"Randy, look out!"
Randy Heim barely heard her. His eyes were in front of him. It was on a sight he thought he would never see.
She pushed him out of the way. Randy fell to the floor. He turned to see the marble strike her and she fell.
"No!" Randy yelled.
TWO DAYS EARLIER...
Professor Darnell Brown opened his eyes. He felt a pain in his head. He could not think clearly as if a cloud was over his mind. His forehead wrinkled up as he focused on his mind. He could feel his mind clearing up as he got the blood flowing faster.
Then he remembered.
He was no longer on a world where virtual reality devoured all parts of life. He was on the world of the dark sliders. And at the moment...he was in a giant glass cage...alone.
"Well, look who decided to wake up."
Brown turned around. Outside of the glass cage stood a randy Heim with a goatee and darker hair. His hands were behind his back. His eyes studied Brown like he was some kind of freak. Brown narrowed on Randall.
"If there was a problem with my nocturnal habits," Brown said, "you could have simply waken me up."
Randall grinned. "Cute. Pity I am not the one in the cage."
"I will definitely enjoy taking you apart bone by bone," Brown declared.
"You and what army?" Randall challenged. "Besides...first you would have to get out of the cage, and trust me...it was made with you in mind. Eve did tell me about your powers on that one world. I had to kiss it and make it better."
"I bet."
"Jealous?"
"No. Apparently you are. envy, Mr. Heim?"
Randall glared. "Have your fun. Your friends should be dying right bout now."
Randall left the room that Brown's cage was in. He stared at his surroundings. He reached for the edges of the cage, hoping to grab them with his mind. He felt nothing.
He needed to get out of there. If the others were in danger...
His eyes widened. The last thing he remembered was Eve Albright throwing the alarm switch on the other world. Now he was on his world, knowing that Paige Kendall...was working with the dark sliders. He needed to get out.
Would the others be alive when he got out?
Randy Heim took a deep breath. Then he lifted Melissa Clark's unconscious body up in his arms. Pain shot through his back. Eve's attack had taken its toll. The alarms rang around him. He needed to get out.
The door shot open. Two guards dressed in green camouflage attire ran in. Their guns targeted Randy and Melissa.
Gunfire rang out. The guards fell to the floor. Randy grinned at Maggie Beckett, her gun smoking in the door. She frowned at the two of them.
"Did I miss something?" Maggie asked. She looked around the white room. "Where's Professor Brown?"
"Gone," Randy answered. "The dark sliders are here. He jumped into a vortex and...I'll explain later. We need to go."
Maggie ed her rifle. "I'm ready."
Randy managed a smile. "I have a better way...actually."
Three years ago, my friends and I found a way to travel between worlds-
To slide to...
Worlds where you're the same person-
It's the same year...
But everything else is different-
Our Earth...
Has been overrun by the Kromaggs?-
Can we get home?...
Do we want to?
And now-
The worlds await...
SLIDERS: ALTERNATE SPIN-SEASON 4
EPISODE 13: TURNABOUT
Melissa Clark turned over in her bed. For a moment, she grunted. Her mind was on being back home in bed. Any moment, her mother Veronica Clark would knock on the door, breaking into her rest after a week of college exams.
Melissa's eyes opened. Her mind remembered. She was not on her Earth. She was on a world where virtual reality was all the population knew. Her mother...was probably a prisoner of the Kromagg Dynasty. She had to save her.
Melissa looked down at the cover she was under. Her black hair fell across her face, distracting her again with memories of the past. Going to college. Meeting Richard Hall. Befriending Randy. Now she just wanted to give it up.
Melissa turned toward the windows. She held in her gasp. Randy sat in a rocking chair next to the drawn shades of the window. He slept, the timer in his lap. His head...along with his brown hair...was tilted to the side. The beard was gone, making him look like the Randy of the past.
Her mind quickly went to the conclusion she had to face. Randy was not the shy bookwormish inventor anymore. In the year she was gone, he had morphed into a brooding man with a deadly mind who seem to like dangerous s. Melissa was nothing to him.
'I'm sorry.'
That sentence was one of the last things Melissa remembered before Eve attacked. He said he was sorry for breaking her heart. As she continued to stared at him, Melissa frowned.
Was he sorry?
The door opened. Melissa looked at it to see Ben Loveland. He was dressed in what Melissa knew as goth gear, but the smile on his face was all Ben. He ran to the bed and hugged her.
"God!" Ben exclaimed. "When Heim brought you in...you looked like death." He pulled back to stare at her. "Glad to see it was a big long exaggeration."
