"So are you better?"
Nicole Harris sat up on the hospital bed. She had just given labor 24 hours ago. All she wanted was rest, but she smiled at her visitor anyway.
"Hello, lover," Nicole said, managing a smile. "How's the baby?"
Richard Hall walked over to the bed. In his hands was a bundle covered by a white sheet. He looked at Nicole with warmth.
"He's great," Richard replied. "See for yourself."
Richard put the baby down within Nicole's reach. She managed to hold the baby in her hands. A safe feeling came over her as she looked down at the baby.
Her happiness turned to terror as she saw the baby's face. It was a bare skull. She screamed.

Nicole woke up. Sweat poured down her body as she felt around her. her eyes adjusted to the darkness.
She was back in her dorm room. The only light came from her alarm clock. It was 3 in the morning.
She was used to this around this time. Today was the day. It's been years, but Nicole always remembered this day. So did Richard. Today they would visit their son.

WHAT IF YOU DISCOVERED NEW WORLDS? WHAT IF YOU COULD FIND THESE WORLDS WITHOUT LEAVING 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 10-MEANWHILE ON THE HOMEFRONT

Ben Loveland ran up the stairs. He had been called hours ago. this could be it! They might have actually found Randy.
"Where is he?" Ben asked the secretary.
"Can I help you?" the secretary asked.
"Yeah. I got a call," Ben said. "Did you find my friend? Did you find Randy?"
"Mr. Loveland...hello."
Ben turned around. The tall man in the trenchcoat managed a smile and shook his hand.
"Officer Stern, hello," Ben said. "I got your call. Did you find Randy and Melissa?"
"I wish I could say we did, but we haven't," Stern replied. "Instead...we'll turning the case...and Randy's experiments...to the FBI."
"What?" Ben exploded. "Don't you watch the X-Files? That's the last thing you should be doing!"
"It's either that or we just close the case," Stern replied. "It's been almost a year. Unless you can figure out a way to work Randy's equipment, the FBI will be taking it in a few days."
Ben said nothing. He looked down. He used to remember how Randy would be so into his experiments. It was so annoying, but he put up with it. Then there was Melissa...
Ben wandered down the stairs. He had to find someone with Randy's intelligence, but where would he find them? What did Randy's equipment do anyway?

The secretary watched Ben leave. He seem so determined to find his friend. She dialed a number on the phone.
"Hello?" she said into the phone. "You don't have much time. The FBI's coming to get Heim's tech. You better figure it out soon."
Unknown to the secretary, she was observed by a guy who to anyone else would see him as a hippie. However, he was (arguably) one of the most brilliant minds alive. He had been called earlier that week to watch the goods. He reached the nearest payphone.
"Yeah, man," he said. "We got a big problem. If you're going to find this Brown dude, you better get here. It's the best chance we got."

Nicole waited patiently for hours. This was a route that she and Richard were used to. They would visit various places. Talking about the past was almost forbidden. Once, they even joked about old times. She had to stop him or she would remember her feelings. Eventually, Nicole walked out of the student union. He hadn't shown up yet. She decided that she had to find him.

Ben sat at the computer. He had told the police that it was his when they had come to take away Randy's equipment. He had been trying to get the password. He thought that the files might be able to tell him where Randy and Melissa had gone.
"Damn!" Ben yelled again as the computer denied his next guess. "Why couldn't he have an easy password?"
If Melissa was here, she would calm him down. She was missing, too though. He never even got a chance to apologize about getting into that fight on their date out...
"Damn!" Ben yelled again.
He couldn't give up though. He had to find them. He had to.

"He's been missing for how long?" Nicole asked in disbelief.
"Almost a year now," the secretary at the police desk said. "Don't you pick up a paper?"
"I've had...a busy semester," Nicole muttered. "Thank you." She started to leave, but stopped. "How?"
"No one's really sure yet, but I'm sure something will turn up," the secretary replied.
Nicole gave no answer. She just left. She knew the secretary was just trying to assure her, but it didn't work.
Nicole passed by the old hippie without a glance. She was a feet away when she heard:
"Yeah, three besides your Brown dude. Randy Heim. Melissa Clark. Richard Hall."
Nicole stopped. She turned to see the hippie. He was talking on a payphone.
"Great. I'll get in tonight and meet you there."
Nicole ran out of the station. Something was definitely up. If this guy knew what happened to Richard, she would be back to know for sure.

