a gun was in his face. His archnemesis Daniel Carter held it. He was about to fire. He did. Then Randy was back in the hospital. He turned to face the orderly.
  She had long curly blond hair. Her eyes were wide, too. He realized she had an air of familiarity to her, but...who was she? He took a step forward. She stood firm.
  "It's..." she started. "You're him. Oh my God. You're going to die."

WHAT IF YOU COULD LEAVE YOUR WORLD? WHAT IF YOU COULD SLIDE TO A DIFFERENT DIMENSION? PLACES WHERE YOU'RE THE SAME PERSON AND IT'S THE SAME YEAR, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE IS DIFFERENT?

A WORLD WHERE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IS IN FULL SWING?

OR

A WORLD WHERE EVOLUTION TOOK A DIFFERENT TURN AND EVERYONE HAS POWERS?

OR

A WORLD WHERE YOU ARE A SECRET AGENT?

FIVE YEARS AGO, MY FRIENDS AND I FOUND THE GATEWAY. NOW...ALL WE WANT IS TO GO HOME.

SLIDERS: ALTERNATE SPIN-SEASON 6
EPISODE 3: ETERNAL

  Randy stared at the girl in front of him. She stared back at him. They both looked shocked.
  "That...was years ago," Randy uttered. "How did you..."
  "There you are!"
  Randy turned around. A long-haired woman approached him dressed in black. He turned back to look at the girl. She was gone. He turned back to face the dark-haired woman, his eyes narrowing.
  "Rebecca, I was in the middle of something," Randy said coldly.
  Rebecca Pryce arched an eyebrow. "Really?" She looked around at all the hospital attendants. "Because I do believe we are finally...alone." She stepped forward. "And I say it's about--"
  Randy held up a hand. "Don't touch me."
  Rebecca frowned. "You can't be serious."
  Rebecca took a step to touch Randy. He quickly dashed to the left, grabbing her wrist. He twisted it behind her back. Rebecca yelped.
  "I am...grateful you saved me on the slidecage," Randy said, "but what we had....could have had...died when...I went over the cliff."
  Randy released Rebecca. She turned to face him. Her eyes were wide, growing moist. Randy stared at her. Maybe he would have felt something once...but that was gone.
  "Fine," Rebecca said.
  Then she stormed off.

  Richard opened the door to the guys' room at the Dominion. Jared Heim sat on the couch, his bloodshot eyes on the television. One look at Richard caused him to turn off the television. He headed for his shared bedroom with Randy. Richard shut the door.
  "Jared, come on!" Richard exclaimed.
  Jared paused. He ran a hand through his short dark hair. He faced Richard.
  "Where's Melissa?" Jared asked.
  Richard made a good smile. "She's in the lobby. She'll be up in a moment."
  Jared smirked. "At least she'll be up." His face darkened. "Izzie won't. Never again!"
  "Jared--"
  "Did you not tell me that you have no control over where you slide...or even when?" Jared challenged. "Who knows what will happen to Izzie? Or if she's--"
  "She's not," Richard said. "She was not in her cell. Doesn't mean she's dead."
  "Doesn't mean Izzie isn't," Jared said. "So...thanks for the Devil's Advocate...but...I want to find my gang...my home...then I'm done." His face softened. "To think I thought...Isabel thought...this would be fun."
  Jared turned to his bedroom. Richard wished he could say something to his bud. Instead, he let Jared go to his room. There was nothing to he could say.

  Melissa looked at the candy bar. On Earth Prime, the company had folded. Here...it had not. She was sooo going to en--
  Melissa frowned. She looked around the Dominion lobby. Gomez Calhoun was at the front desk. There was a couple necking on a couch. People laughed at the bar. Nothing unusual.
  She sighed. Then she headed for the elevator. Ever since Richard and she had left the campus, she could not shake the feeling she was being watched. Maybe the lat world with the dark sliders and Mr. Stone was too much.
  The elevator doors opened. Melissa smiled. In a few minutes, she would be in Richard's arms. Then she would be...
  A hand popped into the closing elevator doors, causing them to open. Melissa looked at the new figure. Her eyes widened.
  It was a double of Randy. This one had on a black shirt and black jeans. His brown eyes were as dead as her Randy. His long hair was in a ponytail. He smiled at her as the elevator closed.
  "Alone at last," the double said. "So...miss me?"