Melissa smiled. "Well...I try."
"Sweetheart, you don't have to try anymore," Ben said. "You're beautiful on your own."
Melissa felt her cheeks go warm. She looked down to cover it. The next moment she felt a hand on her cheek. Melissa looked up to see Ben lean in on her, planting a kiss on her kips.
She knew one thing. The kiss did not suck. She leaned forward, letting Ben's lips absorb her own lips.
Ben's head moved to the left. Melissa's eyes were open. Behind Ben, Randy stared at the two of them, his eyes like a pedestrian in the splash of headlights.
Melissa pulled away from Ben quickly. She sat up straighter in the bed. Her feet hit the floor.
"Randy!" Melissa shrieked.
"Hey!" Ben exclaimed, turning to look at Randy. "She's awake."
"So I see," Randy said, his face looking weirdly calm. Finally, he managed a smile. "it’s good to see you awake. For a moment, I...I'm really glad."
Melissa managed a smile. The next moment there was silence. Her eyes looked at Ben. He stared at her, his eyes revealing that he only wanted to kiss her again. Her eyes dotted to Randy. Several emotions struggled on his face. Before Melissa could figure out which emotion would win, she heard footsteps. A moment later, Maggie was in the door. She ran over and hugged Melissa.
"Thank Goodness," Maggie said. "The last thing we needed was death."
"I'm good," Melissa said. "Eve shot me with a tranquilizer."
Maggie frowned. "Yeah...Eve. What's her game plan?" She glared at Randy. "Someone else wouldn't tell me."
"I wanted us all together," Randy explained. "As for her agenda? Same as it was on Slave World. She wanted to make us pay and mess up this...place."
"Slave World?" Ben asked, frowning.
Melissa turned Ben's hand. She squeezed it. He managed a smile. She could feel Randy's eyes on her, but she smiled at Ben.
"It's just code for us," Melissa said. "We’d been traveling together so long we have it."
"And I'm sure you're going to miss it," Ben said.
Maggie looked at Ben. "Miss it?"
"Uh, Ben...could you give us a moment?" Melissa said.
"Sure," Ben said. He leaned in to kiss her again. She turned at the last moment, Ben's lips getting her cheek. He frowned, but left the room.
"Okay, what is he--" Maggie started.
"You're not staying with him, are you?" Randy demanded, standing up.
Melissa corked an eyebrow. "You care?"
"Melissa--"
"Wait!" Maggie cut Randy off. "What are you thinking? What about the 'Maggs? Your home?"
"I'm done," Melissa announced. "As for home...I'm sure Randy will find a way to save everyone."
"You can't leave," Maggie said. "We--"
"We," Melissa said, the word like a bitter taste. "This isn't a 'we.' In fact, we haven't been 'we' in a long time."
"How can you--"
"Maggie, I know you're not that blind?" Melissa snapped. "You saw how we used to be. Me. Randy. The Professor. Richard. We had our issues, but we still cared for each other. Can you say the same now? No one trusts each other...or no one knows each other."
Melissa's eyes fell on Randy during the last sentence. He stared back. For a moment he said nothing.
"Fine," Randy said. He headed for the door. "I'm going to find Paige and the Professor."
Melissa watched him go. She closed her arms over her chest. She turned to the window.
"Melissa--" Maggie started.
"Leave me alone, Maggie," Melissa said. "Please."
There was no reply for a moment. Then Melissa heard the sound of the door slam. Her mind was however on the Professor.
Was he okay?
"Hello...Darnell."
Brown opened his eyes. He sat up on the white floor. Eve Albright stood outside his glass cage, her right hand touching the glass. She wove a dark robe complete with a hood. Her long jet-black hair was in a ponytail.
"Miss Albright," Brown said.
"Now, Darnell," Eve said, "I think we know each other a little too intimately to use formal names."
"I would have to disagree."
Eve frowned. Her hand fell to her side. Her head tilted.
"Hmmm...perhaps you are right," Eve said. "Still the Darnell I lo--knew would be using his newfound powers to get his group home...not waiting for Mr. Second Best to do it."
"Second best?" Brown uttered. "I seem to remember you fancying Mr. Heim."
"Things change."
"Still there are some constants in life," Brown shot back. "And how is Randall?"
"Better than sweet Debra I am afraid," Eve replied. "Think she is in a breeding camp or part of the cyberaid program?"
"Have a care, Miss Albright," Brown said icily. "I will not always be in this cage."
