"So let me see if I got this right," the cashier said. "Three cheeseburgers. Two regular and one without onion. Three number sixes with medium fries. Two cokes. One orange juice. One tea. Two water."
Darnell Brown nodded. "Yes."
"That will be sixteen fifty-seven," the cashier said happily.
"Do you take credit cards?" Brown asked.
The smile left the cashier's face. Her eyes narrowed on Brown.
"Slide!" Brown yelled. "Slide!"
Randy Heim looked up from his chair. Brown ran for the others without food. He looked behind Brown. One of the workers ran out the door. A rifle was in her hand. Two other workers were behind her.
"Oh, great!"
Randy looked over at the trash can. A worker had been taking out the garbage. Now he dropped his trash bag and pulled out a pistol.
"What's going on?" Melissa Clark said as she shot up form her chair on the patio.
"Obviously, Brown broke a norm," Eve Albright said from across the table.
"Darn right!" the trash can man said as he aimed his pistol. "Can you idiots not read the sign?"
"Sign?" Randy said.
The worker pointed to the roof. randy looked up at it. there was a sign. It read: NO CHECKS OR CREDIT ACCEPTED. VIOLATORS WILL BE SHOT.
A click got Randy's attention. The worker aimed at him.
"Your kind makes me sick!" he said. "Why can't you use cash like normal people?"
Gunfire went off. Randy turned to see Brown hit the ground.
"Randall, it's time to cross," Eve said.
Randy pushed Melissa to the ground. The worker opened fire and hit empty chairs. Randy looked over at Eve and Richard Hall. They had also jumped out of their chairs.
Randy's pocket beeped. He pulled out the timer. He aimed it at the worker and turned it on. The blue vortex opened in front of him.
A shadow dotted pass Randy. He saw Brown dive into the vortex. It only whirred.
"Come on," Randy said as he helped Melissa up.
"Next time, I'm going in," Richard said.
Melissa hit the wormhole and screamed. It felt like someone had clawed into her chest and pulled out her heart. She saw that the wormhole was horribly disfigured. It warped between blue to red to yellow.
She flew out of the wormhole. She landed in a mud puddle.
"Wow. Someone should watch her step."
Melissa looked up to see Eve standing over her completely dry. She smirked at her.
"Something was wrong," Brown said. "The vortex has never reacted that way."
"Maybe Randy's device worked," Melissa suggested. "Maybe Logan's tracked is shorted out."
The wormhole warped behind Melissa. She turned in time to see Randy shoot out of it like a missile. He hit Brown. They fell over.
Someone laughed. Melissa turned to see Richard holding a hand out to her. She grabbed it.
The wormhole exploded. blue, red, and yellow shot all over the sky as it gave way. Richard lost his balance and fell on Melissa in the puddle.
"This is simply delicious," Eve comment. "Maybe I am better off crossing with you all. There is so much to laugh at."
"Not to mention the pleasures, Miss Albright."
Melissa saw Eve look at Brown. They seem to be having a silent conversation. She wondered what that meant.
It was low at first. Then it became louder. It was humming and getting closer. Melissa pushed Richard off her and looked up.
Three manta ships shot over the hills. They sped right for them. Melissa got up quickly. They opened fire.
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 14: LEGACY
Randy did not have time to see if Melissa was all right. He was tackled from behind. A laser barely missed him. He looked up to see Brown starting down at him.
"Be more concerned for yourself," Brown said. "Not Miss Clark." He grabbed Randy. "Come on."
Randy stood up. He ran behind Brown as they ran for a nearby forest. He looked behind him. Melissa, Richard, and Eve ran in the opposite direction.
"Melissa!" Randy yelled. His feet moved back over the field.
"Mr. Heim, no!" Brown barked.
Randy ignored him. He was worried about Melissa. He had to know she was all right.
A hand grabbed his arm. He was roughly turned around. Brown glared at him.
"Are you mad?" Brown barked again. "Those ships are-"
A red light shined over their heads. Randy felt his feet give out. Darkness cropped over his head. His last thought was over where Melissa was all right or not.
Melissa made it through the underbrush. She was pretty sure that they had been in this forest for an hour now. There had been no signs of manta ships. There had been no signs of Randy or Brown either.
"I take it back," Eve said a few steps ahead of her. "I would rather be with the others."
"We would rather want you there, too, Icelady," Richard said from behind Melissa.
Eve laughed. "What's wrong, Richard? Do you not like a remainder of your crime along?"
"Will you two stop it!" Melissa snapped. "Randy has the timer and we don't know where they are at!"
"It figures!" Richard exclaimed. "It's all about Egghead."
Melissa turned and glared at Richard.
"Looks like we have hit the city," Eve announced.
Melissa followed Eve. They came out onto houses in a suburb. They looked normal enough except there was no people. Melissa walked along the sidewalk. A lawn mower was out over a tall yard. She wondered where the owners was at.
"Hey! Look at that!"
Richard ran over to a black Suburban. He opened the door.
"Wow! Look!" Eve said. "He steals as well as kills."
"No one is around," Richard said. "I doubt they're coming back and we need wheels. Do you want to walk into town?"
"Once a thief, always a thief...I guess," Melissa said.
Richard looked back at her. His eyes betrayed his hurt over what she said. She walked to the passenger side.
"So are we going or not?" Melissa asked.
Richard surprised himself. He did not say anything as they drove into San Francisco. Melissa's words strung. He had agreed to turn himself in when they got home. What more did they want from him?
Richard looked through the rearview mirror. Eve sat in the back. Her arms were crossed over her chest. Her face was a frown. He knew what she wanted. An eye for an eye.
