August, 13, 2000
"Where is everyone?" Al asked as he emerged from the imaging chamber and descended the ramp.
"I notified Tina and Dr. Beeks of your return, Admiral," Gushie replied. "They're on their way down here now."
"Do they know what's been happening back there?"
"Yes, Admiral. We've been keeping all departments fully abreast of the situation."
"Where's Dr. Beckett?"
"Still in his office the last I checked. I wanted to speak to you about that, Admiral. It seems that..."
But before Gushie could explain further, the door to the control room opened and the two women walked in.
"Is Dr. Beckett alright?" Verbena asked.
"He will be. Everything seems to be under control, now," Al replied.
"Under control? Al he's been shot. I hardly call that 'under control," Tina exclaimed.
"Ziggy is quite sure Dr. Beckett has completed his reason for being there, Admiral. If all goes according to plan, he should be leaping soon," Gushie said.
"I think we owe Sam a great deal of gratitude," Verbena added.
"Ziggy, what's the new history on Dr. Beckett?' Al asked.
"Medical records indicate he was shot April 13, 1995. The injury caused no permanent damage and required less than an hour of surgery. The bullet was extracted without any fragmentation."
"Al," Tina began. "Nothing like this occurred in the original history. What makes you so certain that additional changes won't occur? It wouldn't be the first time that Sam sparked the domino effect."
"To all of use, this happened five years ago. If there was going to be a domino effect, we'd know it," Al replied.
Still, Tina felt uneasy.
"I have to get back to Sam and tell him the results of this leap. I think he's going to be pretty eager to leap out this time. His job is finished here...I mean there," Al said. "Ziggy doesn't think Sam will leap until our guest here is ready to step into the accelerator. I think time or fate, or what ever it is that leaps Sam around, is giving him some down time to rest and recover... Now we have to make sure this Sam follows through with the original plan and steps into the accelerator tonight."
"That may be easier said than done," Gushie said.
The door to the control room opened and Tyler Bennett walked in. "I'm afraid we have a glitch, Admiral," Tyler said.
"What kind of glitch?"
"Dr. Beckett's files were just reported stolen."
"What?" Al exclaimed.
"Well, they were stolen in 1995, but no one there has discovered it as yet. It seems our guest found they were missing and reported it to security."
"Those files were found in the supply closet in the Gadget Shop," Al replied.
"In the original history, did Dr. Beckett even know they were missing?" Tyler asked.
"How the hell should I know?" Al replied. "I wasn't in the building when Sam leaped, remember?"
"It's unlikely Dr. Beckett was aware of the missing files," Ziggy replied. "He made no such report to security, nor did he question me or make a search and scan for the files."
Tyler nodded. "While I can't second guess Dr. Beckett, I would reason that he went ahead with his plans back then because he did not know the files were missing. But, this Dr. Beckett is now fully aware of the missing files, and likely fully aware of the possible implications."
"So, how much of a glitch is this?" Al asked.
"Admiral, if you were in Dr. Beckett's shoes, would you have leaped knowing there was a possible leak in project security?" Tyler asked.
"He has a point, and that is probably exactly what this Dr. Beckett is thinking," Verbena added.
"Those files are of the early phases of the project. They have nothing to do with the temperature regulator or other working aspects of the project. Sam doesn't need those files here in order to leap."
"As long as they are missing, they represent a breech of security. Tyler is right. Dr. Beckett wouldn't leave loose ends like that," Verbena said.
"I knew this was too easy," Tina said. "I think we just discovered the domino effect."
Al rubbed his hand across his forehead. "The files were found in the supply closet of the Gadget Shop...Ziggy, how much time lapses before the files are found and returned to Dr. Beckett's office?" Al asked.
"You won't like this, Admiral," Ziggy said.
"Just tell me how long!"
"Three days."
"Three days! We can't leave Sam there for three more days!"
"This Dr. Beckett won't try to leap until he has everything in order. I'm quite sure of that, Admiral," Verbena said.
Al shook his head. "In the old history, they were stacked in Sam's office. Even during this leap, he was concerned about them. He said they should be put in a safe place. But since they were still in his closet in the present time, I didn't think it was anything to be concerned about," Al said.
"So, what do we do now?" Verbena asked.
"Well, the first thing we do is check the supply closet," Al replied.
"Al, even if they are there, we can't move them," Tina said. "It's one thing for Dr. Beckett to be changing the past. It's quite another for us to be changing the present."
