"Go, you idiot!" Robert Bufford yelled.
"How dare you call me an idiot, you slimy little-"
"Professor!" Rembrandt Brown cut off Professor Maximillion Arturo.
"Duck!" Ben Loveland yelled.
Bufford saw Ben push Rembrandt to the floor. A second later, an ax hit the wall. It was stuck when Rembrandt's head was a few moments earlier.
Bufford pointed to the open vortex. Arturo frowned.
"Fine, Mr. Bufford," Arturo said. Then he jumped into the vortex.
Ben pulled Rembrandt up. Bufford pointed. Ben jumped into the vortex next. Rembrandt was right behind him.
Bufford grinned. "Good."
He looked at his watch. He pushed a button on the side. The digital glow of the time was replaced by a white face.
"Mr. Stone," Bufford said, "it's-"
Bufford ducked. The ax missed him by a second. He glared at Mr. Stone.
"It's done," Bufford announced.
"Then I suggest you jump in, Mr. Bufford," Mr. Stone said. A small smile spreaded on his face. "Before you lose your head."
The vortex opened. Randy Heim stepped out of it and into a warm May night. He stared about. People passed him on the sidewalk without a glance.
Melissa Clark walked out of the vortex. She held Wade Welles by the hand. Randy looked at the two of them. The last world and the hope of going home had made them like kindred spirits.
Professor Darnell Brown walked out of the vortex. He rubbed his clothes down.
"Much smoother than Mr. Heim's timer," Brown said to the three. "I feel quite slimy however."
Richard Hall exited the vortex last. It closed behind him. A girl walked past him.
"Very primitive, people," she said with a glare. "Get a newer model."
She walked away without another word.
"Bite me!" Richard yelled.
"Mr. Hall-" Brown started.
"Don't 'Mr. Hall' me!" Richard shrieked. "I'm not one of your students!"
"Guys!" Randy yelled. "How about we take this argument somewhere else?"
"Yes," Brown agreed. "I could use some food."
"Are you okay?" Melissa asked Wade.
"Yes," Wade answered. "I am just hungry." She held up the timer and gave it to Melissa. "We have two days."
"Are you sure Quinn is here?" Randy asked as he followed the two girls down the sidewalk.
"Yes," Wade said. "I can feel him."
Randy looked over at Melissa. She smiled at him. He was happy to bring her hope.
Melissa entered the Regis Cafe. As she walked through the door. It shined as bright as the sun. Melissa covered her face.
"What is that about?" Richard asked.
"Perhaps it is a security measure," Brown suggested.
"I was asking Egghead," Richard snapped.
"Okay...I know it's bad when you're talking to me," Randy said turning to face them. "I know you two have problems, but-"
A scream cut Randy off. He turned toward the door of Regis. The host stared wide-eyed at Wade. Several people in blue suits surrounded her now.
Randy ran through the door. He covered his face from the bright light. He made it to Wade and glared at the blue suits.
"What's going on?" Randy demanded.
One of the blue suits, a black man with an overbite, snarled. "This is unregistered technology. You have to be detained."
Randy looked at Wade. She stared at him in fear.
"Or you will be destroyed," the man continued.
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 18: RECKONINGS (S2 finale)
"So is this guy ever going to get here?" Richard asked from his seat at the table.
"Silence!" the black officers barked at Richard.
Randy watched Richard roll his eyes. He felt the same way. They had been detained at Regis for an hour now. There had been no sign of the man in charge.
Randy looked over at Melissa. She looked out of the window now. Cars shot by, but her face did not seem to notice. she looked lost. She looked without hope.
"I still do not understand why we are being detained, sir," Brown said as he sat next to Randy. "We have done nothing."
The officer's eyes narrowed on Brown. "Bull!" He pointed at Wade who sat next to Brown. "Explain that then."
Brown stared at Wade. He looked her up and down. Then he looked back at the officer.
"She looks like a fine woman to me," Brown commented.
"She may look like a woman," the officer said, "but she's a machine. The X-ray at the door proved that."
"Maybe your machine is screwed up," Richard suggested.
Randy looked down at Wade. She wiped at her cheek. Randy knew from the redness of her eyes that she had been crying.
"I agree with Mr. Hall," Brown said. "Maybe your machine is faulty."
The officer pulled out a knife. "There's one way to find out."
Brown shot up in front of Wade. "What do you think you are doing?"
The officer glared at Brown. "Are you stupid? Machines do not bleed."
"You are not cutting Miss Welles."
"Watch me."
The officer approached the table. Brown's eyes narrowed on him. Randy shot up quickly. The last thing he needed was a psycho Brown.
"Officer, wait," Randy said. "Maybe we can-"
The officer grabbed Randy and threw him into the wall. Randy fell to the floor. His ribs felt like a truck had hit them. He looked up to see the officer advance on Brown and Wade.
