"How are you two doing in here?" Wade asked, entering a small room where Quinn and Arturo could be seen hunkering over a table. The room itself resembled that of a workshop, a nearby figure sitting and watching the two sliders with interest and obvious irritation. His name was Brandon, one of the many ex-slaves she and her friends helped escape from the conquered world through sliding. She held a great deal of gratitude toward them. It was because of them that they first broke through the Kromagg shielding a few days ago, and it was because of them Quinn no longer had a tracker implant inside of him. However, these last few days they seemed to come up with excuses instead of further ideas to rescue Rembrandt, and they seemed completely against the idea of her friends using the timer to try and save him.
Wade nodded to the man as she passed him, offering him a friendly smile as she approached her closest friends. She may not agree with their most recent actions, but she wouldn't be rude to them after all they had done for her and her friends. Quinn remained focused on the task at hand, Arturo turning to greet her with a smile. The timer lay open on the table, Quinn poking around at its circuits with some fine tools.
"Ah Miss Welles, glad you could join us. Mr. Mallory and I may have found a solution. We've just completed the necessary adjustments to the Quantum Scanners power chip in order to breach the Kromagg prison Earth's barrier. We believe the power boost to the vortex will be enough to break through and rescue Mr. Brown. According to our friends here, Kromagg's use high-power tunnels to travel between dimensions. If that is the case, we may need to create our own high power tunnel to travel to one of their outposts. If this does not work, however, I'm afraid we will have to wait until our friends here come up with another solution. However long that will take" Arturo said, the last part coming out harshly. Wade knew it wasn't directed at her.
"Why do you say that?" she asked, looking between the two as Quinn closed the timer and turned it back on.
"Once we open a vortex the chip will short circuit, meaning we don't get a second shot at this" Quinn answered her, turning to face her with a look of determination. It took her a moment to process the information, frowning as she turned to the professor.
"Wait, doesn't that mean the Quantum Scanner will no longer function?"
"That is correct, Miss Welles. Unfortunately, this will result in the loss of the Quantum Scanner, and thus our way home. Not only that, but the power chip is what allowed my timer to open gateways at any time. Without it, we will be forced to once again slide randomly based on the Helix Spiral. Mr. Mallory and I have already made the necessary adjustments. While I do not like having to return to random sliding we must rescue Mr. Brown, whatever the cost"
She couldn't argue with that. If what Quinn said about him was true, that he pushed him away and thought it was all a lie, then those Kromagg's were truly twisting his mind with their manipulations. She couldn't leave him there until some other solution presented itself, not if she could save him sooner.
"I have to object to this rash behavior," Brandon cut in, getting to his feet and approaching the sliders, "we will find another way inside, we already broke through once. You do not have to sacrifice your only way home. Please, reconsider"
Arturo turned to the man, a look of irritation evident on his face. Wade could tell he was tired of their excuses.
"Our top priority is saving Mr. Brown. How long will it be until your people can break through the shielding again? Every day we wait is another day Mr. Brown remains in Kromagg hands. I will not leave him there for another second, even if it costs me my only way home" Arturo all but shouted, pointing his finger at the man angrily.
The man shrunk back, as if he were struck. Noticing this Arturo simmered down, but stood by his words. He would not continue to sit here and wait for answers when it appeared they weren't even looking. Not when one of his family needed him.
"I agree with the professor. I saw what he was like. He didn't know what was real and what wasn't, they were torturing him. You of all people know how cruel the Kromaggs are" Quinn added.
"Look, can you just give me an hour? Let me go talk to the others. For all, we know they may have already found a solution, and you're throwing your only way home away for nothing. If they haven't found anything, then you can slide. I won't argue anymore" Brandon practically begged.
Arturo sighed, looking between Wade and Quinn. After a brief moment of silent agreement, he turned back to the man and nodded.
Brandon sighed in relief, soon leaving the room and heading across the large building for the leader of this very risky assignment. His pace was quick, his mind swirling with panic as he approached the room. They could not fail this mission, their overlords would not have mercy. He entered the leader's private chamber, the leader looking at him with confusion as he quickly closed the door behind him.
"Why did you leave your post?" He asked harshly, surprised as his fellow slave quickly approached him, looking panicked.
"They are messing with the timer again, but I couldn't stop them this time. They are insistent in trying to rescue Brown on their own. What they're doing could ruin everything, something about frying the chip that powers their way home. If we don't do something quickly then this entire plan will fail! We cannot let them destroy that chip!"
The leader, Anthony, took this in with a growing panic of his own.
"Did you manage to stall them?" He asked quickly, the other man nodding.
"Yes, but only for an hour"
"That isn't much time. I will contact the overlords, see what they want us to do. If we lose that chip, they will kill us all. Go back and stall them, if you have to use force to stop them then do it. I am sure the overlords would rather study the chip themselves than let it be destroyed. Regardless of if they go home on their own, or if our overlords get the timer, they will have what they most desire."
Rembrandt entered the small hotel lobby, spotting Henry standing nearby and observing the passing humans with interest. He seemed to sense Rembrandt's approach, turning to him with a smile.
"Are you feeling better?" He asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
"I guess so. I still don't know if this is some further attempt at manipulation, or if you're being genuine. I figure the best course of action would be to rescue my friends. If you're lying then I admit I don't know what I'd do, but if you're telling the truth we need to save them, the sooner the better. I can't risk their lives because I'm uncertain. Just know I don't trust you" Rembrandt replied, voice stern.
Henry seemed to consider this for a moment, soon nodding in understanding. To Rembrandt's surprise Henry dropped his disguise, revealing his true form as a Kromagg in front of everyone present. He heard several people within the small room yell in fear, turning to see the lot of them backing away in terror.
