CHAPTER 8
Tuesday, February 8, 2000
Stallion's Gate
Al Calavicci gently disentangled himself from the still sleeping Tina Martinez-O'Farrell. He'd been awake for about an hour, a question gnawing at him. What did Sam mean when he said to "check out Parker"? He had checked out Parker, asked Ziggy for everything it could find on him and came up with precious little. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand: 0430. Knowing he wouldn't sleep any more this night, Al put his clothes on and throwing a silent kiss from the door at Tina, returned to his own quarters for a shower, shave and fresh clothes.
0500 found Al booting up a PC workstation and logging in to 'Ziggynet' as Tina had aptly named the Quantum Leap computer network. He looked up from the monitor and surveyed the office he sat in. He hadn't been in this office for several years. He usually felt like an interloper in Sam Beckett's office. However, this morning, for this purpose, it seemed appropriate.
The shelves were lined with books on diverse subjects such as Computer Technology, Physics, Archeology and Elvis Presley. On the wall a photograph of the teen-aged Sam Beckett, wearing a tuxedo and standing in front of a grand piano was almost lost among the myriad of diplomas that were framed and hung despite their owner's protest. On the desk, neat stacks of papers and books semi-hid two other personal items: a photo of Sam and Al taken in front of the Star Bright laboratory and a formal photograph of Donna Elesee, radiant in her wedding gown.
A soft chime from the computer reclaimed his attention. The log on process was complete and his message icon was flashing. He clicked on the flasher first. Instantly the NSA planned raid on Stallion's Gate was laid out in front of him. Ziggy had even calculated possible outcomes based on what and/or whom the NSA found on the premises. The Admiral read through the information and chose his course of action. The clock read 0505. Al sent a wake-up call and urgent, 0600 meeting notice to all senior staffers via Ziggynet. He decided to use his pre-meeting time productively by researching Frank Parker as Sam had suggested.
The old song "What a Difference a Day Makes" came to Al's mind as page after page of personal information on Francis B. Parker rolled across the monitor screen. Birth records, school records, military records, marriage license, divorce decree, even some medical records flowed from the computer. The volume of the information was so outrageous that the admiral opened a voice link to Ziggy to confirm what he had on his screen. The Artificial Intelligence confirmed that the entire file was indeed on the Francis B. Parker that was in the Waiting Room. In response to Al's question as to why none of this was available the previous day Ziggy replied that only Dr. Beckett could approve access to "time sensitive data" and he did so at 2200 yesterday. Al pondered for a moment on the Artificial Intelligence's incontrovertible loyalty to Sam and then set about the task at hand.
HQ - Socorro
At 0530 the Backstep strike team assembled for breakfast and a final briefing. Bradley Talmadge allowed Nate Ramsey the lead in outlining the tactical strategy. For Bradley Talmadge, this was the opportunity to officially notify Project Quantum Leap of the bomb threat and offer N.S.A. help to Admiral Calavicci. Ramsey deployed 3 man teams to search the offices, work areas and personnel quarters at Stallion's Gate. Officially, their objective was to locate any existing bomb. Their real objective was twofold: 1. locate the possible origination of the "Conundrum" call and 2. gain any and all information on the man who called out Donovan's name. They would move out at 0600.
Stallion's Gate
0530 found Admiral Calavicci sitting in front of the computer monitor in Sam Beckett's office.
He was totally floored at the similarities between Frank Parker's life and his own. Both men had been orphaned early and placed in the care of social services. Both ran away as teens to make their lives on the street. Al turned to show business; Frank had several soft brushes with the law before each man joined the Navy. Both had fought on foreign soil and been P.O.W.'s, which in both cases ultimately cost the men their marriages. 'Parker was lucky enough to have a son,' Al thought, slightly jealous. Frank Parker was now in his life where Al Calavicci had been thirty years ago, and Al remembered it all to well. The question that had awakened him two hours ago now had an answer. Parker reminded Sam of Al.
A soft knock on the open office door derailed Al's train of thought. Donna Elesee stood in the doorway.
"I was on my way to the meeting you called and saw the light on." she said surprised.
Al suddenly felt very guilty. He turned off the monitor. "Sorry I'm using Sam's off...." he began.
Donna walked over to the desk Al sat at. "Why are you sorry? It's a logical place to go when you're thinking about him." Al looked very uncomfortable. "I've been thinking a lot about him in the last day or so myself," Donna continued. She picked up the picture of Al and Sam at Star Bright and smiled at the two faces in it. "You know, Sam and I met before you introduced us at Star Bright."