"Smith, what have you done now?"
Randy stared over at the door. The pain in his chest was gone. Instead his head throbbed at the sight of the new figure. He looked over at the table. Brown, Melissa, and Richard all glared.
Smith put away his knife. He saluted the new figure.
"Just proving a point, sir," Smith said.
"Doesn't matter," the figure said. "Where's the tech?"
Smith pointed at Wade. Daniel Peckin's eyes widened.
"Well...heeelllo, nurse!" Daniel Peckin said. "Are those real?"
Peckin rubbed his cheek as he leaned back in his seat. "God, Miss Welles! I just wanted to see if they were real."
Wade's eyes narrowed on Peckin. "If you touch my breasts again, I'm not going to be slapping you. Understand?"
"Crystal," Peckin said.
"Now, Wade..." Melissa started.
"You're one to pick on her," Richard said. "I recall you-"
"Shut up, Richard," Melissa said.
Randy looked over at Brown. Brown shrugged his shoulders.
"Mr. Peckin," Brown said next to him. "Perhaps you should explain why we are in a very well-done limousine?"
"Or perhaps you could give us the heads up?" Richard suggested.
Peckin looked over at Wade. "Your...foxy friend is one of a kind. I am sure you have noticed that on the surface the world looks like some city from the nineties. Below the surface though..."
Peckin pushed a button on his watch. The floor opened up between the set of seats Randy and the others sat on. A sphere rose up. Light shot out from it. Randy covered his eyes for a second. When he looked again, randy saw the lights were really small television screens that floated from the sphere. Various shows played around it.
"We are a world of technology," Peckin said. "We use it. We sell it. We get rich off of it."
"Sell it?" Melissa said. "You're not selling our friend."
Peckin laughed. "Of course not. My boss wants to keep her safe."
"Safe?" Randy asked. "From what?"
"I do not think you understand, Mr. Heim," Brown said. "This world is all about the exploitation of machines. If miss Welles is the only one of her kind...she is worth something to the greedy little vultures. Especially with her abilities."
Peckin corked an eyebrow. "Abilities? What abilities?"
"Why...her ability to charm, of course," Melissa said quickly.
"Yeah...such a charmer," Richard mumbled.
Melissa glared at him.
"So who is your boss anyway?" Randy asked.
"Eric Price," Peckin said.
"Stop the car," Richard said coldly.
"Richard-" Randy started.
"Stop the car!" Richard barked.
"No one is going anywhere," Peckin said.
Richard smiled lopsidedly. "Oh, really? What's going to stop us?"
"The car that is following us," Peckin said.
Randy looked over Peckin's shoulder. A green van was behind them. It stayed very close to their tail.
"Obviously, government model," Peckin said. "They never could accept what the Price Corporation has done for America in the last six months."
Peckin stared at his watch. "Joel, it's time for Move 5641."
"Got it," the watch replied.
"Move 5641?" Brown said in confusion.
"Yeah," Peckin said. "Everyone, hold on to something. This could get-"
The limo suddenly stopped. Then the green van rammed into the back. Brown almost fell out of his seat. Wade fell on Peckin. He smiled.
"I knew you liked me," Peckin said.
"Why, you-" Wade started.
"Hold on," Peckin warned.
The limo shot forward. Randy managed to look ahead. A red vortex had formed in front of them. The limo sped toward it. It drove right into it.
Rembrandt put the journal down. He had been at it for three hours ow. He had never seen a world like this. A world where sliders kept journals of their travels. The people had been very welcoming.
"How goes it?" Ben Loveland said from his set of books in his corner.
Rembrandt stared over at Ben. "I see that my group made it off that Slider TV show world. It looks like Diana found a way to separated Q-ball and Mallory."
"That's good, right?" Ben said.
"They made it to a peaceful world looks like," Rembrandt said. "Q-ball slid out for...penance. Man! He had ot know we didn't blame him."
"I'm sorry," Ben said sadly.
"We have to find him," Rembrandt said.
"Then our best bet is to follow Randy," Ben said. "According to this, they were on their way to find him. We should be able to do it."
"I hope so, Goof," Rembrandt said as he stood up. "I owe it to Nicole to get everyone home."
"Hey!" Ben yelled. "You're not alone on that guilt trip."
Rembrandt made it to the door People were scattered about the room. that was how they were on that warzone world. They were separated from Nicole for a second. Then she was gone. They did not know where she was now.
A hand on his shoulder brought Rembrandt back to the land of the living. Ben managed a smile.
"Look," Ben said. "I know we butted heads over a couple of things. You've done a great job keeping us alive. Don't belittle it now. We still have other friends to find."
Rembrandt looked back at his stack of books. "And we have a way to find them."