Eve smirked. "You will be if Randall has his way." Her eyes narrowed on Brown. "That's why I am here."
Brown corked an eyebrow. "Oh."
Maggie glared at Randy. "What are you thinking?"
Randy fiddled with the back of the timer. It clicked into place easily enough. He just hoped it worked.
"Randy!"
He was sure that the odds were slim. He would not find out for at least a day.
"Heim!"
Randy blinked. "Sorry...I...zoned out."
Maggie sat down in a chair next to Randy.
"I swear Randy...one of these days you're going to go into one of your trances and get us all killed," Maggie said.
"Let's hope not," Randy said.
"You can't just leave Melissa here."
Randy sighed. He knew it was coming.
"It's her choice, Maggie," Randy said.
Maggie rolled her eyes. Then she glared.
"We both know why she's doing it," Maggie said.
"And what would--"
"Don't be coy," Maggie snapped. "One word from you: she stays."
"But--"
"She still loves you."
"Tell it to Ben."
"Just more hint she still loves you," Maggie shot back. "You have to--"
Maggie gasped. Before Randy could stop, she fell to the floor.
"Maggie!" Randy yelled.
Paige Kendall leaned back in the booth. The sounds of New Order's 'Confusion' remix blasted from the speakers in the Box. She put her arms on the top of the booth. Her red hair was in a ponytail and thought about bangs. Now she had them with black laced gloves with holes in the fingers. Life was good.
She turned to look at her companion. Daniel Carter sat and stared at the table with a yellow light inside, making the top of the table glow. His elbows were on the table, his hands balled into fists.
"Why am I even here?" Daniel said aloud.
"I think we both know why," Paige said. "You want Randy Heim dead."
"Not that," Daniel said, looking at Paige. "Why am I around you? You're insane."
Paige took her arms from the top of the booths. They fell to her lap. She did not know what to say. She looked at him.
"I'm telling you the truth," Paige said.
"You expect me to believe that you're my daughter from a future where the Kromaggs have almost wiped out humankind. Do you realize how sci-fi that sounds?"
Paige frowned. "Then why are you still here?"
Daniel took his arms off the table. "I think we both know why."
Paige crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine. So you trust me?"
"For now, I'll go along...but I don't trust you."
Paige felt her jaw drop. This was such a contrast between the father she knew in her time. He trusted her. This...person did not. It broke her heart.
"Enjoying the view?"
Paige looked up. She glared at the man dressed in the black suit with a long black trenchcoat. His shoulder length black hair was slicked back, making him look like a mobster. The goatee just made him look like Satan. In any case, he wasn't Randall.
"Where's Randall, Peter?" Paige demanded. "He was suppose to be doing this."
Peter Carmichael smiled as he sat down.
"Well, Randall's busy," Peter said. "So you have me." He narrowed his eyes. "Our sources tell me that your crosser friends are still alive."
"Really?" Daniel said, his eyes on Paige. "What a surprise."
"As you told me...once," Paige said, "you didn't get it right the first time. And wasn't it on another world with virtual reality?"
Daniel's jaw dropped. He closed his mouth quickly. He crossed his arms over his chest and sat back in the booth.
"Anyway," Paige said, turning to face Peter, "what do we do now?"
Peter reached into his trenchcoat. He pulled out something and lightly pushed it across the yellow-light surface of the table. It was a blue disk.
"Plan B," Peter replied.
"But, luv, I want tae check me mail."
"Honey..."
Randy continued down the hallway. Kat and Bufford arguing in their room made him annoyed. Maybe he was jealous that Kat and Bufford had something while he had...nothing.
Paige had been missing for days. He wondered if his idea would even work. He had a lot banking on this trip. And when he got there...he didn't know what he would say to Paige.
Randy turned the corner. Melissa was in front of Maggie's door. Randy had left her to watch over her. Right now she was locking lips with Ben.
"No change I guess!" Randy yelled.
Ben and Melissa broke away. Melissa blushed. Ben meanwhile looked down.
"Uh...none," Melissa replied.
"I think I better go see if there are any reports," Ben said quickly.
"Good idea," Melissa chirped.
Ben moved past Randy quickly. He stared after Ben. He wondered if the real Ben was like this with women or did this Ben have a little Richard in him.
"You sure do move fast," Randy commented.
"Excuse me?"
Randy turned to face Melissa. She glared at him.
"I'm just saying..." Randy started.
Melissa laughed bitterly. "This is rich! You're jealous!"