It was the admiral's turn to be surprised. "You did?"
"When I was interviewing for colleges my senior year of high school," Donna said.
"You went to Sarah Lawrence undergrad," Al said.
"Yes," Donna replied, "But I also interviewed at M.I.T. There I met a grad student in a professor's office."
"Sam Beckett?"
Donna nodded, looking lost in the memory for a moment. "He was just slightly older than I was but a Grad Student. That's when I figured I'd never make it at M.I.T. Besides, I liked Lawrence. I was reminded of that yesterday. Someone," she gave a nervous laugh, "someone handed me the same pickup line Sam gave me in Dr. Mentnor's office."
"I hope you handed it back," Al said quickly, his paternal instinct alerted.
"Of course" she said lightly. Her own family was far away, so Donna appreciated the way Al looked out for her.
"Did you say Dr. Mentnor?" Al questioned.
"Yes, Isaac Mentnor. Why?"
"Just a name that came up recently," Al tried to close the conversation. Donna's questioning eyes wouldn't let it go. "Ziggy's been researching papers written on time travel other than Sam's." Al thought the explanation was weak but Donna accepted it.
Looking again at the picture in her hand, Donna said, "I don't think Sam ever remembered that meeting. It was so brief and so long before Star Bright." She took a deep cleansing breath and changed the subject. "So what are you working on?" she questioned Al, replacing the photograph on the desk.
"Some research on the current Guest," Al answered truthfully. He saved the Parker file in a password-protected program and glanced at the desk clock, 0548. "Want to grab some coffee to take to the meeting?"
"Why Admiral," Donna adopted a 'southern belle' accent, "I thought you'd never ask." she teased. Al shut down the workstation and escorted Donna to the meeting room.
****************
Socorro
Nate Ramsey caught up with John Ballard just before leaving for Stallion's Gate. "Keep a close eye on Parker, will ya, John? He's been acting weirder than usual."
"How so?" asked Ballard.
Nate pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and offered it to John. "This is the surveillance report on Parker for the last 24 hours before we left Nevada. He spent all night that night reviewing mission logs and personnel files. There," he pointed to a spot on the page, "he was observed having a very animated conversation with thin air just after 0500."
"Frank's always talked to himself." John observed.
"This was different. He usually doesn't usually wait for replies in his 'stream of consciousness' verbal diarrhea. He did last night." A beep of a horn interrupted the conversation. "I gotta go, John. Just think about it," Ramsey finished as he ran over to the waiting humvee.
Stallion's Gate
At 0600, as the convoy lead by Talmadge left Socorro, Al began the hardest staff meeting Project Quantum Leap had seen. Senior staffers present included Verbena, Gooshie, Tina, Donna and Jim Reed, who was the commander of Quantum Leap's security staff of Marines.
"We are about to get a visit from the N.S.A." Al began. "During the little stroll our Guest took yesterday, he placed a phone call to them which has been traced to Stallion's Gate. They will be here in approximately 30 minutes and we need to be ready for them."
"What do you need, Admiral?" asked Reed.
"Jim, alert the men to the situation and arrange for a congenial welcome. I don't want the N.S.A. to know that we know." Al dismissed the commander to attend to his men. "I'll have to blow off that meeting in Alamagordo..." he continued.
"No problem, I'll take it," Donna offered. "The bureaucrats will have to do with me in your place."
"Good, Donna. Thanks. It's at 10 and Ziggy has the outline of the presentation." Al said. Turning his attention to the two computer experts he said, "Gooshie and Tina, I need you two to 'disappear' all the data on the current leap including all information on our Guest. I realize in my absence you would usually take the reins, Gooshie but I need someone who really 'reads people' well to handle the N.S.A. Verbena, that's you." All three nodded their agreement.
"What do you mean in your absence? Where are you going if I'm taking the Alamagordo meeting?" Donna wanted to know.
"We can't have our Guest questioned, it would endanger Sam. I'm taking him off premises."
Loud protests arose from all the Quantum Leap staffers. "Admiral, I don't think that a good idea." "Why don't we just sedate him again?" "Al honey, he's dangerous." Al raised his hands to quiet everyone down.
Verbena asked, "Why are you taking Mr. ..."
"The Guest" Al quickly corrected her. The less people who knew Parker's name, the better.