"How's Wade?"
Randy let his eyes adjusted to the darkened room before he answered the question. Melissa was a silhouette in the window.
"She's fine," Randy said. "Why are you in the dark?"
"I was just admiring the sky while I thought," Melissa said.
"Thought about what?"
The silhouette turned. Melissa looked like a stick figure. Randy saw her eyes and saw the hope in them.
"The fact that the buildings here are so beautiful. There are no diseases here. They're so advanced that cancer has been cured. Light."
The room exploded in light. Randy blinked his eyes to adjust. When they did, Randy saw that Melissa had sat down.
"See?" Melissa said. "Just a word and the lights turn on. And best of all...tomorrow, we'll be home."
Melissa smiled. Randy sat down on the couch. He grabbed her hands in his own.
"Yeah...home," Randy muttered.
Melissa frowned. "That didn't sound like a happy 'home.'"
"Well...Ben is still out there," Randy said. "You know I'm going back out to find him."
Melissa nod. "I know. I'll come with you."
"No...you won't."
"Randy-"
"It took two years to get to this point, Melissa," Randy said. "You're going home. You can continue your life."
"My life isn't anything if you're not in it," Melissa responded. "It took me two years to find a good man. Funny me! He was there all along."
Randy felt his face warm up. He looked down at his hands. One of Melissa's hands moved away from his. It brushed the hair out of his eyes.
"We don't have to decide anything yet," Melissa said. "Tonight...how about we just enjoy each other's company?"
Randy looked at Melissa. Her eyes said what she had not. If this was the last time the two fo them would be together for a while, she wanted to show him how much she loved him.
Randy cupped her face in his hands. He knew she read the same thing in his eyes. He leaned in and kissed her. She laid back. He followed her and the world fell away.
Wade's head felt like a cat on Brown's shoulder. He lifted it up slowly and laid her on the couch. He turned the sphere off with a button and headed for the kitchen.
Richard was there still. Several beer bottles lined the counter. He stared off into space.
Brown approached slowly. Richard stared at him. He managed a smile.
"So...tomorrow," Richard said. "Howza it feel, Proper?"
"I feel bittersweet," Brown said.
"Crap!"
"Oh..so you are a mind reader, Mr. Hall?"
"My name is Richard," Richard snapped. "I already told you I wasn't your student."
"Really?" Brown challenged. "I think we learned a lot from each other."
"Bull!"
"Most of my social interaction I learned from you," Brown said as he picked up an unopened beer bottle. "Before you, I was only concerned with how I could rise in the physics department. You changed that."
Richard took a sip from his bottle. Brown opened his bottle and took a large sip. Richard smiled.
"Did I teach you that, too?" Richard asked.
"Of course, my friend."
Richard glared at Brown. Brown took another sip.
"Yes...friends," Brown said. "Have you forgotten being trapped on a world for three months? The prostitution world? Me saving your ass from Mr. Stone?"
Richard laughed. "I've never heard you curse."
Brown shrugged his shoulders. "Well...there is a first time for everything, Hall."
Richard corked an eyebrow. "Hall?"
"That is the closest to informal that you are going to get so accept it."
"I'll drink to that!"
"So will I!"
Brown and Richard knocked their bottles together and drank from them. Brown already felt tipsy. He was never used to drinking anyhow.
"So, Proper, tell me," Richard said. "What are your plans when we get home?"
Brown took a sip from his beer. He leaned against the counter. The question was one he was avoiding for a while.
"I think," Brown said, "that I would love to sit and have a conversation with Debra and Rembrandt. I have many mistakes to make up for with them."
"And you have to turn me in," Richard muttered.
Brown looked at Richard. "No...I do not."
Richard stared at Brown. "Yes, you do. I owe it to Laura. I owe it to...Nicole. Most of all...I owe it to myself."
"Hall-"
"Darnell," Richard snapped. "I know that I'd been angry at you for Nicole's death. It's really my own fault. She came looking for me. I wouldn't be here if I had not been blackmailed. I want to correct me my mistake. If you're really my friend...let me do it."
Brown smiled. "Very impressive, Mr. Hall."
Richard managed a smile again. "Well...I had a good teacher."
A sound shot through the room. It was like glass shattering.
"Wade!" Brown yelled.
Brown ran into the living room. Several green suited men grabbed Wade. Wade's eyes shot open. One of the men quickly put a metal collar around her neck.
"To the ska!" the man barked.
Brown looked at the wide shattered window in the back. A vehicle like a mini-helicopter sat on the balcony.
Something shot past Brown's head. It struck one of the green-suited men and shattered on his head. It was one of Richard's beer bottles.
"Anyone else want some?" Richard challenged.
Brown did not wait for a reply. He lunged at the nearest one. He fell over and released Wade's legs. The other man was completely surprised. Wade knocked the back of her head into his face. He released her.