"Stop there," Melissa pointed.
Richard stopped outside what looked like a store. Melissa was already on her way out.
"Why did we stop here?" Eve asked.
"I thought I saw something," Melissa said.
"Maybe it was another Humagg," Eve said. "Better that we stay here."
Melissa looked back at Eve. "You playing it safe?"
"You would, too if you knew the Kromaggs," Eve replied.
Richard saw it. Eve revealed something. She shook. He had never seen her show fear since they met.
"The Kromaggs?" Melissa said. "I thought they were Humaggs."
Eve got out of the car. She frowned. "They are what's left." She looked up. "We should go."
"What if it's a human?" Melissa challenged. "We could use some help. I'm going in."
Richard got out of the Suburban. Melissa stormed for the store entrance. He headed after her. He turned around to see if Eve was behind him. She leaned against the side of the Suburban.
"Are you coming?" Richard asked.
Eve looked at him like he was a moron. "No."
"Suit yourself."
"I usually do."
"It's been two weeks! Do you think you could try to get along with us?"
Eve laughed. "That's rich, Richard! I seem to recall the first time we met. You were trying to take Melissa from Randall. You did not even get along with Darnell."
Richard corked an eyebrow. "Darnell?"
"I am waiting in the car," Eve declared.
Before Richard could protest, Eve was opening the door. She shut it behind her without another word.
Richard looked at the store entrance. Melissa was nowhere in sight. He headed for the door. Eve would have to wait.
Melissa turned around. Richard argued with Eve. She just rolled her eyes and went into the store. She knew that she saw something. Now she had to prove it.
There was no life here. The aisles were empty of people. Carts were in them. A few of them were overturned. The silence was like the silence in a cemetery. Melissa could smell roses nearby. She turned the corner and saw a flower cart.
Melissa walked up to the cart. She leaned in and sniffed the roses. They were still fresh. Maybe what happened here was so recent that people were still here.
The sound caused Melissa to jump away from the cart. It sounded like someone had dropped something. Melissa made out footsteps rushing away. It came from the left.
Melissa ran after the footsteps. She turned a corner. A shadow made it through some shelves.
"Wait!" Melissa yelled. "I'm human!"
The footsteps stopped. Melissa saw a shadow on the floor. It grew bigger as it got closer to Melissa's spot. The shadow came into the light.
"Diana Davis?" Melissa managed.
The black woman frowned. "Let me guess...slider?"
Melissa nodded. "Yeah. How did you-"
Diana managed a smile. "My friends and I have been through a lot since we first slid. It's also the only reason you could know my name."
A click behind Melissa caught her attention. She turned around to find a rifle aimed at her head.
"Not the only reason," the rifleman said.
Richard heard the footsteps. At first, it seem like it was coming from all around. He heard steps on his right after a while. He turned a corner. The rifleman aimed at Melissa and someone else.
The rifleman did not have much time to react to Richard's ramming. He knocked him off his feet. They fell into the light. Richard sat on the rifleman and looked down.
"Hey!" Richard exclaimed. "I know you! You're-"
The red-haired woman's fist shot up. It hit Richard's jaw. He fell off of the woman. Before Richard could get up, the woman had her rifle again.
"Maggie, stop!"
Maggie aimed her rifle at Richard. "Diana, are you crazy? For all we know, these are Humagg spies."
"We're not spies, Maggie Beckett," Melissa said from behind Maggie. "We slid in some time ago."
"That's impossible," Maggie said as she continued to stare at Richard. "There's a cloaking shield over this world. No one can slide in."
"Her story does seem to match up with the data we saw back at Base," Diana said. "It proves my theory as well."
"Theory?" Richard managed. He raised up a little.
"Just give me a reason," Maggie said as she glared at him.
"Maggie, put down the rifle," Diana said. "I was right. The cloaking shield can be bypassed if a timer is tailed by another timer."
"What do you mean?" Melissa asked.
"I think you two better come with me," Diana said. "Someone is using you."
Randy studied the walls. They hummed with energy. they also hummed with life. It was quite intriguing.
"Nice to know you are admiring the design."
Randy turned to see Brown glaring at him. He leaned against the wall.
"I don't see you doing anything," Randy said.
"We would not eve be here if you had used your brain!" Brown snapped.
"I happen to care for people," Randy said. "Something you seem to have forgotten about."
"Oh, really?" Brown said. "If I don't care, why did I save you?"
"To make up for killing my brother perhaps?"
Brown's face flinched. Randy saw anger battle control.
"That's it, Professor!" Randy exclaimed. "Feel."
"Well, isn't that sweet?"
Randy looked across from the cell they were in. The doors were just clear electric energy so he could look over easily. There was someone in the shadows.
"Who's there?" Randy demanded.
The figure came out of the shadows. Randy felt the breath leave his body. He had only seen her once. He knew what she was capable of.
"Say hello to your better, Randy Heim," Logan St. Clair declared.
"It's nice to know some things don't changed," Richard commented as they walked into the Dominion Hotel.
"Does she really have to point a gun at us?" Eve demanded.
"Yes, she does," Maggie replied.
Melissa saw Eve stop. She glared at Maggie.
"I was talking to your friend," Eve said. "She seems to be the intelligent one."
Maggie glared. "I would be careful about insulting the one with the gun."
Eve put her hands on her waist. "You wouldn't be so tough without that gun."
"You'd be surprised."
"So would you."
"God, Maggie! Do you have to get into catfights with every chick you meet?"
Melissa saw Diana dot for the voice. She turned to see her hug a white man with black spiky hair. He yelled.
