Second Chances: Remember Me Before I Fade Away
A Simon & Simon/Six Million Dollar Man Crossover Story
After an ambush, Rick Simon wakes up missing 20 years of his life; how
does he get back his memories before it changes him forever.
(This is dedicated to the memory of Philip DeGuere, Jr.-Thank you for Rick and A.J., this one's for you!)
(Simon and Simon and The Six Million Dollar Man belong to Universal Studios-
this is not intended to make any money and I promise to put everyone back when I'm done!)
"A.J., uh, that appointment I had in San Diego with Colonel Austin"
"Yeah? Was it him or a joke?" Rick saw his brother's inquiring look.
"It was him, he hired us to protect a friend of his, an author. He wants us to fly to Chicago to meet her, then go with her to Philadelphia and New York by train. He's willing to pay all expenses plus our regular fees, over two thousand dollars."
"She must be important. What's her name?" This was the part Rick was dreading. "Laurel Light Scott, but Colonel Austin says we would have known her as Laurie Scott."
"Laurie who", A.J. gaped at Rick, who was busy packing his suitcase with the clothes he had strewn around his brother's living room
"Laurel Light Scott, must have been Laurie's real name or maybe she took it on when she started writing", Rick said, holding up a shirt and sniffing it to see if it had been in the dryer.
A.J. frowned at Rick. "Are you sure Colonel Austin said she knew us-maybe it's a friend of her's. "I'm sure, as a matter of fact he even knew how the two of us met- she told him the two of us helped protect you from a bully", Rick sat down with the shirt in hand, concern in his eyes. "This stalker must have her and Austin running scared for them not to go to the police or for government protection. A.J. pulled out his briefcase. "Well, fortunately for you, I was able to cancel the assignment I accepted before you sprung this surprise on me, hopefully it turns out to be just an over-eager fan." Rick snorted. "If this is the same girl, I hope she at least has a good explanation why she never wrote Mom, you know how she felt about her". Rick caught a look from his brother, who quietly said, "Maybe she didn't have a choice, after all the drama with her leaving and all." He looked at A.J. and smiled. Leave it to him to defend a girl he hadn't seen in 13 years, just because his brother had liked, no, loved her. "Don't worry, little brother", he squeezed A.J.'s shoulder as he walked past him. "I'm not going to tumble like that again, especially with Colonel Austin peering over our shoulders".
It was dark. That he was sure of, that and his head felt like it was exploding.
Rick closed his eyes, then opened them again.
He could see a little better, he was in a cold, damp room of some kind, then he felt someone's hand, soft and …gentle, yeah. A woman's fingers on his forehead, then pain.
"Ow!" he yelped, then he froze at a familiar voice.
"I'm sorry, Rick. What did they do to you." The woman's tone was shaky, but he knew it from somewhere.
"Uh, I don't know. Who are you." he managed, trying to sit up.
Mistake. He felt dizzy and sick, and was grateful for the hands that supported him and held him upright until he regained his equilibrium.
"Darling, it's Laurie. Can you see me?" she asked.
He could make out a shadowy face, then he frowned. "Laurie? Laurie Scott?"
There was a hesitation, then she spoke again. "It's Laurie, Rick, but I'm Laurie Simon. We're married, don't you remember?"
Now he was confused. "Married? I haven't seen you for nearly 13, 14 years!"
"No, Rick, we've been married for almost 18 years, we found each other about 20 years ago." He heard her fumbling, then a small light went on, illuminating her face.
It was her, older, yes, but still the pretty girl he'd lost so many years before, at least that's what he recalled.
The light was to the right of his face, then it dropped abruptly as she gasped.
"You're bleeding, oh I could kill them for what they've done to you, love. We've got to get out of here so Rudy and Doc can take care of you!"
He hastened to placate her, hearing the anger in her voice. "Laurie, honey, I'll be okay. Yeesh, calm down. You haven't changed, still my feisty girl!" Whoops, "my" girl.
"Oh Rick." He felt her hands on his face again, then realized that her hands were bound.
"Honey, who did this?" he reached for her and discovered his wrists were also tied.
"John Whitefeather and his goons. He got out of prison after serving only half his sentence for threatening us, without anyone notifying the Tribal Council. When they found out, they alerted us, but he ambushed us in the parking lot of the old center. I think that's where we are now." She said. She fumbled with the rope on his wrists, and succeeded in loosing the knots enough that Rick was able to free himself.
He saw the light on her wrist go on again. "I hope A.J. has his transmitter on. I don't remember much myself, but Whitefeather was saying he was going to kill us when he came back."
Tribal Council? Where were they? "Hon, uh, we're not in San Diego, I take it." He said, hoping she'd say yes.
"No, Rick, we're in Arizona, outside of Phoenix. You really don't remember." She sniffed.
Instinctively Rick squeezed her hand, then felt her lean against him. "Thank you, Rick." She murmured, then whispered "A.J.? Can you hear me?"
"Laurie, honey, are you all right? Is Rick with you?" He heard his brother's voice and was heartened by the familiar sound.
"Yes, A.J., I'm all right, but Rick's hurt. They hit him really hard, he needs Rudy and Doc." She told him.
"Oscar's getting a reading of you guys being under Silver Rock, do you know where you are?" Rick puzzled over this…Silver Rock?
"I think we're in the basement of the old Tribal Center, it smells like the old storage room. Please hurry, they were making threats about what they would do when they came back." She added, then Rick put a hand of warning on her arm as footsteps sounded.
"We'll be there in a couple of minutes, hang on, sis." A.J. responded.
A key scratched at the door as Rick managed to finish untying Laurie's wrists, then he snatched a handful of loose dirt off the flooring as he straightened up.
The door opened, and three shadows were silhouetted in the light.
At once Rick had a flash of memory:
"Rick!" A muffled cry sounded in the back parking lot, and he ran at full speed around the back of the Tribal Center. He stopped short as he saw his wife being held by a man with his hand over her mouth. Suddenly there were two other guys, one pointing a gun.
"I promised I'd get revenge for putting my father in jail, now is the time!" the man holding Laurie snarled, then motioned to Rick to get down. As he did, still watching Laurie's terrified face, he "heard" her "say
"I'm going to faint, love."
At once she slumped against the pony-tailed man, causing him to lose his grip on her. Instantly Rick lashed out with a fist, knocking out one of his assailants, then threw the man with the gun to the ground.
Suddenly he was facing the same dirtbag, only he had a hatchet in his fist.
"Well, at least you're awake. I'm going to make you the same offer, sign the paper giving me your council seat, Mrs. Simon, or your husband will be missing one scalp."
He felt rather then saw her stiffen with determination, then she replied, "I'd be signing away my birthright and our lives if I did that, forget it!"
The man smirked, then licked his lips. "Pretty brave, lady, but once I start shedding his blood, you'll be begging to sign on the dotted line!"
Rick casually looked at him, then said, "I don't know you, Whitefeather, but you jerks are all the same, all talk and no action." As the ex-con lunged toward him, furious, Rick threw the dirt in his face, blinding him, then knocked one accomplice into the other, causing them to fall to the ground.
Grabbing Laurie's hand, he propelled the two of them through the door amid voices yelling "Stop them!"
Making it into the hallway, Rick slammed the door and locked it, then turned to find a blond-haired man coming toward him at a run, followed by two others.
"A.J!" he called, then he and Laurie collapsed against the wall with relief.
As soon as Rick got a look at his brother in the dimly lit corridor, he knew. Not only had he lost his memory, he'd lost something else.
About 20 years.