Brown swung his fist at his opponent. He was unconscious in seconds.
"Is everyone okay?" Brown asked.
"Great," Richard said. "Just like old times."
"I...can't get this collar off," Wade said. "Who were they?"
"I do not know, Miss Welles," Brown said, "but we will find out."
"Separatists."
Brown's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"
Peckin took his knife and pushed it into Wade's collar. It clicked. The collar then fell to the floor. Wade breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you," Wade said.
"Does this mean I have a shot with you?" Peckin asked.
Wade glared at him.
"O-kay!" Peckin said turning to Brown on the couch. "Unregistered tech is dangerous tech. Dangerous tech is powerful tech. If your friend can be reproduced...someone stands to gain a lot. The US has been on he verge of breaking apart for some time. The South doesn't feel the North respect them. The North doesn't trust the South. Obviously, there are moles in the Price building, who works with both sides."
Brown glared. "You knew all this and brought us here?"
"Hey!" Peckin yelled. "Price has top security."
Brown stared over at the shattered window. The glass was still on the floor.
"Yeah...real top," Brown said sarcastically.
"Wade!"
Brown looked at the door. Melissa ran over to the couch and hugged Wade. Randy stood sheepily in the door.
"Where have you two been?" Brown asked. "We called your room last night and this morning."
"We were...busy," Randy said. "I'm sorry."
"So what now?" Richard asked from the wall he leaned on.
"I say separate," Brown said. "Hall, Peckin,m and I will work as decoy."
"Decoy? With you two?" Peckin bellowed. "I'd rather be with Miss Clark and Welles."
"God, is that all you think about?" Richard asked.
"And you don't?" Peckin shot back.
"Mr. Heim, you can take Miss Welles and find Mr. Mallory," Brown continued. He stood up. "Be careful."
"I still wish I had went with the chicks," Peckin complained.
Brown stared at Peckin from his limo seat. "Complaint noted. Now how about-"
Light shined through the window. The limo screeched to a halt. Brown turned to look outside.
A blue vortex had opened on the street. It was the shape of one of their own. A figure fell out of it. It was followed by several others. Brown barely noticed. He was still focused on the first. It could not be, but it was. It was Rembrandt Brown.
"What in the world," Brown managed.
"Hey! That's Bufford!" Richard yelled. "And that guy Melissa was on that date with the day before this stared! Proper, you don't think-"
Brown watched the vortex close behind them. The sliders Eve was a part of had mentioned a group from Earth Prime searched for them. Could this be them?
"I'm...I am going to find out," Brown said.
"Wait!" Peckin yelled. "Did you forget decoy?"
Brown looked at Peckin. "I have been waiting for this moment. Do not dissuade me. You will not like the result."
Brown stepped out of the limo. The group was staring at their new world. Brown headed toward the group. His eyes locked with Rembrandt's eyes.
"Professor Brown?"
Brown looked at Bufford. His eyes narrowed on him.
"Mr. Bufford," Brown said icily.
"Sir," Bufford managed, "where's your hair?"
"A lot has changed since you saw me last," Brown said. He looked at Rembrandt again. "I see things in a different light."
"I see that," Rembrandt said as he approached Brown. "Your dad would be proud."
Brown glared for a second. Then he just sighed. "He was never the one who mattered. You were more of a father to me than he was...Uncle. I am deeply sorry I was angry with you when you...reappeared after five years. I know why now."
Rembrandt smiled. "I'm sorry, too, nephew."
Brown grabbed Rembrandt and hugged him. He had been wanting to do that for months. It felt good.
"Misters Brown, I would hate to interrupt the moment," Professor Arturo said, "but we are in the middle of traffic."
"Is Randy and Melissa still alive?" a young man asked Brown.
Brown stared at him. "Yes...uh...Ben. They are. We can-"
The air tore open around them. Green-suited men fell from the sky. They surrounded them quickly.
"Halt!" one of the man barked. He stared at his watch. "Ten and a limo to slidewave in. Hopefully, she will be pleased."
"She?" Brown managed. "Who is-"
Then they all vanished.
"You can't pinpoint his location?" Melissa asked Wade.
"All I can feel is that he's close," Wade answered.
Randy looked up at the elevator numbers as they counted down. They still had no idea where Quinn was on this world. Time was running out.
Randy felt his hand tightened up. He looked down to see that Melissa had grabbed his hand. She tightened it for support. He looked up at her to see her smiling at him.
"We're close," Melissa said. "We're going to find him."
"I know," Randy said. "We've come too far to not find him."
"We're come very far," Melissa said. "From friends to-"
"Oh my God!" Wade exclaimed. Her hands shot to her head. She screamed.
"Wade, what's wrong?" Randy asked.