"I'm sorry," Diana said sheepily. "I forget sometimes...about the implants."
"It was worth it to see you smile," the man said as he smiled lopsidedly.
"Smooth talker."
Diana kissed the man on the lips.
"Excuse me..." Richard said. "I hate to interrupt, but...implants?"
"You sure do ask a lot of questions," Maggie commented.
"He has that right," Eve added.
"So who are your friends?" the man asked Diana.
"Sliders who have found a way to bypass the cloaking shield," Diana said.
"Hey! We have not decided whether they are spies or not," Maggie remarked.
The man grinned at Melissa. "It's great to know the Humaggs are using sexier spies."
Diana elbowed the man playfully. "Mallory..."
"Mallory?" Melissa managed. "Are you related to Quinn Mallory?"
"Related?" Mallory said. "I am Quinn Mallory."
"Nice to see you again, Miss St. Clair," Brown commented. "Nice to see you where you belong."
Logan managed a smile. "I'm sorry. Was that an insult?"
"Take it however you like it."
"Don't worry. I will. How about you tell me how it feels to be dragged to a world?"
Randy's eyes widened. "What happened with the timer...you did that?"
Logan laughed. "Wow...you're bright."
"I'm smart enough," Randy replied.
"Really?" Logan challenged. "Have you found my tracker yet and shorted it out?"
Randy gave no reply. Logan laughed again.
"I didn't think so," Logan said. She tapped her head. "Never try to outsmart a Mallory."
"I see our prisoners are up! Good."
Randy saw shadows approach their cells. The Humaggs came into view. There was one in front who caught his attention. A memory flashed in his head. He and the others encountered him on a world where the government tired to create a supersoldier. His cells were mixed with a student's. That student was Chad Owens.
"You!" Randy snapped. "You turned Chad into a monster!"
Logan corked an eyebrow. "You two know each other? This keeps getting-"
"Silent, human!" one of the guards yelled at Logan.
The head one stared at Randy now. His eyes narrowed on him. He bared his teeth.
"I remember you," the Humagg hissed. "The human Owens wanted me to spare you."
Randy felt invisible hans grip him. The Humagg became smaller in his eyes as he shot away from him. He hit the wall and fell to the ground.
"It will not happen again," the Humagg said coldly. "Owens is now a weapon for the Kromagg Dynasty."
"The Kromagg Dynasty?" Logan muttered. "Don't you mean what's left of it?"
Randy looked up in time to see Logan flying into a wall.
"This virus is just a setback!" the Humagg hissed. "And you have outlast your usefulness."
"I think not, Kryoptus."
The guards bowed to the new person who entered the hall. Randy saw a tall woman in a black suit full of tubes faced the front of the cell. Her face looked horribly burnt within her helmet.
"Yes, Terran," the woman said. "Look at what your disease has done to our once mighty dynasty. We were once many. Now we are in the backlands...growing our forces again. Awaiting the day when we will rule again and return to our homeworld in triumph."
"General Kesh, you should not be around these...humans," Kryoptus said. "Perhaps..."
"I am fine!" Kesh snapped. "As for these Terrans...I intend to study them. They know about transdimensional travel. They could be useful in our cyberaid project."
"I still think that project was a failure," Kryoptus said. "The subject Welles-"
"-is not an issue," Kesh cut him off coldly. Her eyes dotted at him. "I think you forget your place. Humaggs are below Kromaggs. Remember that."
Kryoptus bowed. "Of course, General Kesh."
Kesh managed a grin at Randy. He saw the sharp teeth and shivered.
"There is a new world that we will use the Owen weapon on," Kesh said. "I will go to command that. You will take the dark one ot see Kresh. I am sure he will find him...fascinating."
For a second, the cell entrance flashed white. Then guards rushed in and aimed for Brown. He shot out an arm at one. It got the Humagg in his mouth. He fell back. The other Humagg swung his laser at Brown and hit him across the face. Brown fell to the ground unconscious. The Humaggs carried him out. Randy ran for the door. White light blinded him though. He opened his eyes to find Kesh and Kryoptus grinning.
"Your time will come...human," Kryoptus said.
"Yes," Kesh added. "Then his whole kind will suffer for Mallory's and Brown's actions."
The two of them left without another word. Randy looked after them in confusion. Right now he knew he had to hurry up and find Quinn Mallory and Rembrandt Brown. He had to know what they had done to result in this. From the Mallory journals, he knew Quinn might still be out there. Maybe the same was true about Rembrandt.
What had happened?
Melissa sat on the ledge of the Dominion. She looked down at the empty streets and wondered where the people were.
"So...you were looking for Quinn?"
Melissa looked at the roof door. Maggie approached her. She sat down next to Melissa.
"Yeah," Melissa answered. "We believe that he is from our homeworld."
"And yet you never heard of Kromaggs?" Maggie said. "How is that possible?"
"Quinn wrote about you two getting to Earth Prime and finding them there," Melissa said. "Maybe he was wrong."
"Rickman's timer had the coordinates," Maggie said.
"He could have messed with them," Melissa said. "In any case, we are from the same world as Quinn."
Maggie said nothing. Melissa looked at her. Her eyes had watered up.
"Do you know...what happened to Remmy?" Maggie asked.
"The journal entries were...scatterbrained after your group found that fake Kromagg Prime," Melissa replied.
"So Remmy..."
Melissa put a hand around Maggie's shoulder. Maggie pushed it away.
"I'll be fine!" Maggie snapped.
"Maggie!"
Melissa looked at the door. Mallory stood in the door. A smile crept on his face.
"Di's done it!" Mallory announced.