"The Guest off grounds?" Verbena finished her question.
"I don't want to keep drugging him. I need a chance to find out a few things about him and I think I can catch more flies with honey." Al answered. "No more protests, we don't have time."
Gooshie stood up. "Admiral, if we're going to arrange a little amnesia for Ziggy, Tina and I better start."
"Good, go," Al waved them out of the room.
"I've got to change if I'm going to meet with Congressmen." Donna stated, regarding her casual attire. She started to leave the room.
"Wait a minute." Al requested. Then he turned to Verbena and said, "Would you see that our Guest is awake and dressed? I will be in to talk to him in a couple of minutes."
"Sure," Verbena said as she left the room.
"This nozzle who hit on you, he wasn't one of the congressmen, was he?" Al asked Donna.
"No, it wasn't a congressman," Donna smiled broadly at him. "It was someone with my old professor, Isaac Mentnor. A guy named Parker, Frank Parker."
Al began to smile and stopped himself. "Good, I didn't want to send you across the state to an over-amorous bureaucrat," he said to Donna as they left the meeting room to head in opposite directions.
**************
Frank looked to see who was coming through the door of his featureless room. He smiled when he saw Verbena with an armful of clothes. She was followed by an armed marine.
"Oh, good. Day shift is back," Frank greeted Verbena. "Your night replacement is nowhere near as pretty as you are, Doctor."
"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Mister Parker."
Frank winced at the formal name. Damn, he missed Olga.
"Parker!?" Verbena called his attention back.
"What?"
"Let's call a truce and we can let this Marine go on with his day. You don't push past me anymore and I won't kick you again. Deal?" Verbena offered her hand.
"Deal" Frank agreed and shook her hand.
"Good," Verbena said and told the guard to wait outside for Admiral Calavicci. After he left, she offered the clothes to Frank. "Here, you could probably use a change by now." She touched some buttons on her wristband and a small screen rose from the floor allowing for a private dressing area in the far corner.
"Thanks," Frank grunted as he took the clothes and went behind the screen to change. He had gotten the pants on when he heard Admiral Calavicci enter the room.
"Where is … oh, there you are." Al spoke as Frank appeared from behind the screen, shirt still in his hand. "Good, you're dressed."
"Almost" Frank responded as he pulled on a vintage 'Jimmy Hendrix' T-shirt.
Al was feeling every tick of the clock although he was trying not to appear rushed. "You caused a lot of problems for us by calling you friends at the N.S.A." he began.
"I did?" Frank barely tried for innocence.
"Don't play now, Parker. It's time for the truth." Al's anxiety was beginning to get the better of him.
"Truth would be refreshing," Frank challenged.
Verbena jumped into the conversation. "What's with the attitude?" she directed at Frank.
Al waved her off. "Ignore it, 'Bena." Then he turned his attention back to Frank. "I need to know what you know about the bomb..."
"BOMB!" came from an astonished Verbena.
" ... And what you remember about where you are." Al finished, ignoring Verbena for the moment.
Frank thought this over for a moment. "And in return?" he questioned.
"I tell you the truth, too." Al stared through Sam's aura directly at Frank as he spoke.
Verbena was shocked at the number of his own rules Al was breaking. She moved to his side and touched him lightly on the arm. "Admiral?"
Al looked at his watch in response and said, "We're running out of time."
Frank watched this exchange and the realization of how much Calavicci was putting on the line became clear. He directed his statement directly at Al. "I'm at Project Quantum Leap."
Al nodded, waiting for Frank to continue and Dr. Beeks to pick her jaw up off the floor.
Frank continued, "It's a time travel project lead by Dr. Sam Beckett."
Now Verbena had to speak up. "How do you know all this?" she asked Frank.
Simultaneously Al and Frank answered her. "It's history." Frank said. "Later, I promise, 'Bena" came from Al.
Frank returned his attention to Al. "It's not February tenth yet is it?"
"No, it's the eighth."
Frank breathed a slight sigh of relief. "In the early morning of February tenth, a bomb is going to explode, destroying this facility and killing everyone in it."
"I know," responded Al softly.
Verbena had had enough of being ignored. "Admiral?!?"
Al turned his attention to her. "That's the official reason the N.S.A. team is coming today. The real reason is to look for him. Yesterday he made two separate contacts with N.S.A. members." Al took his friend's hand in his. "Sam is working on this from his side."