"Where is he?" Ben said to no one in particular.
He was waiting at the student union now. He had finally found someone to help on Randy's computer. It felt like he was making a deal with the devil. Since Randy hated this guy, technically he was making a deal with the devil. Still, he might know something.
"Ben Loveland?"
Ben turned and saw the guy. He had thick glasses and just seem out of place in the turtleneck. It was spring after all.
"Bufford?" Ben said.
He nodded his head. "So...what did you need? I don't think I have you for any classes."
"Sit down," Ben said, "and we don't have a class."
"Oh?" Bufford's eyes narrowed. as he sat down. "What do you want then?"
"We have a mutual acquaintance: Randy Heim," Ben said.
"I hear he disappeared."
"I know. He's my roommate."
"I'm sorry. Still I don't see what this has to do with me."
"Randy was working on something big before he vanished. I still have his computer and I need to know what it has on it. Maybe I can find him," Ben explained.
"And you came to me?" Bufford said in disbelief.
"Well...you two had classes together. you must be as smart as he was. Will you help me?"
Bufford smiled at Ben. Ben felt a shiver up his spine.
"Okay, I'll help," Bufford replied. "Pie of cake probably."

Three hours went by. Bufford hadn't cracked the computer yet. Ben just laid on his bed. His frustration had given way to anger.
"You still haven't figured it out?" Ben asked.
"Hey! These things take time," Bufford said.
"I thought you were so smart!"
"I am! Your roommate's an idiot!"
"You sound like you were jealous."
"Of Heim? No way."
Ben sat up on his bed. "There are other people involved, too. A professor. My...Melissa. Some other guy...Richard, I think."
"Never heard of him," Bufford said. "The professor is Brown though. Now he's brilliant. I was his star pupil."
"Then why was he meeting Randy? From what I hear, Randy was the star while you were second best."
Bufford turned away from the screen and glared at Ben. "Do you want me to help you or would you prefer not knowing where your friend's at?"
Ben glared at Bufford. He gave no answer.
"Good," Bufford said as he turned back to the computer. "Let's see...Randy was always interested in quantum physics. I wonder..."
Bufford typed for a moment. He pushed enter. He grinned at Ben.
"I'm in."
"What?" Ben said. "How? What was the password?"
"A simple one if you know, Heim," Bufford replied. " Einstein-Rosen-Podolsky Bridge."
The screen came to life. Pictures of wormholes crossed the screen. Ben's eyes widened at the sight.
"What is all of this?" Ben asked.
"So this is what he was working on," Bufford muttered. "When I get my hands on--"
"Bufford!" Ben barked.
"Oh...yyyeahh...your roommate."
Bufford typed some more. The image of a folder popped up. It was followed by other folders. Bufford picked the one marked 'ERP Test.'
"Oh my God!" Ben said.
The screen had just changed into a kind of journal.
"Now this is where the fun begins," Bufford said.
Bufford started to go down the screen. Ben saw Bufford's expression change from smirkness to shock as he read.
"I don't understand," Ben said.
"He...he created a bridge. Damn him!" Bufford said.
Ben grabbed Bufford. "What did he do? Tell him."
"They're gone," Bufford said as he pushed Ben away. "Randy created a bridge to a parallel world. A parallel universe. That's where they've been. That's not possible and yet he did it!"
Ben didn't know what to say. If that's true...
"We have to get to his equipment," Ben said. "Maybe there's a clue to where they went. Come on!"

The station was booming again. Crimes were called in. Criminals were being brought in. Policemen moved in and out the door. Nicole slipped in without much notice.
The secretary was on the phone. Nicole didn't think she was seen so she moved pass her. She reached for the nearest door.
"Yeah, I think I just about got it. If Mallory was here--"
Nicole saw the hippie talking into a cell phone. At the same time, he was typing on a nearby computer. It clicked to life.
"Bingo!" the hippie said. "Attempting a test run." Nicole saw him frown. "No, I'm not going to jump in. I'm not done spreading my genius around here. On the plus side, the FBI won't stop me now like with Mallory's machine."
Nicole was confused. Who was this hippie? Who was this...Mallory? How could he find Richard?
The whir silenced her thoughts. Lightning shot from the circular top of the machine and hit a wall. Nicole's jaw dropped as the wall dissolved into a circle of blue light. The hippie grinned at the circle.
"Whoa," the hippie said.
The circle closed again.
"It works," the hippie said. "You better get here to move it before--"
"Oh my God," Nicole said, finally finding her voice.
The hippie finally saw her. A smile spreaded across his face.
"Man, gotta go," the hippie muttered. He hanged up the phone. "Whoa, Sexy Lady. How's it hanging?"
"What's going on here?" Nicole asked. "What was that thing? How does it affect Richard?"