"It's not like--"
"Not so much fun when you're the one outside looking in, is it?"
Randy did not know what to say. His eyes narrowed on her.
"So is that it?" Randy asked. "You're getting with this Ben double to get back at me?"
Melissa glared. "That's not what this is about."
"Then what is it about?"
"It's about me," Melissa said. "It was about time I had some fun."
"But to stay here?" Randy said.
"What's waiting for me out there?" Melissa challenged. "The world I know...gone. And being in this group...just isn't the same."
"The Melissa I knew," Randy said, "wouldn't just give up."
"Well...the Randy I knew," Melissa said, her eyes dark, "wouldn't let me."
Randy stared at Melissa. Again, he could see the pain he caused her. Without thinking, he was in front of her. His hand reached out and touched her cheek.
"Houston, we have a--"
Melissa pulled away quickly. Randy jerked around like a bullet. He turned around to find Ben frowning at him.
"So, what's going on?" Melissa asked.
"That's what I would like to know," Ben said.
"Another time," Randy said. "What happened?"
"The world just ended," Ben announced.
Brown's eyes widened. "No."
Eve nodded. "Yes." She walked along the glass wall that kept Brown from her. "We arrived on that world weeks ago. Explored. Looked for strengths and weaknesses. We discovered the world was completely ted by virtual reality. Eric wanted the technology to use in the Price Corporation. Randall was interested in exploring the technology...before destroying all traces of it."
"Destroy all...what do you mean?" Brown demanded.
Eve places both of her hands on the glass.
"You're a brilliant professor, Darnell," Eve said. "If you wanted to destroy a world that is co-dependent on virtual reality, what would be the best way to do it?"
Brown touched his chin. It did not take him long to think of an answer. He looked at Eve.
"Virus," Brown said.
Eve grinned. "Good boy."
"How could you let him do it?"
"It would be fun."
"Not for the billions of people who would be affected," Brown said.
Eve frowned. "You moralizing, Darnell? You are not a saint when it comes to interfering in others' worlds."
"I do not do it to hurt others," Brown said. "I did it to help another person to avoid my mistakes. can you say the same?"
"No," Eve replied. "Happy now?"
"If you saw a double of yourself in need, you would do nothing. I highly doubt it."
"Is that your pitch?" Eve demanded. "Because you need a new one. Besides...the plan has already begun. The virus was uploaded at the local hangout. From there, it will spread. If they are anything like Randy, they will not know what hit them."
Randy headed down the stairs. Ben was in front of him. Melissa was behind him. They headed through the doorway into the living room. Randy felt his breath catch in his throat.
Katherine Rye had a goth punk double here. She dated a punk double of Bufford, a college rival of Randy. The double of Kat's sat in front of a computer screen. The seat faced Randy and the others. She wore the goggles that most people wore here to get online. There was a giant smile on her face like one of the Joker's victim in that Batman movie.
Bufford kneeled on the floor in front of her. He turned at the sound of footsteps. Tears ran down his cheeks.
"I...told her...not to check...her mail," Bufford sobbed. He looked back at her. "Why did you..."
"What happened?" Melissa asked.
"Someone released something into the system," Ben explained. "Glad I wasn't on."
Bufford's head snapped backward. "Maybe you should have been!"
Ben frowned. "And what does that mean?"
"Now everyone calm down," Melissa said, moving to block Ben from Bufford.
"Actually, I agree with Ben," Randy said. "And what did that mean?"
Bufford shook his head. "Nothing."
"And where were you and Kat going?" Randy continued.
"You and Kat were going somewhere?" Ben asked. "That's unlike you."
"I was--" Bufford started.
"You knew, didn't you?" Randy asked. "That's why you didn't want Kat to go on. You knew the virus was getting released." His eyes widened. "You work with Randall."
"I--"
Suddenly, the front doors shot open. Men in brown uniforms charged in, rifles aiming. Randy recognized the person in front. Maggie Beckett aimed at him and fired.
Gunfire jerked Maggie out of sleep. She looked about the room quickly. There was no sign of her rifle. Not good.
Maggie headed for the door. She needed to know what was going on. Her hand touched the doorknob.
'Maggie...'
Maggie paused. Her forehead wrinkled up. It sounded like Diana was talking to her. In her head.
More gunfire went off. Maggie shook her head. She had to get downstairs and protect Randy.
"Melissa, get down!" Randy barked.
Before Randy could react, Ben lunged at Melissa. They both fell to the floor, barely missing bullets that hit the wall.