  "Randy! There you are!"
  Randy looked away from the nurse. Rembrandt Brown walked up to him. He studied the scene, frowning.
  "What's up?" Rembrandt asked.
  "Just asking the nurse a few questions," Randy said, his eyes narrowing on the short woman behind the desk. "Not liking the answer."
  "I'm telling you, Mr. Heim," the nurse said, "the only nurse that matches the description you mentioned would be Sandy. She left."
  "Get her back," Randy demanded.
  "I can't do that."
  "I said--"
  "How about we take a step back, R--" Rembrandt asked, reaching for Randy.
  Randy swung out, causing Rembrandt to fall back. He managed to regain his balance. Randy focused on the nurse.
  "Now," Randy said. "I want her back or--"
  "Have you lost your mind?"
  Randy looked at Rembrandt. He bored holes into Randy with his eyes.
  "What is going on with you?" Rembrandt demanded. "Ever since we found you, you've been...off."
  Randy snarled. "You can blame your nephew for that."
  Rembrandt frowned. Then he stormed off. Randy looked after him. There was a time that he would have run after him, tried to apologize. That Randy...was gone.
  To do what had to be done...he had to be.

  Rebecca stormed into the Dominion lobby. She had gone on a long walk after her run-in with Randy. She pushed the elevator button, her forehead wrinkling up. That man at the hospital was not the Randy she knew six months ago. He wasn't the man she...
  The elevator doors opened. Richard shot out of them. Rebecca managed to stop out of his way. If she hadn't, he would have run her down.
  "Where's the fire?" Rebecca asked.
  Richard turned to face Rebecca. His brown eyes looked like he was just noticing her. Rebecca's eyes narrowed on him.
  "Not you--" Rebecca started.
  "Have you seen Melissa?" Richard asked.
  "Do I look like I--"
  "I'm not kidding, Rebecca!" Richard snapped. "have you seen her down here?"
  "No, I haven't," Rebecca replied. "Did the little thing get lost?"
  Richard glared at her. Rebecca rolled her eyes, not caring as she turned to open the elevator again. She got in, turning to see a bewildered Richard.
  "Where are you going?" Richard demanded.
  "To sleep," Rebecca said.
  "But I just--"
  "She probably went for a walk," Rebecca said. "Or worse...she's with Randy."
  Richard frowned. The elevator doors closed. Rebecca frowned as well.
  Randy and Melissa. Didn't everything boil down to them in the end? Rebecca...Richard...they were just collateral damage?

  Melissa snapped awake. She looked around her. She appeared to be in a dorm room. She sat up on the bed to see it was Randy's dorm room...well, his double. There was just the one bed near the window. Then the walls were lined with different inventions on tables and desks.
  Melissa shot up. If she found the others, maybe Randy could see if there was anything here that could get them home. She headed for the door.
  "What? No good-bye kiss?"
  Melissa paused. Her back tensed up. She turned around. Randy's double leaned in the bathroom door. A smirk was on his face.
  "Not that it matters," Randy's double said. "You're not going anywhere. I lost you once. I'm not losing you again."

  "What is eternal? Is it for real? Is it really forever? Or is it an abstract concept created by society in order to hide the truth? The truth that no one..."
  "God, please. What a crock."
  Richard smirked as he and Rebecca walked past the glaring crowd. She looked at him.
  "What?" Rebecca asked.
  "Nothing," Richard said. "Just great minds think alike. That's all."
  Rebecca nodded, a smile creeping onto her face. "I take it you thought the same thing."
  "Yea," Richard said, pausing. "And this...is where she got it."
  Rebecca frowned. "It?"
  Richard looked around the courtyard. All he saw was students running around. He looked at Rebecca.
  "Yea...it," Richard replied. "Melissa felt like someone was watching her." He looked back at the speaker in the center of the courtyard, the crowd completely into his babble. "We ignored it."
  "Hm. We," Rebecca said, her voice betraying bitterness. "Must be nice."
  "Oh...you and Egghead on the outs?"
  Rebecca looked over at the crowd. "Yes. So that means open season on Melissa."
  Richard laughed. "I don't think so."
  Rebecca looked over at him. "Oh...because you and Melissa are dating? Puh-leaze! It's just a matter of time. Randy carries a torch for her. No matter how different he is, that hasn't changed. I bet he's looking for her right--"
  "I have an idea," Richard said. "Let's ask the crowd. See what pops up."
  Before Rebecca could respond, Richard headed into the crowd. He hated the topic, but anything to shut Rebecca up. Melissa was with him...not Randy. That wouldn't change...right?