"We can't just walked in," Ben had said. "I've already been in today." Of course, Bufford had to go in. Ironically, he had been in a lot. He wanted to figure out Randy's machine. That was the whole reason he wanted Richard to steal it. He would figure it out and take total credit for it.
He smiled at the secretary. She just stared blankly. She was just like Richard, a person with a secret. He knew it and used it to gain access to Randy's machine. Granted it took three months to get the information, but Bufford felt it would be worth it if if he could get the machine to work. Now it was in his sights.
"How are things?" Bufford asked the secretary.
"Peaceful...until you showed up," the secretary looked slowly down at the ground. "Sorry."
Bufford smiled. "Good. Let's go."
The secretary led him to the room. He looked in and turned to her. His anger on his face sent the secretary backing away.
"Where is it?" bufford asked in a low, cold voice. "Who's been in here?"
"No one," the secretary explained. "The FBI came earlier than I thought and..."
Bufford was in shock. He was so close. He could already see the awards coming. He would regret seeing Professor Brown's pride and rubbing his fame in Randy's face. However, he would have been famous.
"Where did they go?" Bufford asked.
The secretary pointed the way. Bufford walked toward the way. He had to convince the FBI that he could solve Randy's puzzle.

Nicole did not know how to react. The idea of parallel worlds and alternate realities was hard for her to believe. Yet this hippie expected her to believe Richard was in another universe.
They were waiting in the back of the station now. Nicole wasn't sure what they were waiting for, but she was starting to feel cold.
"I'm surprised we made it out of there," Nicole said.
"Why?" the hippie said. "You're with the man!"
"Then why haven't I heard of a Conrad Bennish, Jr. before a few hours ago?" Nicole asked. "You don't seem so brilliant to me."
Bennish grinned. "You're feisty after all. Marry me."
Nicole just rolled her eyes. This was just too crazy.
"Why am I even trusting you?" Nicole said more to herself than anyone else.
"Deep down...you know I"m someone you want to get wet and wild with," Bennish said.
Nicole was about to say something when the door behind them opened. She turned to see a guy with big glasses glare at them.
"What are you doing?" the guy demanded.
Bennish stood in front of Nicole. He stood like a general about to insult an subordinate. "This is none of your concern, sir."
Bennish quickly pulled out a badge and put it in his pocket again. "We're part of an undercover FBI unit. We're here to take the equipment back to Washington."
"I doubt that," the guy said. "Let's see that badge again."
Before Bennish could pull it out, the sound of tires screeching got his attention. He grabbed Nicole.
"Grab the machine and start pushing," Bennish whispered.
A van stopped right in front of them. the side door opened to reveal a black man. He grinned at Bennish.
"Rembrandt 'Cryin Man' Brown Express is here! Everybody in!" the black man announced.
"Oh, no you don't!" the guy barked. "No one is going anywhere! Police! Po--"

"Dude, calm down," Bennish said to the tied up Bufford. He was tied up in the back of the van.
Nicole looked back at Bufford. He was struggling with the ropes and the gag. Bennish just watched in fascination.
"Who are you people?" Nicole asked Rembrandt.
"It's a long story," Rembrandt replied, "with an unhappy ending. This has happened before, you see. A scientist named Quinn Mallory created the machine years ago. The FBI took the equipment then so Bennish could never figure it out. I've lost so many friends over the last few years...I have to find Darnell."
"Darnell?" Nicole asked. "Oh...the Professor."
Rembrandt grinned at her remark. "I know someone who went by that name a lot."
"What happened to him?"
"He...it didn't turn out well," Rembrandt replied. "We just go to find Darnell and his friends."
"Not to be wacked, but how?" Bennish asked. "We been searching for your friends for years. I was dying to meet that Beckett chick."
"We have a machine now," Rembrandt said. "I'm sure you can figure it out. You got us this far."
"I don't know," Bennish replied. "Even my genius is taxed by all of this."
"So you might not be able to find Richard?" Nicole asked.
"We will find him," Rembrandt said.

Ben had been following the van for hours now. He had seen the van screech into the alley and ran over to see what happened. He figured out that they had Randy's equipment and bufford. Now he followed it so he would know where to get the police to.

"Rise and shine!"
Bufford opened his eyes. The sight that greeted him made his eyes narrow. It was Rembrandt giving him a grin.
"You won't get away with this!" Bufford yelled.
"You can calm down," Rembrandt said softly. "I'm letting you go."
Bufford muttered. "You are?"
"I've been a prisoner before," Rembrandt said. "I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."
"What are you doing?"
Bufford looked over Rembrandt's shoulder. Nicole was just waking up on the couch.
"I'm letting him go, Nicole," Rembrandt answered.
"Are you crazy?" Bennish asked as he walked in the room. "He can go back to the police and get us arrested!"
"Bennish is right," Nicole said.
"Thank you," Bennish said.
"I have a better idea," Rembrandt said. "What do you know about any of this? You were there so do you know anything?"
"I know of the various theories of quantum physics, yes," Bufford said.
"How about you help us?"
Bufford frowned. he knew this had to be some kind of trick. Still, he could handle that. In fact, he could even make sure Randy isn't found if he was helping them.
Bufford grinned. "Where would you like me to start?"