"Maybe we won't have to move them. Maybe if Sam knows where they are, that will be enough for him," Al suggested.
And if they aren't there, then what?" Tina asked.
"We wait, I guess. In the original history, Sam leaps at seven-thirty tonight. Somehow we have to make sure that still happens," Al replied.
"Easier said than done, Admiral," Verbena reiterated,
"I should have all those files on record. It's just a matter of figuring out where I stored mine," Al said. "If worse comes to worse, we'll just make copies and make Sam believe they were found. Then he could go ahead with his plans and everything will be back to status quo. After all, we know the files turn up safe and sound. We just have to make sure Sam knows that, too."
"That may take some time, Admiral," Gushie said. "But we'll get Ziggy working on it right away. Copies have to be buried somewhere in her system."
"I'll go talk to security and explain the situation," Verbena said. "Maybe they'll have some idea how to slip the files back into Sam's office."
"Do whatever you have to do, Verbena. But we have to make sure Sam steps in to that accelerator according to plan. I don't want our Sam drifting in time for even a minute longer than he has to."
"Admiral, I must caution you," Tyler said. "We still have no guarantee that Dr. Beckett will leap into the present. The odds have certainly improved, but we've been this close before without success."
"I know. But at least we have a fighting chance, and I'm not going to let anything mess that up. In the mean time we have to find a way to get our guest back on his original track again. Come hell or high water, he must step into that accelerator at precisely the same time as the original leap." Al said.
Twenty minutes later Gushie walked in to Sam's office unannounced and plopped down on the sofa. Sam looked up from his desk. He couldn't read the look on Gushie's face, but noticed the corner's of Gushie's mouth had a definite twist but Sam couldn't tell if Gushie looked pleased or devastated.
"Something on your mind?" Sam asked.
Following Verbena's instructions, Gushie got up and began pacing. Sam waited patiently.
"I'm afraid we have a little problem," Gushie said. "I'm quite confident that it can be corrected mind you... Still, it does create some... minor inconveniences."
"I see. Mind going into a little more detail? That way I'll know what it is we're talking about here."
"Yes, of course. I'm sorry Dr. Beckett. It's just that nothing like this has occurred before. At least, not that I'm aware."
Sam leaned forward in his chair and waited for Gushie to continue.
"Oh, the Admiral is going to be very upset."
"Sit down, Gushie, and tell me exactly what is going on."
"Gushie sat back down on the sofa. "Well, I drove Al, er... Admiral Calavicci to the airport..."
"So he's finally on his way to Washington?"
"Yes, I believe so. He should have left half an hour ago."
A look of panic suddenly covered Gushie's face. "Oh, Dr. Beckett, what if his plane was delayed? What if he comes back here before I can get this problem resolved?"
Sam's patience was beginning to wane.
"Before what can be resolved?" Sam asked.
"The Admiral asked me to take him to the airport because he didn't want to leave his new car in the airport parking garage. So I took him to the airport and came right back here."
"Gushie, did you scratch Al's brand new, experimental car when you parked it?"
"Oh, no, nothing like that."
Sam sighed. "Then what are you so worried about?"
"Well, the Admiral asked me to give you a message as soon as I returned...Only I forgot all about it... until I was told about the security alert for your missing files."
Feeling exasperated, Sam rubbed his hand across his mouth.
"Al knows where my files are, right?" Sam asked.
Gushie nodded. "It seems he wanted to review some statistics. On the way to the airport, he realized you might notice them missing and be worried."
"Well, he was right about that. Security is conducting a project wide search right now."
"I already notified security that the files were found in the Admiral's office," Gushie lied. "But..."
"There's more?"
"No. It's just that the Admiral can get a little... irate at times."
Sam smiled. "Don't worry about Al. I'm sure he'll have plenty of other things to be irate about when he returns. In fact, I have a feeling that this will go by completely unnoticed," Sam reassured him.
"All the same, Dr. Beckett, I'm sorry to have given you cause for concern."
"It was an honest mistake, Gushie. I'm just glad the files were found. It takes a load off my mind."
Gushie nodded and got up and headed out of Sam's office.
Sam shut the door and turned back to his desk, but stopped suddenly when he felt a sharp twinge in his right shoulder. He raised his right arm and stretched it until the sensation subsided. He also had an odd feeling of not being alone in the room. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, then raised his head to gaze up toward the ceiling. "I could use a change of scenery, you know," he lamented out loud.