  Randy kept looking at Quinn's hospital door every few seconds. Each time he was disappointed. No sign of the girl he ran into...Sandy.
  "Everything looks okay. You are free to go."
  "You hear that, Randy. I can--Randy?"
  Randy came out of his thoughts. The doctor...a big man...and Quinn gave him grimaces. He stopped leaning next to the window.
  "Sorry," Randy said. "Mind wandered off. He's..."
  "Free to go," the doctor said. He looked at Quinn. "Try to avoid being in the middle of traffic."
  Quinn managed a smile. "I will." He watched the doctor leave the room. Then he looked at Randy. "I'm surprised you are here. I thought Remmy would be..."
  Randy headed for the door. He looked left and right. There was still no sign of Sandy.
  "Hey!"
  Randy turned around. Quinn stormed out of the room. He glared at Randy.
  "I thought you wanted to start brainstorming ways to get home," Quinn said. "Brown took the PDL and the slidewave device was destroyed in the accident. All we have is that timer and--"
  "--and it's not storing coordinates...yet," Randy said. "I'm looking for someone."
  "Then where's Remmy and the others? I'm sure it's not too long before the slide."
  "An hour," Randy said, looking left. "And...they are looking for Melissa. She's missing."
  "What? How?"
  A flash of blond caught Randy's eye. He dashed for it.
  "Randy!" Quinn yelled.
  Randy was focused on that blond hair. He made out curls. He moved faster.
  A hand spun him around. He lashed out with a punch. Quinn barely dodge to the right.
  "What in the world--" Quinn started. "have you completely lost your mind? Melissa is missing. Did you not love her at all?"
  Randy's eyes widened. His back tensed up. Who was Quinn to judge?
  "Go to the library. Look up anything you can find on my double and Melissa's double," Randy said. "That will be the key to finding her. I'm sure of it."
  Before Quinn could say anything more, Randy headed down the hall.

  "How do you do it?"
  Rembrandt Brown looked away from the students coming and going out of the Student Union. Jared looked at him, waiting for an answer. Rembrandt frowned.
  "What do you mean?" Rembrandt asked.
  "I've been doing this...sliding...for a couple of weeks. You? You're done it for longer," Jared explained. "How do you cope?"
  "Right now?" Rembrandt started. "I do it because people are counting on me. Okay...it was the same back then, too. Of course, it was funnier at first..."
  "Lost anyone?"
  Rembrandt's face darkened. Maggie immediately came to mind. Then when he thought Wade was dead. Then when Rickman shot the Professor...
  "Lost...plenty," Rembrandt finally said. "Don't want to lose anyone else. You just gotta roll with it."
  Jared looked down. "I miss Izzie." He looked up. "I miss home."
  "Trust Egghead and Q-ball," Rembrandt said. "They'll get us--"
  Rembrandt paused. A new figure had dashed out of the Student Union. He recognized Randy's double...definitely taking after their Randy.
  "Come on," Rembrandt said.

  "Hurry up!" Rebecca hissed.
  Richard looked up from the door, its wires exposed. His eyes narrowed on her.
  "Hey!" Richard snapped. "You try to do one of these card doors."
  Suddenly, Rebecca lunged at Richard. Richard fell back. Rebecca kneeled near the door. She stared at the wiring. Then she fiddled with it. The door clicked, causing Rebecca to smirk.
  "Yea, still got it," she said. "Shame about you though."
  "Hey!"
  Rebecca stood up and open the door. Richard stood up to follow Then he heard movement. He turned and was knocked out.

  Melissa looked up at the door. It had just clicked. He was back.
  The door opened. She looked around for weapons. She saw a hammer, grabbed it, and lunged at the door. She jerked back.
  Rebecca Pryce tilted her head. "Hello to you, too."
  "Rebecca?" Melissa uttered. "How did--"
  "We asked around," Rebecca said. "Turns out Randy's double works as a deliverman so he--"
  A shadow was behind Rebecca.
  "Rebecca!" Melissa yelled.
  Rebecca turned around. Randy's double punched her in the face. She fell to the floor unconscious. Melissa widened her eyes. Randy's double snarled.
  "I'm sorry okay," the double said. "I didn't mean to cheat. It was one time. I can make it--"
  "Melissa!"
  The double turned for a second. Melissa set her jaw. Then she lunged forward, swinging the hammer at his head. The double yelled and fell to the floor. Melissa looked at her saviors. It was Rembrandt and Jared. Rembrandt hugged her.
  "You okay?" Rembrandt asked.
  "Yea," Melissa said. "How--"
  "We followed him," Jared replied.
  "Oh!"
  Melissa looked past Jared. Quinn headed toward them.
  "Q-ball? How--"
  "Randy," Quinn said.
  Melissa looked down at the unconscious double. Blood leaked out of his head.
  "Oh," Melissa said.

