Melissa Clark opened her eyes. She felt the sunlight on her skin and smiled. It was like warm water in a shower.
She turned her head. It hurt ot do it which made her wonder how long she been sleep. Then she remembered Daniel Owens.
She turned to raise up, but she found it difficult to move.
How long have I been out? Melissa thought to herself.
"It's not going to help," Dr. Donald Smith told Randy Heim.
Randy Heim gave no reply. He just sat in front of the computer screen and watched numbers pass by. Within the coordinates was the coordinate that would lead to his dimension-lost friends.
"How about you take a break?" Smith suggested. "You could check on Melissa."
Randy glared at Smith. "She hasn't moved in months."
"You have not moved in a week," Smith said. "The numbers will keep. You will find your friends. I know it."
"Sometimes I doubt that," Randy replied.
"You shouldn't," Smith replied. "Heim was never someone to give up. I have total truth in you."
"Say that to Melissa," Randy said flatly.
"How...about...you...say...it?"
Randy recognized the voice. It may have been months, but he could not forget her voice. He turned to look at the doorway and the figure who stood in it.
"Melissa!" Randy said as he stood up.
SLIDERS: ALTERNATE SPIN-SEASON 2
EPISODE 1: SEARCH
(first part)
Melissa Clark sat and drank her coffee. The patio at the coffeehouse looked out over the busy San Francisco morning. She grinned at its business. This was a town that she loved.
"Are you enjoying the view?" a voice asked from behind her.
Melissa turned to look at the woman standing over her.
"What can I say?" Melissa replied. "I'll always be a Fresco girl at heart."
"LA is better," the woman said flatly. "Enough is enough. I got the date. You coming or are you going to just sit by while your enemy slips away? I thought you were focused--"
Melissa glared. "I'm focused enough, Logan! I remember our deal. I won't forget it."
Logan St. Clair tossed her brownish hair back. She gave Melissa a smirk. "It looks like it to me."
"I haven't," Melissa replied. "Let's go. The sooner I get Melissa and her friends, the sooner you can find that Quincy guy--"
"Quinn," Logan said. "His name is Quinn Mallory."
"Whatever," Melissa answered as she followed Logan. She wondered if she should have left Logan back on her home world. She was doing that a lot lately.
Logan walked out of the coffeehouse with a grin on her face. Thanks to the information she uncovered on this world, she would have the technology to find someone she had been hunting down for years. She could hardly wait.
Melissa saw the people running around San Francisco. It had been a while since she's seen people. It did her heart good. The only problem she had was having to be in that wheelchair.
"I hate this hood," Randy mumbled. "I feel like something out of a horror movie."
"I see you...more like...the Fugitive," Melissa replied in slow tones, "...which is exactly...what this will be...if you didn't have the hood."
Melissa felt Randy tense up on her wheelchair handle. She looked up at him.
"So when...are you going...to tell me what happened?" Melissa asked.
"What's there to tell?" Randy replied. "We lost Daniel. You were in a coma for months. I haven't even found the Professor or Richard yet!"
"Shh!" Melissa hissed. "Calm down."
"Sorry," Randy mumbled.
Melissa lifted her hand and put it on Randy. "We're going to find them and make it home. You have to believe that."
"I'm thinking...maybe Richard was right."
Melissa halted the wheelchair. She wheeled it around and faced him. He looked so disappointed.
"What did you say?" Melissa asked. "Richard...right about something?"
"What would have happened if I haven't invented sliding?" Randy explained. "None of us would be in this mess at all."
"Whatever happened...to blaming Richard?"
"Maybe he would never have tried to steal it if I haven't invented it."
"You don't know. My advice...stop with the Dawson Creek self-analysis and let's...go find them."
Melissa saw the small trace of a grin creep up on Randy's face.
"I knew there was a reason that I liked you," Randy said.
"I do have great wit, don't I?" Melissa said jokingly. "Now...how about a kiss?"
"Isn't that nice?" Melissa said with a sarcastic tone as she saw the guy kiss her double. "Is that them?"
"Yes," Logan replied.
"Well...let's go," Melissa said. "I owe her a right hook."
Melissa started to head toward the couple. The hand on her arm was firm though. Melissa glared at Logan.
"Now who's unfocused?" Melissa snapped.