"So he," Verbena nodded at Frank, "has to disappear." Al nodded. "I have some notes to shred," Verbena said and walked out of the room.
Nothing makes Frank Parker more nervous than being spoken about in the third party in his presence. The word 'disappear' didn't reassure him either.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
"You and I are going on a field trip," Al said. Seeing resistance in Frank's eyes he opened his jacket enough to reveal the Taser strapped under his left arm. "I'd rather not carry you out but I will if have to."
Frank decided to play it cool. He wouldn't believe the Admiral would murder him and Tasers weren't lethal. "No problem as long as you take me somewhere I can get a good cup of coffee," he promised Al.
"You have a deal," Al said. "Let's go." Al led Frank through the corridors of Quantum Leap, up the main elevator and to the parking level. Frank couldn't help but notice the stares and smiles that people flashed as he walked by. The pair stopped just before exiting the facility. Al touched a series of buttons on his wristband and waited.
"The parking facility is empty but I estimate arrival by the N.S.A. team in five minutes, Admiral." Ziggy's alto responded.
Al touched the wristband in acknowledgment and motioned Frank out the door. The men went to a vintage fire engine red Thunderbird convertible.
"Nice car," Frank observed.
"Thanks, get in." Al responded. The engine roared to life and as the car approached the checkpoint, the Gate swung open. The two guards at full attention who saluted as they drove past amused Frank.
Al swung the around the far side of Stallion's Gate and headed off into the desert. He wanted to avoid the road until he was sure the N.S.A. had arrived. A few moments later, the onboard link to Ziggynet beeped. Talmadge and his band had arrived at Quantum Leap. Now it was time to fulfill his end of the bargain with Parker.
"Frank? I can call you that, right?" he questioned.
"As long as you don't call me late for dinner," Frank responded with the punch line of an old joke.
"Did your Intell say anything about how Dr. Beckett travels in time?"
"By switching places with someone in that particular time frame." Frank answered. "Why?"
Al stopped the car. He reached across Frank and pulled down the passenger side visor. "Frank, meet Sam Beckett," he said as he brought his hand off the mirror on the inside.
"Holy Shit!" The phrase was out of Frank's mouth as he did a double take at the reflection in the mirror. Gone was the face Frank had gotten used to in the last 32 years. A slightly older man, one with light eyes and sandy brown hair had replaced it. 'Aging Surfer' was the description that came to Frank's mind. He looked over at Calavicci who was studying his reaction with a practiced eye. "This is crazy!" Frank finally said. He watched the face in the mirror say it too.
"That it is, Frank. That it is." said Al. Satisfied that Frank wasn't going to flip out on him; Al put the car back in gear and headed off into the sunrise.
Socorro
Just after Craig left the room in the morning, Sam got out of bed and began his day. After dressing in running shorts and a T-shirt, he called Ziggy for an update. Ziggy informed him that Al had received and acted on his warning. The N.S.A. would find nothing of concern at Stallion's Gate. Relieved, Sam went to find Olga to invite her to run with him. He couldn't afford to raise her suspicions by acting too 'out of character' for Frank Parker.
Isaac Mentnor and John Ballard were finishing a discussion on opera over coffee when they saw Olga and 'Frank' return from their morning run. They promised the runners they would keep the table and wait for them. It was then that John remembered what Nate had said about Frank and brought it to Isaac's attention.
"It's funny that Nate mentioned this because Olga and I are concerned about Frank, too. How was he yesterday at Quantum Leap?" John questioned.
Isaac shrugged his shoulders. "Typical Parker. He tried to pick up my former student. What was it that raised your concerns?" Isaac was working on his own theory about the change in Parker's behavior.
John filled Isaac in on the conversation he and Olga had had the previous evening citing the lack of profanity, the formality with Olga and the over interest in Quantum Leap. He showed Isaac the transcript Nate had given him. The review of the mission logs and animated conversation with himself the night following the backstep were of intense interest to Isaac and lent themselves well to his theory. However, until he had more proof, Isaac wasn't quite ready to share this theory with his colleague.