  Randy stormed out of the hospital. The blonde had been a red herring. Now he had to meet the others.
  He turned left. His eyes widened. Sandy was next to a taxi. She helped an elderly woman into it. He realized who the old woman was.
  The seer...Cassandra.
  "No," Randy uttered.
  "Randy!"
  Randy turned around. The others headed for them. Melissa was with them.
  "We slide in..." Quinn started.

  Melissa landed on top of something. She smiled. It was Richard who had a smile of his own.
  "Maybe later..." Richard said slyly.
  Melissa smirked. Then she got up to look around. They appeared to be in a forest. She decided to approach a bush and push it back. Her eyes widened. She felt a presence next to her.
  "No way!" Richard exclaimed.
  It was the same crowd that they had seen on the last world. It was the same speaker. Melissa had to roll her eyes.
  "Don't ask what your country can do for you as the saying goes" the speaker said. "Ask what you can do for your country. Anything less is treason. Such is the manifesto of the United Sates of America."
  "Okay, that's different," Richard commented.
  "What's going on?"
  Melissa turned around. Rembrandt stared at the scene with curiosity. She also saw Jared emerge from the he wormhole. He was followed by Rebecca. Then Randy and Quinn. The wormhole closed behind them.
  "Different world, same crap," Richard said.
  Melissa continued to look at Randy. He looked upset. Since they had found him, Randy had been like a cold warrior, not easily rattled.
  "Okay," Quinn said, holding up the timer, "We have a little under 48 hours here. How about we get to the Dominion and--"
  Suddenly, Randy stormed off.
  "Hey!" Quinn yelled.
  "I got it," Melissa said, dashing after him.
  "I bet," Rebecca uttered.
  Melissa paused. Then she shook her head. She did not have time for Rebecca's games.

  "Hey!" Melissa yelled.
  "Leave it alone," Randy said, walking across the courtyard.
  "Can't do that," Melissa said. "You saved me."
  "It had to be done," Randy said simply.
  "Not by you though," Melissa said.
  Randy paused. He looked at her. She stood before him, her arms crossed on her chest. Her shoulder length black hair blew a bit in the wind. He frowned.
  "What are you doing?" Randy demanded. "This? This is not a conversation."
  "Why save me?" Melissa demanded.
  "You think it's because I care?"
  "Don't you?"
  "I'm not--"
  "I know. The Randy Heim I know," Melissa said. "Know what I think. He's still in there. Because if he wasn't, you wouldn't be so rattled. What did you see on the last world that made you--"
  "There you are!"
  Randy looked around. His eyes widened on the with long curly blond hair in front of him and Melissa. She wore a black tanktop with black skirt. She had on black leggings with black boots. Shreds of black surround her shoulders. She looked at Melissa with a skeptic look.
  "That's not much of a disguise," she said.
  Melissa frowned. "Who are--"
  "Sandy," Randy said.
  The girl frowned at him. "Cassandra." She smiled at them. "And I have a new assignment for both of you."