"She did?" Maggie managed. She coughed. "Good. Let's go."
"What did she do?" Melissa asked.
Maggie stood up. She looked down at Melissa.
"What do you know about Obergon Geiger?" Maggie asked.
Richard watched the two soldiers cleaning their weapons. They sat in the hall outside the lab without a word. A flash of light shot through from under the door. The soldiers did not bat an eye.
"They must be used to it," Eve commented from beside Richard.
"Must be," Richard mumbled. He looked at Eve. "So why do the Kromaggs scare you?"
Eve glared at Richard. "I'm not scared of anyone."
"Don't play, Icelady," Richard said. "I saw your look when we were at the store. They got you spooked. Why is that?"
Eve looked at her feet. "I heard a story or two from Randall when he was perfecting our statuscope." She looked at Richard. "That's it."
"That works...assuming it's the truth."
"Why would I lie?"
"I have no idea. It wouldn't be the first time though."
Eve corked an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"I know you saved me from Brown a week ago," Richard said.
"I did no such thing."
"Yes, you did. Why? I thought you wanted me dead."
"I do," Eve replied.
"Let me guess," Richard said as he turned toward Eve. "Another crosser game? You miss your buds and want to start something. Forget it."
"And what are you going to do?" Eve challenged. "Who do you think they'll listen to...the newbie...or the murderer?"
Richard said nothing. Eve had a point. Randy and Brown would just ignore him. Melissa might listen to him, but it would be iffy.
Richard looked past Eve. Melissa, Maggie, and Mallory headed down the hall. Maggie waltzed through the door. The soldier said nothing.
"Come on," Richard said.
He did not wait for Eve to answer. He headed for the door. The soldiers sprang to life.
"Oh, come on!" Richard yelled. "She just went in."
"It's okay, guys!" Mallory said. "They're with me!"
The soldiers put their guns back at their sides. Richard looked over at Melissa. She just shrugged her shoulders and followed Mallory into the room. He was behind her.
"Di, are you still..." Mallory started.
Richard entered the room. Across the room was a big clear ball. Wires attached themselves to it. Maggie and Diana helped a figure out of the tube. Maggie was crying as she helped the man.
"Who is it?" Melissa asked.
"Never really met him," Mallory explained. "I've just heard stories. It's been Di's mission since she set this lab up. Now it's done."
"Colin?" Maggie muttered.
The man looked up at Maggie. His eyes focused in on her.
"Maggie?" Colin Mallory mumbled. "How?"
"Diana here," Maggie explained. "She's the brains around here."
"It was touch and go there for a few months," Diana said. "I'm glad I was able to finally anchor you."
"Anchor?" Colin managed.
"It's a long story," Maggie said. "You became unstuck and Quinn-"
"My brother!" Colin exclaimed. His eyes dotted around the room. "Where is he?"
Richard looked at Mallory. "So how are you explaining that?"
It all came back. Debra being hang. His battle with the town. His encounter with his Other. His killing of Jared Heim and Mr. Stone. Mr. Stone revealed to be alive. Finally, Debra's death at the hands of the Humaggs. It shot through Brown's head in images that caused him to scream.
Then they were gone. Brown was in a black chair. His hands and feet were tied to it. A Humagg with black hair on the sides stared at him.
"Now...that was a waste of good suffering," Kresh said.
"Stay out of my head," Brown said.
"Why?" Kresh said. "I find it so interesting in there. The worlds you have seen. The people you have encountered. The things you have done."
"Shut up!" Brown yelled.
"I think you forget your place, human," Kresh said.
Pain shot through Brown's head. In his mind, he saw laserfire shoot through Debra. Then he saw it again. It repeated in his head and he could not stop it.
"You loved her, don't you?" Kresh asked. "How...human."
Brown bit down on his tongue as the attack continued. He would not scream again for this lunatic.
"You know what I find fascinating about you, Mr. Brown?" Kresh said. "I...love...what makes you strong. Your...dark side. The side that made you do this."
Jared Heim screamed in Brown's head. Brown shot him in cold blood. He liked it. Brown suddenly saw his Other again. The coldness in his eyes as he talked about cutting Debra. Then Brown saw himself torturing Eric Price.
"This...dark side is what is keeping you alive," Kresh said, "and what will make you a very valuable tool of the Kromagg Dynasty." He smiled. "Now all I have to do is get rid of your human weakness."
Debra kept dying in Brown's mind. Kresh would not stop. Brown fought against it, but it was too much. Brown opened his mouth and let loose an earth-shattering scream.
It started like a warm feeling in the back of his head. It crawled around his brain like ants. It hit his mind hard.
IT'S YOU.
Randy jumped up. He stared about the empty cell. He was alone.
HELP...ME, the voice in his head whispered.
"Chad," Randy said.
"Talking to yourself now. That's cute."
Randy looked over at Logan in her cell. "We would not eve be in this trouble if it wasn't for you."
"Don't thank me," Logan replied. "Thank Quinn Mallory. All I wanted was to help my world. Instead, I slide from world to world."
"Not anymore," Randy muttered.
"I will again," Logan said, "with your help."
Randy stood up. Logan grinned at him. He made it to the door of his cell.
"No way," Randy said.
"I think you will," Logan said.
"Why would you think that?"
"You'll do anything to see sweet Melissa again."
Randy gave no reply. He knew that Logan was right. He would do anything to see Melissa and know she was okay. He needed to get out of there.
"What do you say?" Logan asked. "Is it a deal?"
Randy looked at Logan. He had read Quinn's journal. She was treacherous. At any time, she might do something to endanger him or Brown.