************
Stallion's Gate
Bradley Talmadge and Nate Ramsey made first contact at Stallion's Gate by asking to see Admiral Calavicci. After being told that the Admiral was off premises, Bradley asked to speak to the highest-ranking member of the Project. Verbena greeted the NSA team like honored guests. Quickly Bradley informed the good doctor that the government had received a threat against Project Quantum Leap and had dispatched Ramsey and his team to locate and disable the explosive. Verbena reacted reasonable shocked at the prospect of anyone wanting to destroy all of Dr. Beckett's hard work. She granted access to Ramsey's team with the proviso that a QL M.P. accompanied each of the search groups to "act as a guide through the maze of internal corridors and unlock any necessary doors". Ramsey had no choice but to agree.
******************
Donna Elesee, now dressed like a university lecturer, placed the printed copy of Al's speech in her briefcase. She stopped at the Control Center before she left for Alamagordo. Gooshie and Tina had downloaded all the current leap data onto Gooshie's laptop and then purged Ziggy's memory. They were musing about where to stash the laptop when she entered the room. Feeling that 'off-premises' was the safest, Donna volunteered to take the laptop to Alamagordo with her. Neither techie could see any reason not to give the laptop to Dr. Elesee. Besides, it added to the image she wanted to portray to the finance committee. Tina also gave Donna a note for Congressman Martinelli's assistant "if she saw her".
Donna drove past the NSA convoy parked in front of Stallion's Gate on her way to the highway. She noted the similarity between them and the contingent of Marines deployed to Project Quantum Leap. All fresh-faced young men and women eager to make their mark on the world. It was about thirty miles later that Donna realized she had seen one of those faces before. It was Donovan, one of the men that Isaac had brought yesterday.
*************
Al Calavicci had stopped briefly in Bingham for the promised coffee then swung southeast through the Capitan Mountain range toward Roswell. During the drive, he and Frank exchanged information about Project Quantum Leap and the bombing. Frank kept talking about the bombing as if it had already happened and the past tense of his remarks both mystified and amused Al. He was very impressed with Frank Parker. He was very bright, quick-witted and had a great eye for detail. The 'swiss-cheesing effect' was very limited and Parker's memory was filling in with each passing mile. Al just hoped the same wasn't happening to Sam.
**************
HQ
Later in the morning John Ballard, Olga Vukovitch and Sam were kicking around ideas on how to protect Project Quantum Leap's power core. Olga came up with the obvious first.
"The easiest thing would be to move the primary away from the power core," she said.
John responded with, "If we find it in time."
"We could just defuse it," Sam offered, the thought of any explosion in his project just ate away at his gut.
"Isaac is reviewing the data on the bomb fragments from the last timeline," John told them. "He prefers that option above all else."
Olga was studying the diagram of Project Quantum Leap on the wall. "Is there anyway to add shielding to structure here and here?" She pointed to the two levels between the garage and the power core.
John answered, "We would have had to have started already. Construction alone would take two weeks. Why didn't they shield the core better when they built it?"
Sam reacted before he could think. "WE..." he started out hotly. John and Olga immediately stiffened at his tone, and Sam's brain kicked in, "... Well, I guess they never thought they'd be a bombing target," he finished fighting to keep the bitterness he felt out of his voice. Sam watched Olga and John's reactions and realized that he had not succeeded. He took a deep breath and tried another approach. "We could force a rapid shutdown of the core."
The worry on John's face was replaced with intrigue.
Sam continued, "It's risky but if Ziggy detected the..."
"Ziggy?" Olga questioned.
John beat Sam to the explanation, "Ziggy is the hybrid supercomputer that controls all the vital functions at Project Quantum Leap."
Sam stared at him in amazement and Olga voiced the question on Sam's mind, "How did you know that?"
"Susan and I relied on the groundwork done by Dr. Beckett when we created Claire."
Satisfied, Sam continued, "Ziggy could shut down the core in forty-five seconds if she needed to."
"How long was it between the primary and secondary explosions?" Olga asked.
"Thirty-eight seconds," John and Sam answered together.
Olga continued, "So if we can't stop the primary we have 38 seconds to evacuate everyone."
"Or the AI needs to know about the primary before it explodes," John built on Olga's train of thought.
"Evacuation saves lives," Olga finished.
"But not the technology built into that mesa." Sam retorted. "We'd lose the Acceleration Chamber, Imaging Room and Ziggy." He looked meaningfully at John and said, "We can't lose her like we lost Claire." Silently Sam thanked Frank's personal journal for the information on previous backsteps.
The passion in Frank's words raised Olga's concerns about her friend and it showed on her face. Fear and nausea began to push at Sam. He had to get away. "I need a break," he rushed out of his mouth and walked just as quickly out of the conference room.