Wade stared at Randy. Her eyes were full of shock.
"It's Quinn," Wade said.
"Is he in trouble?" Melissa asked.
The elevator came to a stop. Randy barely registered it. He was still focused on Wade.
"Is he okay, Wade?" Randy asked.
"He's here," Wade said. "He's in the-"
"Well, isn't this nice."
Randy stared at the elevator door. Several green-suited men aimed some kind of gun at them. In front of them stood Logan St. Clair.
"Logan St. Clair?" Wade muttered.
"Logan!" Randy hissed.
"Well, Wade...this is a surprise...oh, wait! I knew when you showed up," Logan mocked. She turned to her men. "Gun them."
Before Randy could react, lightning shot from the guns. Everything went to black.
Richard's eyes opened over fluoscent lighting. He sat up quickly. He did not even remember being knocked out by the sliding thingy.
Brown was in a corner talking to Rembrandt and some fat man. He was sitting in a white room. There was no windows in it. There was also a long mirror in a wall across from Richard.
"Look who decided to wake up."
Richard turned behind him. Ben sat up against the wall. Next to him was Bufford.
"So where's Melissa?" Ben continued.
Richard did not register Ben. His eyes narrowed on Bufford. It was no fantasy. He was the real deal. He was the one who set everything in motion. He would not let Richard forget Laura Carmichael and now Nicole was dead.
Nicole...
"You bastard!" Richard yelled as he lunged at Bufford. "It's your fault!"
"No..." Bufford struggled.
"Yes!" Richard exclaimed. His hands tightened around Bufford's throat. "All you wanted was to beat Egghead out. You didn't care how. Now a girl is dead. My...love is dead! Are you happy now? Are you??"
Hands grabbed Richard's hands. They cut into his own, causing Richard to release his hold. Bufford fell to the floor coughing.
"Hall!" Brown barked. "Calm down."
Richard pulled at the rough hands that held him. Brown tossed him into the mirror. Richard screamed and fell to the floor.
"I do not seem to recall such violence among our past groups," Arturo commented.
Richard looked up. Brown, Rembrandt, and Arturo stood over him. Rembrandt stared over at Arturo.
"You never saw Wade and Maggie," Rembrandt remarked with a smile.
"Uncle, must you reminisce?" Brown asked.
"Why did he even attack you?" ben asked. "What's the story?"
"The story, All-American," Richard said as he stood up, "is that that nerd blackmailed me into stealing Egghead's...Randy's machine. It didn't go as planned obviously. Now Nicole is dead!"
"What?" Ben muttered.
"So...she ended up with you guys?" Rembrandt asked.
"Yeah," Brown answered. "I am very sorry, but she was caught up in a vendetta against Mr. Hall."
"Yeah," Richard said. "I'll see you-"
"We do not have time," Brown said. "We have to escape and warn Miss Welles."
"I still can't believe she's alive," Rembrandt said.
"I can't believe she died," Arturo said.
"Well, fine!" Richard exclaimed. "How are we getting out of here? Shoot a hole in the mirror?"
A loud bang sounded through the room. Suddenly the mirror cracked. Another bang sounded off. The mirror shattered before Richard. He covered his face as glass flew everywhere.
Richard opened his eyes. A figure crawled through the mirror. All she had was a rifle. She wore a red suit that matched her red hair.
"Who in the world-" Ben started.
"I'll be damned," Rembrandt muttered.
"You know this woman, Mr. Brown?" Arturo asked.
The redhead stared at Rembrandt. "Never met him. FBI Agent Maggie Beckett. You have unregistered technology. Uncle Sam wants it."
"Well, he can't have it," Richard said.
Maggie shrugged her shoulders. "Fine. I'll let the Separatists have you. You won't last five minutes."
"We can take you to it," Rembrandt said. "Just get us out of here."
A noise caught Richard's ear. Maggie turned back to the broken mirror. She stared into her glove.
"Six to slide out, Joe," Maggie said.
"Gotcha," a voice from her glove said.
Before Richard could say anything, everything went white. Then it went black.
It started with humming. A low sound that filled Randy's head. It grew in volume gradually. Randy opened his eyes.
He was tied to someone. They were tied to some kind of lightning rod. Randy looked over across from him.
Wade was tied to a chair. She was still unconscious next to some mechanical box that sat on a table.
Randy looked around. There were weather vanes attached to the floor. Clouds floated by above him. Randy could think of one thing...roof.
Something jumped out from Randy's right. He screamed. Logan kneeled in front of him. A smile was on her face.
"Boo!" Logan said. Then she laughed.
"Where are your guards?" Randy demanded.
"They...are doing an errand," Logan said. "That gives me enough time to finish our business."
"What business?" Randy asked. "Last I saw you, you screwed with the timer and put another tracker on me."