He felt a warm feeling in the back of his head. Chad was trying to reach him. Randy smiled. Maybe he had an ace up his sleeve.
Richard sat by himself in the Dominion lobby. From where he sat Richard could see the others laughing at the bar. Colin obviously must have meant a lot to them for the celebrations. He wondered for a second whether Melissa, Proper,...even Egghead would think of him like that ever again.
"Come join the party!"
Richard came out of his thoughts. Mallory stood in the door. A beer mug was in each hand. He headed over to Richard with one. Richard held out a hand to stop him.
"Sorry," Richard said. "Parties aren't my thing anymore."
"Better take it while you can," Mallory suggested. "Come morning...the 'General' wants us to storm Kromagg Central and deactivate the cloaking shield."
"Me...fighting in someone else's war?" Richard questioned. "Count me out."
Mallory sat down in a chair. "If the Kromaggs get back on their feet...everyone's going to suffer." Mallory grinned. "Besides...you do want your timer, right?"
Richard snatched one of the beer mugs from Mallory. He drank from it. It was strong, and he coughed.
"Special recipe," Mallory said with pride.
"Hooray for you," Richard mumbled.
"Outcast of the group, huh?" Mallory commented. He leaned back in his chair. "I remember that."
Richard glared at Mallory. "We're not bonding, Robotboy. Got it?"
"Crystal," Mallory answered. "Let me guess...I wouldn't understand...I never been there...I-"
"Ever killed anyone?"
"Do Kromaggs count?"
"I killed a girl," Richard said. "Drunk driving. I wanted more to drink and the party was out. Turns out that 1)she was not from that Earth and 2)someone saw me drive off. I was scared. Do you understand that?"
Mallory sipped his drink for a moment. Richard looked over at the door of happy people.
"My group just found it all out," Richard continued. "One hates me. Another won't talk to me. The girl in black...knew the girl. She wants me dead...and she's not alone."
"They will forgive you," Mallory said simply. "If they are anything like my-"
"We are not some nice 'kambaya' group!" Richard snapped. "Maybe that works for you-"
"Who said my group was?" Mallory shot back. "You think you're unwanted? Imagine that the only reason your'e around is because someone else is inside you. Someone who everyone else will kill you to get back."
Richard stared at Mallory in surprise. "Huh?"
"It has to do with Geiger and his theory about merging-" Mallory started.
Richard held up a hand. "Okay...I have an idea of what you're saying. Were you merged with Quinn Mallory?"
"Yeah," Mallory answered. "I remember how Maggie would always be trying to find ways to draw him out. Rembrandt never really mentioned it, but I knew. If they could pick a Quinn...It wouldn't have been me...a thief who lost his legs by being stupid."
Richard said nothing. Mallory looked at him and he just nodded. Mallory managed a smile.
"Trust me," Mallory said. "I know what it's like to be the outsiders. It'll pass if you want it to. Get into their good graces."
Richard laughed. "I don't see Eve doing that."
"You'll be surprised," Mallory said. He stood up. "It would help if you let yourself hang around people."
Richard watched Mallory head back for the lobby. He grabbed his beer.
"Mallory!" Richard said.
"Yeah?" Mallory said.
"So...how did Diana...unmerge you two?" Richard asked.
Mallory flinched. "It was...hard. She did though...there was a price though."
Richard looked at Mallory's prosthetic legs. He could take a guess over the price of saving Quinn.
"So where do you think he went?" Richard asked. "Is he ever here?"
"Di says he vortexed out with a timer we made from Kromagg parts on this world where our lives were a TV show," Mallory said. "It happened before the 'Maggs raided this world and set up shop. I don't know where he went."
He looked at Richard. His eyes narrowed.
"I know this," Mallory said. "He didn't want to be found."
Melissa looked over Diana's shoulder. "Are you sure this will work?"
"It has to," Maggie said. She looked at Melissa now. "Our scouts tell us that the Maggs are definitely planning an offense. They must be planning something."
Diana typed away at the computer. "The goal is simple: the cloaking shield. We knock that out, and we can access anything. Maybe even slide out."
Melissa smiled. If she could find Randy...
"I'm not leaving," Maggie said.
Diana stopped typing. She looked at Maggie. "What?"
"You heard me," Maggie said. "You want me and the troops to do damage. I'm going to make sure that once they're down...they stay down."
"But-" Diana started.
"I'm doing it for everyone, Diana!" Maggie cut Diana off. "For Quinn. Wade. Colin. Remmy." She held up her rifle. "The Kromagg Dynasty cannot rise again. Too many people would die."
Maggie headed out of the room. Melissa looked down at Diana.
"That's one determined bitch," Melissa said.
Diana smiled. "She gets that a lot." She turned to the computer. "Colin has an idea of where your timer might be. Your guys are with him. Mallory's going, too."
"I'll watch over him," Melissa said.
A smile crossed Diana's face again. "Thanks."
Randy walked along the corridor. Logan walked beside him. Two Humaggs were right behind them. Their lasers poked them in the back, reminding them of their state.
"So where's the dark one?" Logan asked.
"Silence, human!" one of the Humagg barked.
Randy said nothing. Brown had not come back in a long time. He wondered what tortures he was going through.
"Be more worried for yourself, Randall Heim."
General Kesh stood at the end of the corridor. Kryoptus stood beside her. He looked at Randy with such hatred.
"The dark one, Ms. St. Clair, is being used by the Kromagg Dynasty," Kesh said. "That is all you need to know."
"The Kromagg Dynasty?" Logan growled. "From my readings, the Dynasty conquered many worlds. This...you only really control this one world. You are no dynasty."