Outside Sam consciously slowed his breathing down. If he allowed the fear to have a foothold, he would not be able to save anything. Ziggy was his brainchild; he would not let her die. As he walked slowly back to the conference room a new idea occurred to him. Once in the room he noticed the addition of Isaac to the group. All three faces studied him with anticipation.
"There is another consideration," Sam said.
"What's that?" Isaac asked.
Sam chose his words carefully. "If the acceleration and computer technology is lost, Dr. Beckett will remain where he is."
"And who he is." Isaac added under his breath.
"Dr. Beckett won't be able to return." Sam stated the obvious then gave it a moment to sink in to the Backstep personnel. "I know what it feels like to be displaced in time," he added.
Olga's face had softened considerably. "You feel a kinship with Dr. Beckett," she stated.
Isaac jumped in to the conversation, "Of course, he's a fellow time traveler."
The group paused to consider what had been said. John Ballard broke the silence, "O.K. so let's focus our efforts on the primary. Isaac, what did you find out?"
Tuesday, February 8, 2000
Stallion's Gate
Al Calavicci gently disentangled himself from the still sleeping Tina Martinez-O'Farrell. He'd been awake for about an hour, a question gnawing at him. What did Sam mean when he said to "check out Parker"? He had checked out Parker, asked Ziggy for everything it could find on him and came up with precious little. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand: 0430. Knowing he wouldn't sleep any more this night, Al put his clothes on and throwing a silent kiss from the door at Tina, returned to his own quarters for a shower, shave and fresh clothes.
0500 found Al booting up a PC workstation and logging in to 'Ziggynet' as Tina had aptly named the Quantum Leap computer network. He looked up from the monitor and surveyed the office he sat in. He hadn't been in this office for several years. He usually felt like an interloper in Sam Beckett's office. However, this morning, for this purpose, it seemed appropriate.
The shelves were lined with books on diverse subjects such as Computer Technology, Physics, Archeology and Elvis Presley. On the wall a photograph of the teen-aged Sam Beckett, wearing a tuxedo and standing in front of a grand piano was almost lost among the myriad of diplomas that were framed and hung despite their owner's protest. On the desk, neat stacks of papers and books semi-hid two other personal items: a photo of Sam and Al taken in front of the Star Bright laboratory and a formal photograph of Donna Elesee, radiant in her wedding gown.
A soft chime from the computer reclaimed his attention. The log on process was complete and his message icon was flashing. He clicked on the flasher first. Instantly the NSA planned raid on Stallion's Gate was laid out in front of him. Ziggy had even calculated possible outcomes based on what and/or whom the NSA found on the premises. The Admiral read through the information and chose his course of action. The clock read 0505. Al sent a wake-up call and urgent, 0600 meeting notice to all senior staffers via Ziggynet. He decided to use his pre-meeting time productively by researching Frank Parker as Sam had suggested.
The old song "What a Difference a Day Makes" came to Al's mind as page after page of personal information on Francis B. Parker rolled across the monitor screen. Birth records, school records, military records, marriage license, divorce decree, even some medical records flowed from the computer. The volume of the information was so outrageous that the admiral opened a voice link to Ziggy to confirm what he had on his screen. The Artificial Intelligence confirmed that the entire file was indeed on the Francis B. Parker that was in the Waiting Room. In response to Al's question as to why none of this was available the previous day Ziggy replied that only Dr. Beckett could approve access to "time sensitive data" and he did so at 2200 yesterday. Al pondered for a moment on the Artificial Intelligence's incontrovertible loyalty to Sam and then set about the task at hand.
HQ - Socorro
At 0530 the Backstep strike team assembled for breakfast and a final briefing. Bradley Talmadge allowed Nate Ramsey the lead in outlining the tactical strategy. For Bradley Talmadge, this was the opportunity to officially notify Project Quantum Leap of the bomb threat and offer N.S.A. help to Admiral Calavicci. Ramsey deployed 3 man teams to search the offices, work areas and personnel quarters at Stallion's Gate. Officially, their objective was to locate any existing bomb. Their real objective was twofold: 1. locate the possible origination of the "Conundrum" call and 2. gain any and all information on the man who called out Donovan's name. They would move out at 0600.
Stallion's Gate
0530 found Admiral Calavicci sitting in front of the computer monitor in Sam Beckett's office.