"Put trackers on you."
"What?"
"Yes," Logan said as she stood up. "I put in more than one. I knew you would search until you found one. Bet you never found the other. I was always smarter than you."
"That's a matter of opinion," Randy said.
Logan glared. "Really? On your world who invented sliding first? My double. Accept it, Randy. You'll always be second best."
Randy said nothing. She did have a point. Quinn had invented sliding first and the ideas that went with it.
"It doesn't make me any less smart," Randy shot out.
Logan smirked. "Yeah, right." She stared at Wade. "Well, if anything came from your little search, it's that Little Miss Wade is alive and well." She pulled out a gun. "Just in time to die again."
"No!" Randy yelled. "I need-"
He stopped. Logan looked back at him. Her eyes narrowed on him.
"You what?" Loan demanded. "What do you need Wade for?" Her eyes lit up. "He's here, isn't he? This is the world Quinn is on?"
"Maybe he is," Randy said with a smirk, "or he's not."
Logan aimed her gun. "Oh, you're going to tell me what you know."
"Not so dumb now, am I?" Randy challenged. "You can just shoot me."
"Why would I shoot you?" Logan asked. She headed past him. "I can shoot Melissa here. Wake up!"
Randy heard a sound that sounded like a slap.
"What-" Melissa's voice said.
"You have three seconds, Randy," Logan said icily. "One..."
"No!" Randy yelled. He struggled with his binds. The guards had tied them too well. He was helpless.
"...two..."
"Randy!" Melissa yelled.
"Melissa-" Randy yelled.
"...three."
Something like a shrapnel cut through the air. A blue vortex opened next to Wade. A figure emerged through it.
He glared past Randy. His long brown hair barely covered his face. The beard was surprising...but it was still Quinn Mallory.
"Leave her alone, Logan," Quinn said.
Logan came back into Randy's view. "Well...I had an instinct you might be here. I just needed him to prove it and Wade to draw you out."
"Let them go," Quinn said. "It's me you want."
Logan aimed her gun. "Got that right. Move."
"How did you find us so fast anyway?" Brown asked Maggie as the limo sped down the highway.
"Someone called Quinn Mallory called us," Maggie explained. "He told us what the South was about to pull. Obviously, the President wasn't too happy with it so we came in to acquire the technology before the South did."
"I guess it is understandable," Arturo said. "Miss Welles being the way she is now...it would make her very valuable."
"Especially how this world tends to work," Brown agreed.
"What I want to know is will Wade be okay?" Rembrandt asked.
"I don't know," Maggie answered. "We have to find her first."
"Hey! Does the sky usually go red like that?" Ben asked.
Brown stared at the sky. It grew red over some tall building.
"Where is that?" Brown asked.
"That would be the Price building," Maggie answered.
"Definitely looks different from a distance," Richard said.
"Looks like a Geiger device," Maggie said. she looked at her glove. "Joe, is that what I think it is?"
"Yeah," Joe answered. "I thought they were all destroyed."
"Geiger?" Rembrandt said. "As in Oberon-"
"Yes, Uncle," Brown answered. "A lot of use has been gotten out of his knowledge of merge universes. We almost lost Randy to this technology."
"What?" Ben asked. "Why are you just now telling us-"
"Hey, Cornball!" Richard cut Ben off. "We don't have time for your whining. We need to get to that building."
"Beckett, is there a way to slide us to the building?" Brown asked.
"No...unfortunately," Maggie said. "The Geiger device will interfere with our tech. Maybe even slide us offworld."
"We have to do something," Arturo said. "People's lives are in danger."
"The best I can do is drive faster," Maggie said, "and hope for a miracle."
Brown looked out the window as the sky grew redder over the Price building. Lightning shot from nowhere. Brown hoped that Randy and Melissa had kept Wade safe.
Logan watched the device light up. Lightning shot form it, running through the sky like a bird in flight. The sky grew red like blood. For a second, a hole opened up above the Geiger device. Logan saw darkness in the hole. Then the hole vanished.
"How do you like it?" Logan asked Quinn.
"I think it's a dangerous use of technology," Randy said.
Logan glared. "I wasn't talking to you."
"I agree with him," Quinn said. "I barely remember Geiger, but I think you've just as crazy as he is."
"If I'm crazy, it's because of you," Logan said. "All you had to go was give me the coordinates to get me back home. Instead, I slid randomly with no way home. It's your fault!"
"I'm not going to help you raid worlds," Quinn said.
"And now everyone pays," Logan smirked. "The device will collapse this world, merging it to anther. Neutral sliding signatures such as yours and Dumbboy here will be...unstuck from the collusion."
"But you're neutral, too," Randy said. "You're killing yourself."