The Humagg moved quickly. His laser hit Logan in the head. She fell to the floor. Her head hit the ground. The guard was bout to strike farther. Kesh raised a hand to stop him.
"I do not think the Terran will speak again," Kesh said.
Randy watched Logan lift her face from the ground. A grin crossed her face.
"You'll be surprised," Logan said. "I say...Quinn Mallory and his friends crippled you greatly."
"You never learn, human," Kryoptus said as he stepped forward.
"Oh, she will," Kesh said as a door slid open behind her. "Bring them."
The laser in Randy's back poked him again. He moved forward to it. He walked through the door.
Humans. They were everywhere. They manned monitors. They stood ready at tables. Randy looked around the room. There were boxes scattered across the room. Tubes connected to them. The humans stared at various readings on the councils.
"Interesting, is it not?" Kesh commented. "They are the next level...cyberaids. Our last attempt...was a failure. This time...we will have the means to go anywhere and strike...leaving our base hidden from other eyes."
"How are the humans controlled?" Randy found himself asking.
"Kresh's work," Kesh said with pride. "They do our will without question."
"We do not have all of them though," Kryoptus protested. "The rebels are-"
"-my concern, Kryoptus," Kesh said. "I know their whereabouts. Trust that they are being dealt with."
"You should have let me take a troop to crush them," Kryoptus said.
"I prefer the subtle approach," Kesh said. "They will not know what hit them."
"Famous last words," Logan spit out from behind Randy.
"You start to annoy me, St. Clair," Kesh said coldly.
"Maybe I can give you something to see me in a nicer light," Logan said.
Kryoptus looked at Logan. "A trick!"
Randy turned around. Logan's eyes were on him now. She grinned slyly and looked at Kesh.
"What if I told you he has the coordinates to Quinn Mallory's homeworld?" Logan asked.
"What?" Kesh said in disbelief.
"Don't listen to her," Randy said. "She's lying."
"Am I?" Logan challenged. "I designed your timer. I know how it works." She looked at Kesh again. "Your shielding is still up, right? How do you think Randy got in?"
Randy looked over at Kesh. Her eyes betrayed the fact that Logan's words sunk in. He looked at Kryoptus. He stared at Randy with fury.
"I can crack the code on his timer," Logan said. "All you have to do is set me free."
"No!" Kryoptus said. "We cannot lost focus."
"Focus?" Kesh said. "What better revenge than to return to power by destroying Mallory's homeworld." Her eyes narrowed on Randy. "Especially since he is responsible for our downfall."
"She is lying," Randy protested.
"Guards," Kesh said as she pointed at Randy, "we have a new cyberaid."
Richard sat next to Melissa in the bushes. She was silent on the way over to the base. She looked lost in thought.
"Nervous?" Richard asked.
"Huh?" Melissa looked over at him in confusion.
"I asked if you were nervous," Richard said.
"I'm fine," Melissa replied.
"You know what? I'm nervous."
Melissa glared at him. "Okay. What is it?"
"What's what?"
"What do you want, Richard?"
Richard just shook his head. "I just wanted to say...you're not the only one nervous."
"Okay," Melissa said. She turned to look over the bushes at the base.
"Are you going to forgive me?" Richard asked. "For keeping my past a secret, I mean."
Melissa's back tensed up. "It isn't my opinion you should worry about."
"I know I have my work cut out for me," Richard said as he looked over the bushes. "I just think someone should watch Eve, too."
"I am," Melissa said simply.
"You are what?"
Richard sat back down. Colin and Eve crawled toward them. Eve glared at Richard.
"I'm doing lookout," Melissa said to the two of them.
"Anything?" Colin asked.
"Not yet," Melissa said.
"Think about what I said," Richard said.
Melissa looked at Richard. Her glance told him that his words had sunk in. He smiled.
A loud boom caught his eye. He looked down at the base. The side of it had a cloud of smoke covering it.
"Let's go!" Mallory yelled.
Mallory jumped over the bushes. He charged forward like a general. His troops ran behind him.
Richard jumped up and followed. He had to find the timer. Maybe everyone would forgive him then.
The ground shook beneath Randy. He lost his footing and fell to the ground. He looked down at the lower level.
The wall at the lower level had given way on the other side of the room. Blocks of wall fell everywhere. Some knocked over the boxes. The boxes hit the floor with crashes and shattered. The bodies within them laid on the ground motionless.
"No!" Kesh yelled.
Randy felt footsteps. He looked behind him. Logan ran down the corridor.
"Stop her!" Kryoptus barked.
Gunfire cut Kryoptus's words off. Randy looked down at the lower level again. Human shot through the hole in the wall. One of them caught Randy's eye. If he remembered right, her name was Maggie Beckett. She fired on the boxes with wicked glee.
"Stop the rebels!" Kesh ordered her guards.
"But St. Clair-" Kryoptus started.
"She can wait!" Kesh barked. "Those cyberaids are our future...our legacy! They must be preserved...at all cost!"
Randy looked over the railing. He saw poles holding them up. He looked back at Kesh and Kryoptus. They just argued.
Randy grabbed on to the nearest pole. He jumped off the railing. He saw shock cross Kesh's face. He smiled as their faces vanished.
Mallory's fist connected to the Humagg's face. He fell to the ground unconscious. He lifted a card out of his pocket and slid it through a slip in the door. It shot open.
"We're in," Mallory announced. "Colin."
"Yeah," Colin said. "I might be a little rusty, but...I believe I...know the way."
Melissa watched Mallory and Colin enter the base. A few soldiers followed. She walked behind them. She looked behind to see Eve and Richard. They brought up the rear.