A beep vibrated from Randy's pocket. He quickly pulled out the timer.
"Randy, look out!"
Randy looked up. Maggie's double had him trained in her sights. A dark figure fell on her. It was Maggie. She grabbed her double's rifle and looked at Randy.
"Are you okay?" Maggie asked.
"Yeah," Randy replied.
"Good," Maggie said.
Randy noticed that the gun fire had stopped. He stared at the men in their uniforms. They stared at Maggie, their eyes wide with shock.
He aimed the timer at a window. Light shot from it. it hit the window, causing the window to dissolve into a blue vortex.
"Go!" Randy barked.
"But--" Melissa started.
"Now!"
Maggie ran for the vortex. She jumped into it. It whirred, the wind picking up.
Randy looked at Melissa. Ben was over her. She looked up at him.
"Melissa!" Randy yelled.
Melissa shook her head. Her eyes watered. Randy stared back at what her eyes were saying.
He ran for the vortex and vanished.
Maggie screamed as she shot out of the blue wormhole. She hit the sidewalk tumbling a few feet. She turned to see people on the sidewalk, their eyes wide with surprise.
"Great," Maggie muttered.
The wormhole whirred. Randy shot out of it. He hit the sidewalk, tumbling right into Maggie. The wormhole closed behind him.
Randy looked at Maggie. "Are you okay?"
Maggie sat up. She stared at where the wormhole had been. Then she looked at Randy.
"No way!" Maggie exclaimed. "Where's Melissa?"
Randy stood up. "It doesn't matter."
Maggie stood up. "The heck it doesn't."
Randy looked around. "Look. People are looking. How about we take this up elsewhere?"
Maggie looked around. People were looking. A few whispered among themselves. Maggie looked across the street. A crowd had gathered. One of them had even pulled out a camera.
"Yeah," Maggie said, heading down the sidewalk. "We can talk later."
Melissa knocked out the screen door. She turned to see Ben jumped out the back door, barely missing gunfire. He paused in front of Melissa. His eyes looked around the yard.
"Come on," Ben said, grabbing Melissa. "I see the van."
Melissa ran around the yard. She did not know what to think as she and Ben approached the van. Randy and Maggie...were gone. This was her new home now...and she was being haunted.
She grabbed the passenger door's knob. It opened easily. She jumped in as Ben jumped into his seat. He was quick to put the key in the ignition.
"Wait!"
Melissa looked out her window. Bufford ran across the yard. He held his right arm which looked red with blood.
"Wait!" Bufford yelled again.
Ben started the van. It came to life. He looked past Melissa.
"I don't think so," Ben said.
The van screeched backward. Melissa held onto the seat handles as they hit the street. The van turned right. Then it charged forward. Ben stared forward as he pushed his foot on the accelerator.
"Now," Ben said, turning to look at Melissa, "what's going on?"
Brown looked up from the floor as he heard a door opened. Randall walked over to the glass. Again he stared at Brown with fascination.
"I hope you are enjoying the accommodations," Randall said.
"Sadly, no," Brown said, sitting up. "In two words: no bed."
Randall tilted his head. "Hm."
"Hm."
"Why the Kromaggs chose you is beyond me."
"Perhaps it was for the element of surprise gained by having a close associate nearby to acquire their target?"
Randall put his hands behind his back. He paced in front of Brown, his eyes never left Brown. An uneasy feeling came over Brown. The stare reminded him of a darker version of the look Randy got when he went into his trances.
"I took the liberty of having an x-ray scan done on you when you were unconscious. There is a small object at the base of your skull...like a pebble. Funny thing about it...it seems to have absorb itself into your spine. it off and it will leave you paralyze."
Randall raised his right hand. An object that looked like a pen was in it. Brown doubted it was just a pen. Randall smirked.
"Not a problem," Randall said. He put his left hand on the glass. A door appeared in it, allowing him entry.
Brown shot up. Randall aimed his pen.
"Oh, please," Randall said. "Do not get up."
Electricity shot through Brown, forcing him back to the floor. Before Brown knew it, Randall stood over him. He pushed Brown's head down with one hand while he aimed the pen with the other hand.
"You...do not...know what you're doing," Brown warned.
"Of course, I do," Randall said. "Gaining power."
Randall stabbed the pen into the base of Brown's head.
Brown gasped. Then everything went black.
"I think it is a bad idea," Eve said.
Eric Price stared at her as they walked down the hallway. He smiled, showing off his white teeth. With his curls, he was the picture of the aristocrat.