Logan tilted her head and laughed. "You really aren't very smart. My timer is set to get me out quickly before that can happen. So, Quinn Mallory, I hope you are happy because your stubborness...will be the death of all your friends."
The Geiger device beeped. A crack appeared across the sky. It vanished in seconds. Logan smiled.
"I believe that's my cue to go," Logan announced. She moved away from the device.
"No, you don't," Quinn said as he stepped forward.
Logan aimed the gun at him. "Don't forget who has the gun, Mallory."
"I came to this world to pay for losing everyone," Quinn said, ignoring the gun as he slowly made it toward Wade. "The Professor. Rembrandt. Wade. Maggie. I was suppose to get them home. It was my job. Instead, I got them killed. All of them. So this world was my penance. A world of technology. A world that completely mastered sliding. A world where I could have slid home thirty minutes after I arrived. I didn't. I didn't deserve home anymore."
Quinn stood in front of Wade now. The sky cracked again. Randy flinched. Quinn was oblivious. He touched Wade's cheek.
"Now the woman I love is in front of me again resurrected," Quinn continued. "That gives me hope." He stared at Logan with a firm glare. "I won't let you take that away from me."
Suddenly, Quinn vanished. Logan's smile turned to a gasp. She ran to the spot where he stood a second. She glared at the air.
"Mallory, come out!" Logan yelled. "I didn't wait years for you to get away! I'll kill Wade if you don't come out!"
Randy looked around. There was no sign of Quinn at all.
"Randy?" Melissa whispered. "I think I got a hand free."
"Hurry," Randy whispered back.
"Fine!" Logan said. She aimed her gun at Wade. "Say good night, W-"
Quinn suddenly appeared behind Logan. His elbow shot out and knocked the gun out of Logan's hand. Logan turned in surprise too late. Quinn had vanished again. He reappeared in front of her. Logan turned back around in time to be hit by Quinn's right hook. She fell to the ground unconscious.
Hands covered Randy's hands. They worked at his binds.
"Wade!" Quinn exclaimed.
"Quinn?" Wade muttered.
"Give me a second," Quinn said. "I have to stop this device and-"
"You punch like a girl."
Randy looked at Logan. She slowly stood up. She smirked at him.
"And by the way, you're not the only one with tricks," Logan said.
Logan pushed a button on a silver bracelet she had on. It shot light at her, encircling her like a spider web. She stared at Quinn.
"It's a device that manipulates the electromagnetic field," Logan explained. "Watch."
Logan held out a hand. Quinn and Wade went flying across the roof. He hit the edge. Wade's chair hit the edge and broke.
Logan reached for her gun. It flew at her and she caught it. She aimed at Quinn.
"I was hoping to have you in one piece," Logan said. "I'll settle for what I can get."
Randy's hands became free. He quickly shot up and lunged at Logan.
Logan waved a hand. Randy flew through the air. He hit a weather vane. He screamed as pain shot through his back.
Quinn vanished. He reappeared again in front of Logan. She quickly held out both of her hands to repel Quinn. He shot through the air. He headed over the edge of the roof.
Randy ran for him. He jumped into the air and knocked Quinn to the ground.
"Thanks," Quinn said.
"No problem," Randy said.
"Got that right," Logan said as she held up a hand. "Because you're both dead."
Randy saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked to see Wade. She glared at Logan.
"No, Logan. You are," Wade said.
Wade waved her hand. Logan flew through the air. She hit the roof's edge.
The Geiger device lit up. Lightning show from it. It touched the sky like a massive hand and grabbed hold. Small circles of black covered the sky.
"Randy, are you okay?" Melissa asked as she ran toward him.
"We have to turn off that machine," Randy said.
A shot rang out. Randy pushed Melissa to the ground. Logan fired again.
"No one's touchs the machine," Logan said.
"Since you want it so much, Logan," Wade said.
The device shot out at Logan, a trail of lightning behind it. Logan held her hand out to repel it.
"No, you don't," Wade said.
Logan's bracelet exploded. Logan only had time to gasp. The device hit her and send her off the edge of the roof.
"No!" Logan screamed.
Melissa hugged Randy. Wade did the same for Quinn. A loud explosion shot through the air. Smoke rose from the street. The red in the sky gave way to blue night.
"Is it over, Randy?" Melissa asked.
"Yes, I think it finally is," Randy answered.
"So you were in this building the whole time?" Rembrandt asked.
"Yeah," Quinn answered. "I made a deal with Eric Price and I had a top room. I still can't believe it! Earth Prime never being overrun. Colin...was a spy. Everyone being alive."
"Yes, Mr. Mallory," Arturo said. "It sounds like the plot from a crazy science fiction show."
"With a happy ending," Wade added as she hugged Rembrandt and Arturo.
"Got that right, Girl," Rembrandt said.