  Gomez Calhoun shook his head.
  "Sorry, sir," Calhoun said. "No room."
  Jared frowned at the interaction between Rembrandt and Calhoun. Was it just him or was Calhoun burning holes through him with his eyes?
  "I don't suppose you're anything like your brother?"
  Jared looked at Quinn. "On my world, I don't even have a brother. Too busy trying to survive to pay attention to the parental units. Street-smart, not geek smart."
  Quinn frowned. "Oh."
  Jared took one more look at Rembrandt and Calhoun. Rembrandt looked like he was working Calhoun. He left him to it. Calhoun's eyes dotted to him for a second. They really looked angry.
  Jared exited the Dominion. Richard and Rebecca sat on the stairs. They looked up.
  "Well?" Richard asked.
  Jared frowned at him. He knew better than to say anything to Jared. Especially after Izzie...
  "Okay," Rebecca said, "I'll say it." She paused. "Well?"
  "Remmy trying to work Calhoun," Jared said "I don't think it's going to work."
  "Maybe I should go in--"
  "No," Jared said. "Something tells me he doesn't like me."
  "Sounds like a 'double' situation," Richard said.
  Jared glared at him.
  "Jared, come on!" Richard exclaimed. "We're friends!"
  "Really?" Jared snapped. "How could you leave Izzie? How?"
  "We didn't have time," Richard said. "You knew it."
  "Whatever!"
  "Hey! You knew the risk. So did she."
  Jared smirked. "What if it was Melissa?"
  Richard frowned.
  "If it was Melissa," Rebecca said, standing up, "they would turn heaven and earth to get her back."
  "Rebecca!" Richard snapped.
  "What?" Rebecca snapped. "It's the truth, and you know it! You and Randy fought over her like a possession. Wasn't your Professor Brown dying and Randy was more interested in finding Melissa than his dying wish?"
  Jared looked at Richard. His face looked like a mixture of anger, shock, sadness, and confusion.
  "Well...what do we have here?"
  Jared looked past the fighting twosome. Two figures approached. One of them was a Randy Heim that had the same long dark hair as theirs. He wore a black tanktop with black cargo pants and boots. The other figure was a Melissa Clark he had never seen before. Her black hair was cut extremely short to her head, making her look like a boy. She wore a black tanktop, too alone with black leather pants with heeled boots. Their eyes were narrowed on Jared.
  "Whoa," escaped Richard's mouth. Jared thought the same. Rebecca stood up.
  "Nothing," Rebecca said. "Just a friendly argument."
  "Looks like a recruit drive to me," Melissa commented with a smirk.
  "Your eyes need to be checked."
  "Hmm...I really don't think so." Her eyes turned to Jared again. "Especially with HIM involved."
  "Him?" Richard commented. He stood up. "Really it's no--"
  "You two need to step aside," Randy's double said.
  "But--"
  "This," Melissa's double said, cutting Richard off, "is official business."
  "And if we don't?" Richard countered.
  "You can go in for treason as well," Randy's double said.

  Melissa was almost at the Dominion. She had to tell the others what she knew. She also had to leave Randy behind as well to watch Cassandra. She wasn't sure if that was a good idea, but...
  She paused at the corner. Richard leaned against the wall outside the Dominion. She ran to him.
  "Where--" Melissa started.
  "At a motel," Richard said. "Come on. We got trouble."
  "What happened?"
  "Jared got mistaken for his double."

  Randy looked over at Cassandra, a mixture of feelings threatening to overtake him. Two different worlds, and the same woman on both? That was not a good thing.
  Did that mean that something was coming? Was he going to die again?
  Cassandra looked over at him from her desk. Her eyes narrowed on him.
  "You can't escape fate," she said.
  "What?" Randy said.
  Cassandra tossed her blond curls back. She got up from the desk where she was at. She headed over to him.
  "Eventually it catches up to you," Cassandra said, sitting on his desk. "That's what I told you when you told me about the dreams you are having. A faceless man aims the gun at you. All you see is the barrel of the gun." She reached for him. "We live. We die. That is our cycle. All you need do is serve your count--"
  Cassandra touched Randy's should. He gasped in shock. He saw a figure in front of him, his face unseeable. Randy kneeled on the ground. He looked to his right arm to see it loaded with weaponry. Before he could see more, he gasped again. Cassandra stood in front of him, her eyes widened. She stepped away.
  "Cassandra--" Randy started.
  "Who...are you?" Cassandra demanded.

  Melissa frowned. "Uh...no."
  Richard held Melissa in his arms. "Melissa...please. We already lost Izzie."
  "Maybe if it was a specific Egghead..."
  Melissa turned away from Richard. Quinn and Rembrandt sat on one motel bed. Meanwhile Rebecca sat on the other, narrowing her eyes on her. Melissa stepped away from Richard.
  "Poor Rebecca," Melissa taunted. "Still upset Randy just isn't into you."
  "You--" Rebecca started, standing up.
  "Hey!" Rembrandt said, standing up. "This isn't about Randy. Somebody...probably the government...got Jared. Your double is involved. You need to look like her as much as possible to get him."
  "Which shouldn't be too hard," Rebecca said, arms over her chest. "You were Short-Haired Goth all last year."
  "And it took a while to get back from that," Melissa said. "I'm not doing it again. Richard--"
  Melissa paused. Her eyes were on Richard. He looked...different.
  "Richard--" Melissa started.
  "I said I would get him home," Richard said. "We already lost Isabel. Don't let Jared be the same way."