Ben wandered around the house. He was pretty sure that no one would be coming out since the hippie had made a food run. he could get Randy's machine or at least make sure nothing happened to it until the police showed up.
Ben peeled into a window. He saw Bufford at a desk working on something. He couldn't make it out though. There was a girl next to him. He remembered her from last night with the hippie.
"Can I help you?"
Ben jumped away from the window quickly. The black man stared at him intensely.
"Uh...just looking at the other meter," Ben said. "I got a call and--"
"Oh, come on," the black man said. "I've been in more sticky situations than you and lied better."
Ben was speechless.
"You got a lot of explaining to do," the black man replied.

"How does it look?" Bufford asked.
"Like a cellular phone," Nicole replied.
Bufford frowned at her. "Does no one respect my genius around here?"
"Nah, dude," Bennish said.
"I did what you couldn't do," Bufford said.
"I could...with time," Bennish countered.
"We don't got time!"
Nicole turned to see Rembrandt walk into the living room with some other guy.
"Goof here called the police before he knew what was going on," Rembrandt explained.
"Whoa," Bennish said.
"Is the gizmo ready?" Rembrandt asked Bufford.
Bufford grinned. "Of course. I am a genius after all."
Nicole rolled her eyes.
"I set it up like a retrieval unit. You will be about to cross--"
"Slide," Rembrandt corrected Bufford.
"SLIDE to any world," Bufford said. "It will try to process their quantum signature and eventually start to track it. The hole will be powerful enough to hold eight people so when you find them it will be a snap to slide back here. However, someone has to be here to act like an anchor. When the others are found, he will be called by a button I installed. He can bring you back with the machine here."
"Sounds like a good idea," Rembrandt said.
In the distance, the sound of sirens could be heard. Rembrandt walked over to Randy's machine. He motioned to Bennish.
"Help me with this," Rembrandt said. "We got to get this to the van."

Ben looked down the street. Police cars had just turned the corner. He turned to Rembrandt who had just the machine in the van.
"Here they come!" Ben yelled.
"Take care of the machine," Rembrandt said to Bennish.
"Okay, man," Bennish said. "Just come back. You still owe me a twenty."
"Wait a minute!" Bufford said. "I thought you four would go and I would stay with the machine."
Rembrandt held up the timer at the sky in front of him. "We don't have time to explain it."
"I'm not leaving!" Bufford protested.
Rembrandt turned on the timer. Wind got sucked up into a clear whirlpool of blue.
The police cars were almost at the house. Ben ran for the vortex.
"We don't have time for this!" Ben yelled.
"I'm not--" Bufford started.
Ben pushed Bufford into the vortex.
"Come on, Nicole," Rembrandt said.
"How?" Nicole asked.
"Just jump!" Rembrandt said.
Nicole looked at the vortex and jumped into it.
"Bennish, go!" Rembrandt barked.
The van screened out of the driveway. It rushed down the street at a rapid pace.
"Just like old times," Rembrandt muttered.
Rembrandt jumped into the vortex. Cops were now getting out of their cars. Most paused in awe at the wormhole in the sky. Ben wished he could explain, but he had no time. He had friends to find.
Ben ran for the vortex and ran into its bright lights.

"Well, it's not a big deal, Rembrandt said as he pushed through the bushes. "Q-Ball, Wade, Maggie, and me always seem to be going through jungles all the time at one point."
Bufford growled at the bushes. "I shouldn't even be here."
"Hey! You'll have fun," Ben said. "Besides, you're a scientist. We would need one."
"Goof has a point," Rembrandt agreed.
"Uh...guys," Nicole said. "I think we should slide out."
"We still have five minutes," Ben said.
"Why?" Rembrandt asked.
Nicole pointed down from the hill they were on. There was a giant footprint down below.
"What made that?" Ben asked. "A giant?"
"Dinosaurs," Rembrandt replied.
Bufford's eyes widened. "What? How?"
"Different things happen on different worlds," Rembrandt said. "History could have been different, resulting in a different outcome."
"Like a giant bird," Nicole said.
"Yeah," Rembrandt said.
"No. It's a giant bird."
"How much longer?" Ben asked Rembrandt.
"Too long," Rembrandt said.
"...Great," Ben said.
The bird continued to head for them.

THE-END