Randy stared at the four original sliders. He smiled. It was good to see that all of his searching for a way home resulted in a reunion between friends.
"They look happy."
Randy turned around. Melissa emerged from the kitchen. He held her.
"Where's Ben?" Randy asked. "I told him, but he still wanted to talk to you alone and-"
"He...needed time alone," Melissa answered. "Us together...it's going to take him time to accept."
Randy touched foreheads with Melissa. "You think he will?"
Melissa looked at him. "Yes." She frowned. "I don't see Bufford around. I thought he would be eager to head home."
Randy frowned. "I haven't seen Richard either."
"So when is this happening?" Bufford barked. "They're all here and I'm ready for my reward."
"Patience, Mr. Bufford," Mr. Stone said. "I-"
"There you are!"
Bufford looked at the restroom door. Richard stood in it. His face was dark.
"What do you want?" Bufford demanded.
"To kick your ass," Richard replied. He slowly approached Bufford. "I've been wanting to do that for a while."
Bufford backed up. His back hit the wall. Before Bufford could react, Richard struck. His fist shot at Bufford. It connected and Bufford fell to the floor. His glasses slid across the room. He crawled across the floor. His hand reached for them. A foot stepped on it and stayed. Bufford screamed.
"Then I thought...nah!" Richard said. "I'll wait until we get home. Tell the police you knew about the hit-and-run all alone. Used it to blackmail me."
"They won't believe you, Thief!" Bufford spit out.
Richard responded by stepping on Bufford's hand harder. Bufford bit down on his lips. He would not give this thief the satisfaction of another scream.
"I have at least three people willing to testify against you," Richard said. "Three people with good backgrounds. One of them...a professor. Who do you think they'll believe?"
Then the foot was gone. Bufford snatched up his glasses quickly. He put them on, but Richard was already at the door. He had a lopsided grin.
"You lose, geek," Richard said. Then he was gone.
"So are we ready?" Wade asked.
"It's been years," Quinn said. "I think it's time to finally go home."
"But why Bennish?" Arturo asked Rembrandt.
"He believe me," Rembrandt said. "Believe it or not, he has brains."
"I find that extremely difficult to believe," Arturo said dryly.
"Can we just go?" Ben demanded. "I am so ready to go?"
"Yeah," Randy agreed. "I'm sure Peckin and Maggie will be back any minute."
"Here we go," Arturo said.
Randy went over the plain in his head. Quinn and his group would slide out first. Randy and the others would follow by a tracker Conrad Bennish, Jr. had constructed when Ben had left Earth Prime.
Rembrandt jumped into the vortex. Arturo, Ben, and Bufford followed. Quinn grabbed Wade by her hands. They smiled at each other and kissed.
"Together," Quinn said.
"Together," Wade said.
They jumped into the vortex. It closed behind them.
Randy aimed his timer. The wall dissolved into a blue vortex. Brown ran for it and vanished. A whir sounded off.
Richard followed. He lunged into it like he could fly. He vanished. The vortex whirred again.
Randy felt a hand grab his hand. He turned to look at Melissa. She smiled at him.
"This is it!" Melissa yelled.
"Yeah, home!" Randy yelled back.
"Together?"
"Together."
They ran for the vortex. They jumped into it.
They fell into mud. Rain surrounded them on all side. Randy stared at Melissa. She looked just as confused as he felt.
"Where are we?" Melissa asked.
"I don't know," Randy said. "It felt like...at the last minute...someone grabbed us."
"And who could that had been, Mr. Heim?"
Randy stared behind him. Brown stood up and wiped the mud off his clothes.
"Where are Quinn and the others?" Melissa asked.
"I don't know," Richard said as he came up behind Melissa. "Maybe that fortress over there holds a clue. Or better yet...the troops heading this way."
Randy stared where Richard looked. A fortress was in the distance. Its searchlights blazed across the area like missiles. Jeeps headed toward the four. Lights shined on them so Randy could not see any faces.
They reached the four of them. A figure stepped out of it. He was followed by another figure. Randy's jaw dropped.
"No!" Randy gasped. "Daniel?"
"It's good to know you haven't forgotten me, Heim," Daniel Carter said. "I haven't forgotten you and how you killed my family."
"Yes," said the other figure, "he is one of many victims whose world you crossed, sliders."
Randy stared at the man. He stepped back from him.
"Mr. Stone," Randy managed.
"No!" Richard yelled.
"Yes, sliders," Mr. Stone said. He managed a smile. "I let you escape before, but now fate dictates that none of you go home. EVER."
The troops from the jeeps aimed their rifles.
"Sweet dreams," Mr. Stone said with a smirk.
THE-END
I dedicate this season to the SLIDERS fans. We always wanted to see the originals get home. And on an alternate world, they made it.
Stuslide
Back to Season 2