  Cassandra inched toward the door.
  "I already gave out the assignment," Cassandra said. "Jared Heim was protesting our country's manifest destiny policy. No one is allowed to. A tip told us that he might interfere with the summit tomorrow." Her eyes narrowed on him. "Maybe you are part of the distraction."
  "No," Randy said, standing up, "I'm not."
  "Sez the distraction."
  "I'm Randy Heim...from a parallel world."
  Cassandra's eyes widened. "What are--"
  Randy dashed for the door. He was outside of it when he saw soldiers at the end of the hall. He turned the other way and turned a corner.
  Randall Heim and Melissa Clark stared him in the face. An unconscious Jared lodged between them. Their eyes were wide on the appearance of another Randy.
  Randy didn't give them any time to react. He lunged at his double's feet, snatching out one of small curvy daggers. He slash across the double's left upper leg. His double yelled, falling to the floor with Jared.
  Randy saw a quiet movement and turned in time, catching Melissa's leg in midair. Its target: his face. She glared. Then she smirked.
  Before Randy could react, the double's other leg shot up. It got him in the face, sending him falling back into the wall. He turned to see Melissa's double kneeling on the floor. She hissed. Then she lunged at him.
  Randy swung, getting her in the face. She felt back unconscious. Randy looked over at his double and Jared. His double was still winded, but he could not take that chance he was wrong.
  Randy dashed down the hall. He made it through the double doors. He took a moment to look at where he was at. Then he ran.

  "I don't like it."
  Rembrandt looked at Quinn. Quinn turned to look at him. They leaned on a railing on the motel's second floor.
  "What choice did we have, Q-ball?" Rembrandt asked. "Leave Jared in there? Slide without him?"
  "We did with Isabel," Quinn replied.
  "We did everything we could," Rembrandt said. "Slidewaving from cell to cell. She wasn't there."
  "Still...damn. First, Thomas and Jules. Isabel. Jared. Think one of us is next?"
  "Don't talk like that."
  "Why not?" Quinn snapped. "We're not even home yet and we already lost people. I didn't get back into sliding to go through this again." He stared at Rembrandt. "It was hard enough losing the Professor...Wade...you. Then...I lost Maggie and Mallory. They depended on me. We were suppose to find Randy and the others and deal with the Kromaggs once and for all."
  "Things never do turn out the way we want them," Rembrandt said. "Don't let Maggie and Mallory's death be in vain. We found Randy. We got the others...and some baggage. The Kromaggots are gone. Time to get us home. You. Randy. Together."
  Quinn laughed bitterly. "Together? We haven't done anything 'together' since I found him."
  "That can change. You gotta try."
  "That goes two ways, Remmy."
  "Does it now?"
  Quinn turned around. Rembrandt gasped. Randy stood behind them, his face a grimace.
  "Hey, Egghead," Rembrandt said. "Good to see you around?"
  "Is it?" Randy challenged.
  "Yea," Quinn said, stepping forward. "We got trouble."
  "Jared got mistaken for his double," Randy said. "Yea...I know."
  "You're quick"
  "No. Observant. I guess...I can go back now that I know where you are at."
  Randy started to leave. Quinn grabbed his arm. Randy's arm stiffened. He did not remember Randy being so...cold.
  "We're already on it," Quinn said.
  Randy studied Quinn. "On it?"
  "Yea," Rembrandt joined in. "Melissa went in."
  "What?"

  Melissa touched her short black hair. It brought back memories of last year. It brought back memories of Ben...the double who died trying to save her. She couldn't handle the fact that if he had not left his world of virtual reality...he would still be alive. On Earth Prime, she took up with the Goth community. She hoped to form a shell around her so she would not lost anyone else she loved. Richard got through though. Now...the old wounds opened again.
  Melissa heard the clik from the elevator. The doors opened, revealing a series of cells. She had convinced another soldier that she had a bump on her head and was forgetting things. Naturally when she asked about the cells, the soldier told her how to get to them.
  She stopped in front of the third cell on the left. Jared looked up at her.
  "Oh, great," Jared said sarcastically.
  "Hey," Melissa said. "It's me."
  Jared's eyes widened. "Melissa?"
  "I'm getting you--"
  Melissa heard a clik. She turned to her left. The elevator doors opened. Cassandra, Melissa's double, and Randy's double walked out.
  "Nah uh," Cassandra said. "I...don't think so. Get her."