"Be careful," Melissa said.
Richard looked at her. He just nodded.
If they made it through this, Melissa made a promise to treat Richard a little better.
"Guards ahead," Mallory whispered from the corner. "Any ideas?"
"One springs to mind," Eve said.
Before anyone could stop her, Eve turned the corner.
"What in the world!" Richard yelled.
"Sh!" Mallory hissed. "Back back."
"Excuse me!" Eve said loudly. "I seem to have lost my way! Where's the nearest mall?"
"Halt!" one of the Humaggs yelled.
"I think not," Eve said.
Melissa heard footsteps. Eve came back around the corner. She leaned against the wall and smiled.
"Here they come," Eve said.
The two Humaggs rounded the corner. Mallory and his soldiers opened fire. The Humaggs fell to the ground dead.
"The room they are guarding has what we're looking for," Colin said as he walked past Mallory.
"Then we can get out of here," Eve said. "Great."
"Are you crazy?" Melissa asked. "What if you had been shot?"
Eve smirked. "Nice to know you care."
"Hey!" Mallory said. "It worked."
Mallory headed after Colin. His soldiers were right behind him.
"I knew they would shoot them anyway," Eve said. She walked away.
"Sometimes..." Melissa started.
"I know," Richard said. "Let it go...for now."
Melissa followed the others. Colin slid a card through a hole. The door flew open. The soldiers were through the door in a flash. Laserfire shot through the door. Screams filled the air. Melissa ran to the door and gasped.
The soldiers' bodies were cut up on the floor. Brown stood over them with a laser. A Humagg stood beside him. Colin stood on the opposite side.
"I see my dear Colin has led you to my lab," the Humagg said. "Meet my new project...Darnell Brown. Brown...kill them."
"Ah!"
Melissa turned around. Richard held his arm in pain. Eve aimed his rifle at Mallory.
"Anytime you're ready, Darnell," Eve said.
Randy ran down the lower corridor. Surprisely, Humaggs ran past him. They headed for the fight.
Randy turned a corner. It was empty except for doors. He wondered which way led to the timer.
GO STRAIGHT.
Randy smiled. Chad was there with him. At least he was not fade. He ran down the corridor.
THE DOOR ON YOUR LEFT.
Randy stood in front of a door now. It slid open quickly. He stepped in before anyone saw him. His eyes widened at the sight before him.
Chad Owens was in a huge glass cylinder. He floated in the air. Humaggs laid on the floor. Their weird blood covered the floor.
"What happened?" Randy asked.
"I happened."
Randy knew the voice.
"Turn around."
Randy did as he was told. Logan stood near the door. She aimed a laser at him.
"You are so easy to read," Logan said. "You do not think I didn't see you two having a telepathy conversation like our jailers do. Wrong!"
Logan reached into her pocket. Randy made out his timer.
"Beautiful design, isn't it?" Logan said. "I was so willing to have you sue it to find your friends. I took the liberty of destroying your device to short out my tracker and cracking Sarah's little code." She tossed the timer to Randy "My legacy to you. To slide randomly knowing you had your home coordinates...and lost them again."
"You-" Randy said.
Logan gestured with her laser. "Don't forget who has a laser, Heim. Maybe next time, you won't underestimate what a Mallory can do."
"You are sick," Randy said. "The Quinn Mallory I knew through his journals...the one I see in most worlds...you pale in comparison."
"Mallory was a wimp," Logan said. "I'm Version 2.0. Bigger. Better. Deadlier."
"That's what you think, human."
Randy looked toward the door. Kryoptus stood in the door. His laser focused on Logan.
"This is your only warning," Kryoptus hissed. "Drop the laser."
Logan laughed. "Or what? Your leader needs us."
Kryoptus smiled. "I don't." He stared at Randy with hatred. "I don't need either of you."
"What do you think you're doing?" Melissa demanded.
"Siding with winners," Eve said. She looked at the Humagg. "Assuming that's okay...Mr..."
"Kresh," the Humagg said.
"Colin..snap out of it!" Mallory barked at him.
"Darnell," Kresh said.
Darnell opened fire. Mallory fell to the ground holding his arm.
"Mallory!" Melissa yelled.
"Don't move," Eve warned.
"See how well he responds to commands," Kresh said. "Colin is the same way." He looked at Colin sadly. "He never forefilled his original mission, but he was useful enough."
"Original mission?" Richard managed.
"Colin was a plant," Kresh said. "An altered clone of Quinn Mallory. His mission was to get Quinn Mallory to find the homeworld and then...kill Quinn Mallory once they made it."
"No," Mallory gasped.
"Yes," Kresh said smiling. He rubbed Colin's cheek. "He is quite unique. One of my best experiment. However...experiments end. Darnell."
Brown shot out quickly. Melissa did not know where the knife came from. Brown stabbed it into Colin's gut. Colin screamed.
"Oh my God," Melissa gasped.
Colin held on to Brown for a moment. Then he fell to the ground. Melissa looked at Richard. His jaw was open.
"Yes, he is a fascinating machine," Kresh said. He looked at Melissa. "You have nice eyes, dear. Darnell...take her eyes."
The knife tensed in Brown's hand. Melissa backed away as Brown moved forward. A movement from the corner of Melissa's eye caused her to look to her right. Richard jumped in her way.
"Can't let you do that, Brown," Richard said.
"As if you have a choice," Eve said, "or even care."
"Hey!" Richard snapped. "We dated for six months. Don't question my ability to care. Do you really care?"
"Richard-" Melissa cautioned.
Brown shot out at Richard. Richard moved to the side. Brown's knife got Richard in the shoulder.