"And when has Randall ever taken our advice?" Eric asked. "Or we his? We do what we want. Always have."
"Still Darnell would be a valuable asset," Eve said. "Especially now."
"Pardon me, but have you not played that game before?" Eric said, stopping. "You lost."
Eve stopped. She crossed her arms over her chest.
"What makes you think I would lose this time?" Eve challenged.
Eric frowned in thought. He grinned.
"All right...I'll play," Eric said. "Corrupt the poor profess--"
A few feet down, the door exploded into splinters as a body flew through it. The body hit the opposite wall and landed on the floor. Eve's eyes widened as she saw it was Randall.
A figure stepped out of the door. His hands were behind his back as he stood over Randall.
"Darnell?" Eve muttered.
Darnell Brown turned to look at the sound. Eve backed back. There was nothing in his eyes.
"Oh, grand," Eric said, backing away. "Not again."
Melissa opened her eyes. She blinked. She had to admit that getting used to virtual reality would take a while. She turned to look at Ben.
"Why are we here?" Melissa asked as she stared about the room full of goths at different booths.
"This is one of the Boxes," Ben explained as he walked among the booths. "It is the only place people come to when they want to communicate. And with this virus in the system...everyone's talking. We can figure out what's going on."
Melissa followed Ben. He finally stopped in front of a booth with a red-lit table. On the other side of the booth was Miashuyhi Kims, the double of a classmate of Randy's. She stared at the two of them and grinned.
"I was wondering when you were showing up," Kims said.
Ben sat down. "Hey, Mia. What do you know?"
"Publicly," Kims said, "Patient Zero struck, releasing a virus into the mainframe that the government can't contain. People are actually going into shock. In forty-eight hours, I bet no one will be on--"
Kims' body vanished for a second. Then it appeared again.
"Darn!" Kims said, pulling out a laptop. She began to type. "Got to create a new code for myself. Is your friend going to sit down?"
Melissa blushed. Then she sat down. Kims studied her for a second. She looked at Ben.
"I approve," Kims said.
Ben rolled his eyes. "Mia--"
"What? Am I suppose to be the jealous ex or something? Because...even if I had the time...not even my style."
"Let's just stick to topic," Ben said.
"Yeah," Kims agreed. "Patient Zero was IDed and tracked to your house."
"Randy?" Melissa uttered.
Kims looked at Melissa. "Randall, yes."
"It wasn't him," Melissa protested.
"I know," Kims said. "It's all set up. The actual party? Sitting two booths over. They were quite good. I...of course...was better."
Ben stood up. "Well, I don't like frame-ups."
"As I remember," Kims said. She looked at Melissa. "Nice meeting you. Keep him safe now."
Melissa stood up. "I'll try."
Melissa headed behind Ben. She wondered which dark slider it would be. She hoped it wasn't Eve.
Ben paused.
"What the--" Ben started.
The fist got him in the stomach. The figure stood up. Melissa's eyes widened. Then they narrowed.
"You bitch," Melissa said.
Paige turned, her eyes widening as she saw Melissa. It made Melissa think of a deer in the headlights.
"Shouldn't you be kidnapped?" Melissa said sarcastically.
Paige glared at Melissa. Then it made sense to Melissa.
"You're working with Randall's sliders," Melissa said aloud. "You've been part of this since the beginning."
"Truth hurts, doesn't it?" Paige said.
Melissa turned for a second. Then she swung back around, knocking Paige in the jaw with her right fist. She fell back on the floor.
"It does now," Melissa replied, standing over Paige. "Don't you think?"
"No...I do not."
Melissa stared into the booth. A gasp escaped her lips.
"Daniel?" Melissa muttered.
Randy frowned as he and Maggie pulled up to the front of the mansion. That was home base for the dark sliders. He thought there would at least be guards or some form of resistance.
"It's like a ghost town," Maggie commented beside Randy in the taxi. She ed her rifle. "Can't say I like it."
"Pay the driver, will you?" Randy said, stepping out of the taxi.
His mind was on the last time he was here. His involvement with this ambitious group led to Richard Hall's death. He had completely turned his life around only to get killed. Randy stared up the stairs and wondered who would be next.
A hand touched Randy's shoulder. He jumped, coming out of his thoughts. Maggie looked at him.
"You okay?" Maggie asked.
"Fine," Randy answered. "Just...remembering. The last time I was here...Richard died. I just don't want that to happen again."
"Then it won't," Maggie said. She headed up the stairs to the front door. "I may hate that we're here for someone you can't trust, but..."