  The next day, Richard's eyes narrowed on Quinn. He stood by the window of the motel, a frown on his face.
  "It's morning," Richard said. "Where is she?"
  "I knew I should have gone back."
  Richard looked over at Randy. He was on one of the beds, cleaning one of his daggers. Rebecca sat on the opposite side of the bed from him, her look like how Richard thought. Randy being calm was unnerving.
  Quinn turned and looked at Randy. "Nice of you to notice that."
  "Hm," Randy commented.
  "Now that both of you have checked penis size," Richard said, "can we go and get my girlfriend?"
  "How...you think we should walk right in?" Rebecca asked.
  "Why not?" Richard asked. "You are the conwoman. Wouldn't be the first time."
  "I know time is ticking," Quinn said. "Let's--"
  "I got it," Randy said, standing. "Go see where Jared's double is doing his protest. Run interference with my double. That'll draw them away and--"
  "Dude!" Richard cut in. "Not your girlfriend." He looked at Quinn. "What did--"
  Richard saw a flash of movement. He turned in time to see Randy pen him to the wall. A dagger aimed at Richard's right eye.
  "Randy!" Rembrandt yelled.
  "Melissa is my friend," Randy said, his eyes burning holes into Richard. "If you fail...because you're not a fighter, for example...then I lose her. I refuse to lose her."
  "Well, alrighty then," Rebecca said sarcastically.
  "Randy," Rembrandt said. "Put down the dagger."
  "Have you lost it?" Quinn managed.
  Richard watched Randy. He gave no response to anyone. His eyes stared into Richard's. They grew more and more intense. Then...Randy released him, but never took his eyes off Richard.
  "Just do as I say," Randy said. "I'll get her and Jared in time for the slide."
  Randy stormed out of the motel room. Richard's breathing slowly returned to normal. Then he felt his anger grow.
  "We have to do something about that," Quinn said.
  "Q-ball--"
  "Once we leave here, we need to have a long talk about where Randy's head is," Quinn said, heading for the door. "I did not sign up for this."
  "You okay, Richard?" Rembrandt asked.
  "Yea," Richard said.
  Rembrandt headed out of the motel room. Rebecca walked over, her arms over her chest. A smirk flashed on her face.
  "Well...there's the Richard I know," Rebecca said.
  "Shut up," Richard said.
  "Fine. Oh, wait...I forgot Told-You-So."
  Rebecca walked out the door without another word. Richard followed, the image of Randy training a dagger on him stuck in his mind.
  He would so have to deal with that.

  Randy smirked. He had found a suit and bandage wrap that matched his double perfectly. He got back into the building with no trouble.
  The elevator doors clik. The doors opened. He saw a series of cells in front of him. He took a step out of the elevator...and quickly ducked. He missed a fist to the face. He turned and saw Cassandra. She grinned.
  "I know you would be back," Cassandra said.

  "Do not ask what your country can..."
  Richard crossed his arms over his chest. He was on one side of the crowd with Rebecca. Quinn and Rembrandt were on the other. He knew one thing, his eyes fixed on the speaker. He was sick of running into that man.
  "It's just a matter of time."
  Richard glared at Rebecca. "Not now."
  Rebecca turned, tossing her dark hair. "Come on, Rich! It's true. Randy's going to ride in and save the day. Melissa will see him as her hero. Then...you'll toast. And I just think that's a shame. Old School Rich...wouldn't let it happen."
  "Old School Rich is dead," Richard said. "You'll talking to New Age Rich." He smirked. "However...Old School Becca...wouldn't hold a torch for a geek. Don't you try to shoot your allies, Dominique Brooks."
  Rebecca's eyes narrowed. "Have a care, Richard."
  "No one's afraid of you anymore."
  "I still have a few tricks up my sleeve. Maybe they should be."
  "Yeeeahh, right."
  A thug got Richard's attention. He turned to see that the speaker had fallen over. Gasps ran through the crowd as the speaker looked like he was having a seizure.

  Quinn looked at Rembrandt. "He's become a menace, Remmy."
  "And yet," Rembrandt said, staring at the speaker, "we followed his say. Must say something."
  "That tyranny still exist?" Quinn suggested.
  Rembrandt looked at him. "His instincts are good. That could come in handy."
  "Are you his cheerleader?"
  Rembrandt shrugged. "Looking at things from all angles. For example...should we be here? Rebecca's instinct might be right, but...it's us interacting in another word's affairs. Could come back and bite us."
  Quinn smirked. "Getting conservative in your old age?"
  Rembrandt smirked. "And you ain't?"
  They both laughed. Suddenly, they heard gasps. Quinn turned to see the speaker was having a seizure. Another man stepped forward, dressed in a black shirt with cargo pants. Even with his dark hair slicked back, he recognized Jared Heim's double.
  "See...how easily a lamb can fall," Jared's double said. "And this is what happens when you back a nation into a corner. It bites back."
  "Looks like Rebecca was right," Rembrandt said.
  Quinn's eye dotted through the crowd. Randy and Melissa's doubles moved through the crowd.
  "They're on the move," Quinn announced.