"Oh my god!" Calhoun yelled from behind the counter, voice laced with panic.
Turning back to Henry he spotted him lifting his arm, a device in his grasp that shot out a small beam. Suddenly, a large red vortex roared to life, causing the previously scared silent viewers to scream once more. Rembrandt was certain he heard Calhoun calling out for his mommy, but he didn't turn back to see.
"You're sure not subtle, ill give you that," Rembrandt chuckled, turning to the vortex with curiosity, "I've always wondered, why are Kromagg gateways red while Q-ball's are blue?"
"Power output," Henry replied, once again speaking through telepathy, "Red vortexes are high output tunnels. They can carry a dozen fully manned Manta ships. Blue vortexes are low output tunnels, capable of at most carrying ten passengers or a single human vehicle"
"Ah, make's sense. Well, guess there's no time like the present" Rembrandt replied, taking the lead and leaping into the red vortex. Henry simply walked into it after him, it closing as the two left the stunned viewers behind to question what they just witnessed.
"Look, just calm down and take a seat. This isn't what you think it is, there is no need to rush!" Brandon growled out, two other slaves flanking his slides as they tried to convince the sliders to back down quietly. After receiving word from Anthony that their overlords were on the way they knew they needed to subdue the sliders.
"There is every need to rush!" Arturo countered with equal venom, pointing at the three of them as he stood protectively in front of Quinn, who held the timer closely. "You spoke to your friends, then returned with no news and later attempted to steal the timer! Why should we continue to trust you?"
"We just don't want you to lose your way home because you were insistent in going sooner than needed. You're our friends, we don't want you to get lost again. Not after you saved us" Brandon replied, gesturing to the other slaves to try and stop them with force. Noticing this Arturo narrowed his eyes, preparing to fight as an unexpected gust of wind caused all six currently present to shield their faces.
A large red vortex opened across from them, the familiar scream of Rembrandt Brown echoing throughout the room as he landed between the two groups. Soon after, Henry exited the vortex, landing on his feet and looking between the sliders and slaves with a look of malice. The slaves immediately backed away, eyeing him with terror. The sliders looked shocked but immediately rushed to Rembrandt's side.
"Rembrandt?" Wade whispered, grabbing his arms and helping him to his feet. Likewise, Quinn and Arturo flanked her, looks of worry on their faces as they watched the Kromagg standing nearby.
"It's really him, his Quantum Signature matches" Quinn quickly checked.
"Master" Brandon whimpered, getting to one knee and bowing quickly as the two flanking slaves did the same, "We held them off as you commanded, my lord. We are glad to see you have made it in time to preserve the power chip. Their power to track Quantum Signatures and return to their home Earth will soon belong to the Dynasty"
"What?" Quinn whispered, looking between the slaves and the Kromagg in horror.
Henry glared at the slaves, focusing on them for a moment before lifting a familiar laser-based weapon their way and firing, knocking the first of the group unconscious. He quickly followed suit with the remaining two before they had a chance to react. The sliders, besides Rembrandt, simply watched this with confusion, unsure why the Kromagg felt the need to knock out his own slaves.
Henry soon turned his attention back to the sliders, a warm feeling building in his chest as he watched them. They were now standing in front of Rembrandt, all three of them. They were attempting to protect him. This open display of friendship and love, it felt good to see it in person. He hoped someday he too could feel such love and loyalty. He was happy Rembrandt had that in these people.
"Guys, it's alright...I think. He helped me escape, told me he wanted to help save you too" Rembrandt tried to tell them, only for Arturo to immediately turn to him with a look of doubt.
"Mr. Brown, with all due respect you may not be in your right mind. When we last saw you, you didn't believe we really came to rescue you. For all we know this could be more Kromagg manipulation!"
Rembrandt opened his mouth to respond, only to cut himself off as he heard another voice from across the room.
"There is not enough time for this"
The four sliders eyes widened in surprise, turning to Henry as they heard him speak aloud for the first time. Before any of them could respond, he fired his weapon once more, striking Quinn in the chest. With a startled cry he fell to the ground, Arturo reaching for him in a panic, only to be hit shortly after.
"No!" Rembrandt yelled, reaching for Wade as another beam hit her, the young woman falling unconscious in his arms. His mind was racing, quickly concluding that it was all a lie. Genuine tears fell from his eyes, turning to Henry with a look of terror and rage. To his immediate surprise, however, Henry lowered the laser based weapon and instead pointed another device at his feet, a large red vortex opening on the floor.
"There was not enough time to convince them. You heard the slaves, they are expecting the Dynasty. You must leave before they arrive. I will remain here to cover your tracks" Henry said, quickly approaching and picking up Quinn's limp body with little effort. He tossed the unconscious man into the vortex, soon reaching for Arturo. Rembrandt simply watched, stunned as the larger Englishman was soon tossed in as well, though with much more obvious exertion.
"What about you?" Rembrandt asked, realizing Henry did not actually betray him, "The Dynasty will kill you for this, won't they? You have to escape too!"
"Do not worry about me, I will escape"
"You'd better, I'd feel guilty if I left a friend behind to die" was all Rembrandt could think to reply with, soon leaping into the vortex as he held onto Wade. Henry smiled at the remark, watching as the vortex closed. With a quick motion, he opened another vortex, right on top of the spot the previous vortex closed. He then opened another beside it, then another. Soon the room was flooded with gateways, each leading to different parallel worlds.
The Dynasty would not find them, not with so many false leads. Quickly he turned to a random vortex, stepping inside and escaping the world as another vortex opened across the hall, several Kromagg soldiers exiting to capture the sliders, completely unaware of what just transpired.