The doors flew open. Two figures shot out of it like bullets. Randy pushed Maggie down, barely missing getting hit. Randy turned to see the two figures tumble down the stairs. As the figures hit the bottom, Randy realized that it was Eric Price and Eve Albright.
"What--" Maggie started.
Randy looked back at the doorway. A new figure emerged from it. It was Professor Brown. Randy frowned at him. His clothes were rippling like wind was blowing...except it wasn't. In fact, it looked like the air sizzled around Professor Brown. it made Randy think of the look a road in the desert has when something is approaching, as if the road is cooking as the sun glared down on it. Brown stared at them, his eyes completely blank.
"Oh, great," Maggie muttered. She aimed the rifle.
Brown's eyes narrowed. Maggie flew through the air. Randy turned in time to see her land halfway across the dark sliders' massive front lawn. He heard her grunt. She grabbed at her right arm.
Brown tilted his head. "Poor misguided woman. Whatever was she thinking?"
"The question," Randy said, "is...what are you thinking?"
"I disagree," Brown replied. "What is most important..."
...WHAT ARE yOu THINKING? Brown asked mentally.
Randy felt it. It was like hooks across his brain. He grabbed at his head and screamed.
A whir ran through the air. Suddenly, a red vortex emerged beside Brown. Brown gasped in surprise. At the same time, he released his hold on Randy. Randy fell on the stairs, gasping for air. He looked up.
A figure shot out of the red vortex. He hit Brown. Randy had time to see it was Ben before Ben and Brown tumbled down the stairs.
The vortex simmered as a new figure emerged. Randy felt his eyes widen. It was Paige. Another figure emerged. A gasp escaped his lips as he saw it was Melissa.
"What's going on?" Randy demanded, standing up. "What--"
Another figure emerged. Randy's eyes narrowed on him. The new person's eyes burned holes into Randy's face as the red vortex closed behind him.
"Daniel."
"Randy."
Randy felt his eyes dart around, searching for the nearest weapon.
"Randy, I can explain--" Paige started, approaching him.
"What is there to explain?" Melissa snapped. "You've been working with Daniel."
"What?" Randy said. His eyes fell on Paige. "Is this true?"
"I--" Paige started. Then her eyes widened. "Randy, look out!"
He was in too much shock. Paige was working with Daniel. Daniel was alive and in front of him. Daniel was the one...the one who killed him. It was a sight he thought he would never see again.
He remembered movement. Then Paige was in front of him, pushing him to the floor. He turned in time to see marble hit her. She fell down the stairs.
"No!" Randy yelled.
The marble shot back up into the air like leaves in the wind. They shot past Randy. He turned to see them spinning around Brown. He stood along the marble, a smirk on his face.
"Guess who's next?" Brown said.
"Professor, wait!" Melissa cried.
"For what, Miss Clark?" Brown asked. "For our young Mr. Heim...or one of his doubles...to devise some way to contain me?"
"When you act this way, can't you see why they would?" Melissa challenged. "You know better than anyone...power corrupts. Would the Darnell I know go into people's minds? Would he change them? No. What have the Kromaggs done to you?"
Randy did not know what to say. It was...like the Melissa he knew. The one that they all talked to. Even Professor Brown picked up on it. The marble slowed in the air as Brown frowned, Melissa's words sinking in.
Suddenly, the marble shot past Randy and across the front yard. They barely missed Maggie. She rolled across the grass, shot up, and fired the rifle. It caught Brown in the left shoulder. He screamed and fell down the stairs.
"Now we're even!" Maggie yelled.
Melissa ran over to Brown. She held up his hand to check his pulse. She looked at Randy.
"He's still alive," Melissa said.
"Good," Randy said. "Now...how did you slide here? Did Daniel--"
"No," Melissa said, her eyes on Paige. "She's been in contact with Randall and the others. Bufford and she were responsible for you being in that VR trap."
Randy stared at Paige. Different emotions ran through his mind. She was behind all of this which made him angry. She had just saved him when she didn't have to. She was shooting herself in the foot when she did not have to. Why? If she was with Daniel...
Randy looked around. Daniel was gone.
"Has anyone seen Daniel?" Randy asked.
"No," Ben said, sitting up near Brown.
Maggie made it to the bottom of the stairs. Randy frowned. Eric and Eve were also gone.
"Great," Randy said sarcastically.
He turned to look at Paige. She was gone as well. He ran up the stairs.
Paige heard the whir before she made it to the door. She knew what it meant and ran forward.