  Randy narrowed his eyes on Cassandra.
  "Maybe it's those premonitions of yours," he said sarcastically.
  "Or," Cassandra said, "your story is right. Why else would you be here than to say your lover?"
  "Melissa isn't my lover," Randy said.
  "And yet," Cassandra continued, "on this...as well as your own world...you two are connected." She smirked. "You can't escape fate."
  Cassandra dropped to the floor. She threw her leg out, tripping Randy. Pain shot through his back. Her leg came up and shot back down, aiming at his head. He dodged at the last minute. Cassandra screamed. He kicked her in the face.
  "I may die," Randy, said, "but not by you. Not today."

  Richard swung. He thought one of the crowd members hid him from Randy's double. He thought it would make a great sucker punch. He thought it would make great therapy after Randy threatened him.
  The double caught his fist in midair, his eyes staring forward.
  "Should have known he had conspirators," the double said, looking at Melissa's double.
  Then...the crowd went wild.

  Quinn dotted past the running people in the crowd. He headed for the stage to help Jared's double.
  The fist came out of nowhere. Quinn fell back, his butt hitting the grass. He looked up. Melissa's double stared down.
  "Traitors," she hissed.
  A shadow fell over Quinn. Rembrandt lunged past him, tackling her. Quinn looked up to see Rembrandt punch her. He looked back at Quinn.
  "Good thing she wasn't a lady," Rembrandt said.

  The hand tightened on Richard's fist. He screamed and fell to his knees before the double. The double smirked.
  "Your kind make me sick," the double said. "No sense of respect for your country. I could--"
  "Hey, Stud!"
  Randy's double looked past Richard. His eyes widened. His face went white like milk. Something was...
  BANG!
  A hole appeared in the double's forehead. His hand loosened on Richard's fist. Blood slid down from the bullet hole in the double's head. He fell dead.
  Richard turned around. Rebecca stood before him with a smoking gun. She smirked.
  "Like I said," Rebecca said, "I still have a few tricks." Her face darkened. "So...don't cross me."

  Cassandra woke up. She grunted as she stood up. Then she remembered what happened. Her eyes widened and she quickly turned.
  All of the cells were empty. Randy had escaped...with his friends. And if he was right, they would leave this world for a parallel world.
  Cassandra pushed the elevator button. The double doors opened instantly. Her mind was on one thing as she got into the elevator.
  Two groups from parallel worlds. One gave her the tip about Jared Heim's protest. Another protecting him. She needed to know more. Like...who was the first group?

  Peter Carmichael stared out of the dorm room. He magnified the binoculars. Sure enough, he saw Richard's group. They were at the site. As expected, they interfered and he got it recorded. Some things never change.
  The door opened. He turned to see the redhead enter with bags. He smiled at her. She was followed by a woman with short black hair.
  "Well, hello, Eve. Isabel," Peter Carmichael said.
  "Can we go?" Isabel whined. "I love the shopping, but this world bites."
  "You should be happy we weren't followed," Eve commented. "That means Randall was able to duplicate Randy's cloaked timer."
  "Maybe," Peter said.
  Eve glared at him. "Well, let's find out."
  Peter pulled out the statuscope. "Agreed. Randall, three to cross."

  Melissa fell out of the wormhole. She hit a wall. She grunted and looked around. They were in an alley. She was next to Randy.
  Randy looked at her. She did not know quite what to say. Judging from his look, neither did he.
  Melissa looked away. Richard was a few feet away. His eyes were on them, his face unreadable.
  Melissa looked away again. She saw Rebecca. She glared at the two of them.
  The wormhole whirred rapidly. Rembrandt shot out of it. He was quickly followed by Quinn. The wormhole vanished. Quinn pulled out the timer.
  "A few minutes," Quinn announced.
  Rembrandt frowned. "Oh, God. What happened here?"
  Jared stood up next to the alleyway. Melissa's eyes widened on it. There were holes all over it.
  "Whoa!" Jared exclaimed. "What ate through that?"
  Suddenly, a sound hit Melissa's ears. It was buzzing. It also...was getting closer.
  "What in the world--" Rembrandt started.
  The sky darkened. Melissa looked up. Her jaw dropped as she saw the swarm, recognizing them.
  Spiderwasps.
  "Oh, God!" Quinn exclaimed.
  "Not again," Rembrandt said.
  Then the spiderwasps attacked.

THE-END


 

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