"You are," Logan replied. "We need to know everything we can...about the technology. I lost Quinn once. I won't make that mistake again."
"Fine! " Melissa said. "We'll just follow them then."
"Ahh!" Ben Loveland screamed as he fell out of the wormhole.
Water was all around him. He struggled in it, fighting it like it was human. He felt something grab him and lifted him up.
"God, Goof," Rembrandt Brown said as he pulled Ben out of the fountain, "watch where you land."
"Where are we?" Ben asked.
"It's...surreal."
Ben turned to see the raven-haired girl look around. Ben did not know Nicole Harris very well, but as he looked at the ruined towers of San Francisco he agreed with her.
"What happened here?" Ben asked.
"One thing I've learned, it could be anything could have happened," Rembrandt replied.
"So many worlds...so many possibilities, huh? Looks like an atom bomb hit here....just without the radiation."
Ben glared at Robert Bufford. "Thanks for the scientific analysis."
"I'm getting a little sick of your comments, Loveland!" Bufford snapped. "You're the one who wanted to find Heim anyway!"
"He's my best friend," Ben protested. "Sorry if I'm not going to leave him hanging!"
"So how much time we have here, Mr. Brown?" Nicole asked Rembrandt.
"Please...just call me Remmy," Rembrandt replied as he pulled out the timer. Ben noticed the look on his face. "Uh oh."
"Uh oh?" Bufford said annoyed.
"What's wrong?" Ben asked Rembrandt.
"Trouble," Rembrandt answered.
"Catch!"
The ball came at Melissa's face. She felt her heart beat as she ran to her left. She threw up her hand and caught it in the glove. She grinned at Randy.
"Am I good as new?" Melissa asked.
"Looks like it to me," Randy answered.
"Now all we have to do is find Brown and Richard," Melissa said.
"Yeah."
Melissa noticed the defeated look on his face. "We're going to find them."
"In what condition though?" Randy asked. "It's been months."
"You know Professor Brown," Melissa said as she walked toward Randy. "I'm sure he's taking care of them."
Randy smiled barely. "You're too optimistic."
"And you're too cynical," Melissa shot back. "Where's Mr. Absent-Minded Professor?"
Randy replied, "He met an effect of his choices and that effect destroyed a world."
"You know Bufford's double was really behind Chad getting that thing's DNA...not you." Melissa protested.
"I set it in motion," Randy said. "Me and my absent-mindness."
"We'll see what Brown thinks of it when we find him," melissa said encouragely. "Come on. Let's check on those coordinates."
Randy walked with Melissa down the hall. He could not get the grin off his face. Just having Melissa there gave him hope.
They walked into the monitor room. Randy frowned. Smith was looking up at the screen as a brown haired woman typed on the keyboard.
"What's going on here?" Randy asked.
Smith looked away from the screen and managed a frown. "The government decided to do an inventory of our labs. But before they take over the place, I got them to help with our problem."
"And the problem...is solved," the woman replied.
The screen lit up like Christmas lights. The coordinates were there on the screen. randy looked at the woman in shock.
"How?" Randy managed.
"It's a little trick of mine," the woman said.
"This is Logan St. Clair," Smith explained. "The government has put her in charge of the inventory."
Logan grinned. "Nice to meet you."
"But you can fix it, right?" Ben asked. "Tell me you can fix it."
Bufford looked from Ben to the timer and back. "I don't know."
"You don't know?" Nicole said.
"I thought you were a genius!" Ben yelled.
"I am!" Bufford said. "This isn't my design! It's Heim!"
"Well, he's smarter than you!" Ben yelled.
"He is not smarter than me!" Bufford shot back.
"Hey!!" Rembrandt yelled. All three of the group shut up. "Calm down. What we need to do right now is get off the street. We don't know who or what did this or if it's still around. What we don't need is a lot of bickering. Agreed?"
"I agree," Bufford said.
"Suck up," Ben mumbled.
"What did you say?" Bufford asked as he glared at Ben.
"Nothing. Let's go," Ben said as he followed Rembrandt down the street.
Bufford glared at Ben a little longer. Finally, in defeat, he followed the two men.
Nicole headed after them. A noise behind her stopped her. She turned around to look. There was nothing there.