"Leaving so soon?" Paige asked as she stood in the door.
Daniel looked toward the door. He had a pistol in his hand. It was aimed at Peter Carmichael who was at the console. Behind Daniel was a red vortex on a platform.
"Don't worry," Daniel said. "You'll see me again. And next time...whether you are in my way or not...Randy Heim will die."
"I won't be in your way," Paige said.
"Really, 'daughter?'" Daniel challenged. "Didn't you just save him from his friend?" He frowned. "Maybe you should figure out whether you want him dead or not. Time is ticking. Until next time..."
Daniel jumped onto the platform. Then he leaped into the red vortex. It simmered as he vanished. It closed behind him.
"Where did he go?" Paige demanded.
"And I should tell you why?" Peter countered.
"Because I know how to kill," Paige shot back.
"So do I."
Paige turned around just in time to get a jab to the face. She fell back on the floor. Eve stood over her, a glare on her face.
"I don't like doublecrosses," Eve said.
Randy finished the download. he had been searching for Daniel or Paige. Then he saw it: the door to Randall's lab.
In a few minutes, he had what he needed. With a little luck...
A click behind Randy got his attention. He turned to see his double in the door. He had a gun aimed at him.
"It's not a virtual reality," Randall said, but it will do."
"Thank you," Randy said.
Randall frowned. "What?"
"I said," Randy said, leaning on Randall's console, "thank you."
"Is this some kind of game?" Randall asked.
Randy shook his head. "Not really. More like a debate. It always was." His eyes focused on Randall. "I...died. My death was the result of my own actions. If I had left well enough alone, I would not have died. If I never slid...but I did. I got other people involved. I got other people killed. All because of my recklessness."
"I do not--"
"You say you unleashed the virus on that world because you are now my opposite, making me pay for interfering in other worlds' business. I say...from here on out, I am your balance."
And just like that, Randy pushed the button on the console.
"What did you do?" Randall asked.
"When I was you, I was more cunning," Randy said. "More dangerous. After seeing Daniel today, I see what I have to do. First, neutralize you. As of a few minutes ago, your world knows about sliding."
"What?" Randall shrieked.
"Your advantage has always been that only your little group knew bout sliding," Randy said, moving away from the computer screen. "No more. I expect you will get some phone calls." He paused in front of Randall. "You also have a virus wiping out your data."
Randall's eyes widen. He dashed past Randy. He frantically typed at his screen.
Randy watched him. For years, it was a question of who was the smartest. Now he knew...and he was free.
Randall glared at him. "You will pay for this."
"Surely you understand a little turnabout?" Randy said. Then he left.
"I'm not scared of you," Paige said from the floor.
Eve kneeled before Paige. "Since I know you've been with your group for a while, I know you know...you should be."
Paige swung her right let out. Eve fell to the floor. Paige jumped on her.
"Guess what?" Paige said. "I'm not!"
Eve grabbed Paige's arms. Before Paige could stop her, Eve flipped her over. Paige hit the floor, pain shooting through her back. Paige grunted her teeth. A shadow fell over her. She looked up in time to see Eve punch her in the face. The room started to get dark.
"Guess what?" Eve asked as she pulled out a knife. "Believe what you hear."
"Then you do know..."
Paige looked up in time to see Eve get a punch to her jaw. She fell back on the floor. Paige sat up to see it was Melissa.
"...I have an excellent right hook," Melissa finished.
Paige looked at Eve. She was out. Paige stared at Melissa.
"Why?" Paige asked.
"I hate her more," Melissa replied.
"Oh...yeah," Paige said. "Makes sense." She stood up. She looked around to see that Peter had run off. "Thank you for the save. I guess you and Benny can go back to VR Land."
"I'm not going anywhere," Melissa said.
Paige frowned. "Really?"
Melissa stared. "Really. Besides, we don't have a timer that stores coordinates anymore."
"Yes...we do."
Paige looked at the door. Randy stood in it. He glanced at her for a moment. His face was unreadable. Then he looked at Melissa.
"When I was Randall," Randy explained. "I restored that ability to the timer. So if you want to go back..."
"Ben should," Melissa said, "but I don't."
Randy smiled. "Good."
Paige glared.
Maggie sat with the unconscious Brown. Her rifle was ready in case any of the dark sliders decided to attack. She stared at Brown. Maybe it would be in everyone's best interest if she took care of him now...
"That wasn't the plan."
Maggie turned around. Her eyes widened.
"Diana?"
THE-END
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