"Ah!" Richard hissed.
A loud boom caught Melissa's ears. She turned to her left. The wall gave way down the hall as fire shot out.
Gunfire filled the air. Melissa turned to see Eve take out Brown.
"No!" Melissa yelled.
"Gotcha," Eve said. She aimed at Kresh. "Guess who's next?"
Kresh snarled. "No."
The doors to his lab slid close. Eve fired on it. Melissa paid very little attention to it. She kneeled over Brown. Blood covered his shirt.
"Mallory!"
Melissa touched Brown's shirt. Her hand came back with red on it.
A hand grabbed Melissa's shoulder. She jerked around. Maggie glared at her.
"What happened?" Maggie demanded.
"I..." Melissa started. She stopped. She could not find the words.
"Brown got brainwashed," Eve remarked. "He went crazy on us. I put him down."
"Murderer!" Melissa yelled. She lunged at Eve. She held Eve to the wall with her rifle. "I'll kill you!"
"That's enough!" Maggie yelled as she grabbed Melissa's arm. "He's still alive...barely."
Melissa looked at Maggie. "He is?"
"Yeah," Richard said, coming into view. "How about the rest of us get to an infirmary?"
"Toots, get Mallory!" Maggie barked to one of her soldiers. She looked at Melissa. "Where's Colin?"
"Maybe General Kesh wants you alive for her research," Kryoptus said. "I want you dead." He smiled. "That is the true legacy of the Kromaggs...a mission to rid the universes of your kind."
"Aren't you nice?" Logan said sarcastically.
KYRA.
"Kyra?" Randy muttered the word Chad gave him.
Kryoptus's smile left his face. He aimed his laser at Randy. "How do you know that name?"
"I don't-" Randy started.
YOU LOVED HER, Chad said in Randy's mind.
"You loved her," Randy said.
AND YOU KILLED HER BECAUSE SHE EMBRACED HER HUMAN SIDE.
He did what?" Randy asked. He stared at Kryoptus. His eyes widened. "You loved Kyra, but you killed her. She loved her human side. You...were ashamed of yours."
"No!" Kryoptus yelled. "You were not there! How-" His eyes narrowed. "You! I saved your life and you betray me." He aimed at Chad.
"No!" Randy yelled.
Kryoptus opened fire on the cylinder. Randy fell to the floor. The sound of shattering glass fill the room as Kryoptus fired at the cylinder. Randy shut his eyes. In his mind, he heard Chad scream.
Randy opened his eyes. Kryoptus had fallen to his knees. A hand wiped at his eyes. Logan ran for the door.
GO.
Randy looked at the cylinder. Chad laid on the platform. He bled all over. Randy held him up.
"Come on," Randy said. "I have to get you help."
Chad stared at Randy.
NO.
"I'm not going to leave you to die," Randy said. "This is your fault. I have to fix it."
NEEDS NO FIXING. NOT...YOUR FAULT.
Chad touched Randy's cheek.
YOU WERE KIND TO ME. I WILL BE GRATEFUL FOREVER.
Chad's eyes narrowed.
THIS IS MY CHOICE.
Randy gasped. It felt like hands had grabbed him. Randy flew through the air. He landed against the wall outside of the room. The last thing he saw was Kryoptus staring at him in surprise. The door slid shut.
"Chad!" Randy yelled.
I'VE MADE A LOT OF BAD CHOICES, Chad said. LET ME MAKE A GOOD ONE.
Randy heard a low hum. He ran back the way he came. He turned the corner and ran into Eve.
"Randall!" Eve exclaimed. "What-"
"Run!" Randy barked.
A loud boom cut through the air. Randy ran through the room of shattered boxes. He ignored the corpses on the ground. He made it through the hole with Eve. He looked back to see first shoot into the room.
"The others-" Randy started.
"Already out," Eve cut him off. "We had a lot of injuries."
Randy watched the fire consume the lab. As he watched it, Randy thought about the Kromagg legacy. It went up in smoke. Hopefully their plans went as well.
"How much longer?"
Randy turned to look at Diana Davis. "A day."
"That's good," Diana said. "That should be enough time to get Brown moving again." She sat on the ledge with Randy. "I do not know how long it will take him to overcome the Magg brainwashing."
"He was already unstable enough," Randy said. "Now...how is your group?"
"Dealing with the idea of a bitter victory," Diana said. "The cloaking shield is gone. I could find a safer world with my PDL. I think we are going to stay here though. Colin's death should not be in vain."
"Even though he was a mole?" Randy asked.
Diana looked at Randy. "Maggie knew him for a year, Heim. She just can't erase that overnight."
"What about you and Mallory?"
"He...is all confused...a side effect of unmerging that I can't solve," Diana said. "As for me...I just don't know how to feel. I know I'm glad the Maggs are down. Now we got to keep them down."
Randy smiled. "I hope you do."
"Melissa told me you were searching for Quinn," Diana said. "Still planning to do that?"
"Yeah," Randy answered. "Thanks to Logan, he might be the only one who can help me." He frowned. "Any sign of her?"
"My computer picked up a vortex thirty minutes ago."
Randy looked up at the sky. The stars shined brightly. "So she's out there still...with the ability to pop up anytime."
"They just slid out, General," the Humagg replied.
Kesh looked at Kresh. "Beautiful work, Kresh."
"Of course, General," Kresh said with a bow. "Do you want the preliminary cyberaids brought up?"
"Yes," Kesh answered. "I am sorry that Owen got out of hand. This project will bring the Dynasty back up to our former glory." A grin crossed her face. "If not...then Darnell Brown will do that just fine."
THE-END
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