"Nicole, you coming?" Ben yelled at her.
"I'm right behind you!" Nicole yelled back, ignoring the noise.
"Well, Miss St. Clair definitely has a good amount of knowledge on quantum physics," Dr. Smith said as he walked with Randy down one of the halls in the lab.
Randy just nodded. Thanks to Logan, they would have a new timer tomorrow. Maybe he could find Professor Brown and Richard.
"Don't you think it's odd that she knows so much?" Randy asked.
Smith shook his head. "The government and Heim usually shared information on things that was useful."
"Still...would Heim have left information on how to make a timer?"
"Hmmm...maybe."
Randy saw his room coming up. "Just promise me that you're check on things after Melissa and me leave."
"Of course," Smith said. "I'm sure this is silly anyway. I was hoping to continue to search for Owens."
Randy saw a trace of sadness cross Smith's face. He felt the same way especially since he saw first hand experience of what Chad Owens was capable of to a world. He had to be found.
"You're going to find him," Randy said. "I just hope you can find a way to help him."
"So do I," Smith commented.
Melissa put her hair up in a bun. A shower was just what she needed to relieve the stress of being in a coma. She frowned. Do coma patients suffer stress?
She opened the bathroom and walked into the room. She realized that she left the light on when she got in the shower. Then as her eyes adjusted to the dark, she realized she wasn't alone.
She fell to the floor just in time. A fist had swung at her face.
"Oh!" Melissa yelled. Her legs still wasn't used to moving. Especially quickly.
"Darn!" a voice said.
"Wait a minute!" Melissa yelled. She made a jump for the light switch. It came on to reveal a double of her. There was a familiarity to her...
"You!" Melissa shrieked.
"Never thought you would see me again, huh?" her double said. "You thought that lawyer Diana Davis would get Judge Harris to throw the book at me?"
"I knew it!" Melissa said. "What are you doing here?"
Melissa's double grinned at her. "It's payback time!"
Melissa's double started to close in on Melissa. Melissa looked at the door which was a few inches away. Could she make it in her condition?
"No, you don't!" Melissa's double said. She lunged at her.
Melissa aimed. Then she punched her double in the jaw. The double fell to the ground unconscious.
Melissa headed for the door. She made it out and headed for Randy's room. They had to get out of there.
"I don't think this is a good idea," Melissa said.
"The security looked all over for her," Smith said. "There was no sign of her. She probably won't be back."
"I agree with Dr. Smith," Randy said. "Besides we don't have time. It's time to go."
"Don't worry, Miss Clark," Logan said calmly. "We will continue to look for your double."
"Remember, Randy," Smith said. "The timer is set to lead you straight to your friends. Then it should lead you to your home."
"Home?" Melissa muttered. It had been a while since there was a chance of going home.
"I'll remember," Randy said. "Just remember what I said."
Randy aimed at the nearest wall and activated the timer. The wall dissolved into a clear circle of light. It was almost like the old timer.
The wind picked up, sending papers flying everywhere. Melissa laughed.
"Let's go!" she yelled.
"You first!" Randy yelled back.
Melissa grabbed Randy. Then she ran for the vortex. She jumped into it with Randy close behind her. The vortex made a whirlike sound. Then it closed.
"Good luck, Mr. Heim," Smith said.
Logan St. Clair made it back to her room without incident. Sitting on the bed was Melissa. She frowned at Logan. Logan glared at her in response.
"All the planning we did to get in here and you messed up," Logan said finally.
"How was I to know she would get me with a good punch?" Melissa replied.
"Come on. She's your double. Chances are always good that you think alike," Logan replied. She shook her head. "Never mind. It's about time I focus on my own quest."
"What about me?" Melissa asked. "You said you would help me get that witch!"
"You had your chance," Logan replied. "You blew it."
Melissa crossed her arms. "So it's like that, huh?" She stood up and walked toward Logan. "Maybe I should tell the good doctor who you really are."
Logan's eyes narrowed. "Don't test me."
Melissa gave a cold stare to Logan.
"I'm tracking them anyway," Logan said. "If they find Mallory and their friends by chance, I'll know and I'll be able to head right to them." She grinned at the thought and looked at Melissa. "Then I...WE...will have them all."
TO BE CONTINUED
Back to Season 2