He was totally floored at the similarities between Frank Parker's life and his own. Both men had been orphaned early and placed in the care of social services. Both ran away as teens to make their lives on the street. Al turned to show business; Frank had several soft brushes with the law before each man joined the Navy. Both had fought on foreign soil and been P.O.W.'s, which in both cases ultimately cost the men their marriages. 'Parker was lucky enough to have a son,' Al thought, slightly jealous. Frank Parker was now in his life where Al Calavicci had been thirty years ago, and Al remembered it all to well. The question that had awakened him two hours ago now had an answer. Parker reminded Sam of Al.
A soft knock on the open office door derailed Al's train of thought. Donna Elesee stood in the doorway.
"I was on my way to the meeting you called and saw the light on." she said surprised.
Al suddenly felt very guilty. He turned off the monitor. "Sorry I'm using Sam's off...." he began.
Donna walked over to the desk Al sat at. "Why are you sorry? It's a logical place to go when you're thinking about him." Al looked very uncomfortable. "I've been thinking a lot about him in the last day or so myself," Donna continued. She picked up the picture of Al and Sam at Star Bright and smiled at the two faces in it. "You know, Sam and I met before you introduced us at Star Bright."
It was the admiral's turn to be surprised. "You did?"
"When I was interviewing for colleges my senior year of high school," Donna said.
"You went to Sarah Lawrence undergrad," Al said.
"Yes," Donna replied, "But I also interviewed at M.I.T. There I met a grad student in a professor's office."
"Sam Beckett?"
Donna nodded, looking lost in the memory for a moment. "He was just slightly older than I was but a Grad Student. That's when I figured I'd never make it at M.I.T. Besides, I liked Lawrence. I was reminded of that yesterday. Someone," she gave a nervous laugh, "someone handed me the same pickup line Sam gave me in Dr. Mentnor's office."
"I hope you handed it back," Al said quickly, his paternal instinct alerted.
"Of course" she said lightly. Her own family was far away, so Donna appreciated the way Al looked out for her.
"Did you say Dr. Mentnor?" Al questioned.
"Yes, Isaac Mentnor. Why?"
"Just a name that came up recently," Al tried to close the conversation. Donna's questioning eyes wouldn't let it go. "Ziggy's been researching papers written on time travel other than Sam's." Al thought the explanation was weak but Donna accepted it.
Looking again at the picture in her hand, Donna said, "I don't think Sam ever remembered that meeting. It was so brief and so long before Star Bright." She took a deep cleansing breath and changed the subject. "So what are you working on?" she questioned Al, replacing the photograph on the desk.
"Some research on the current Guest," Al answered truthfully. He saved the Parker file in a password-protected program and glanced at the desk clock, 0548. "Want to grab some coffee to take to the meeting?"
"Why Admiral," Donna adopted a 'southern belle' accent, "I thought you'd never ask." she teased. Al shut down the workstation and escorted Donna to the meeting room.
****************
Socorro
Nate Ramsey caught up with John Ballard just before leaving for Stallion's Gate. "Keep a close eye on Parker, will ya, John? He's been acting weirder than usual."
"How so?" asked Ballard.
Nate pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and offered it to John. "This is the surveillance report on Parker for the last 24 hours before we left Nevada. He spent all night that night reviewing mission logs and personnel files. There," he pointed to a spot on the page, "he was observed having a very animated conversation with thin air just after 0500."
"Frank's always talked to himself." John observed.
"This was different. He usually doesn't usually wait for replies in his 'stream of consciousness' verbal diarrhea. He did last night." A beep of a horn interrupted the conversation. "I gotta go, John. Just think about it," Ramsey finished as he ran over to the waiting humvee.
Stallion's Gate
At 0600, as the convoy lead by Talmadge left Socorro, Al began the hardest staff meeting Project Quantum Leap had seen. Senior staffers present included Verbena, Gooshie, Tina, Donna and Jim Reed, who was the commander of Quantum Leap's security staff of Marines.
"We are about to get a visit from the N.S.A." Al began. "During the little stroll our Guest took yesterday, he placed a phone call to them which has been traced to Stallion's Gate. They will be here in approximately 30 minutes and we need to be ready for them."
"What do you need, Admiral?" asked Reed.
"Jim, alert the men to the situation and arrange for a congenial welcome. I don't want the N.S.A. to know that we know." Al dismissed the commander to attend to his men. "I'll have to blow off that meeting in Alamagordo..." he continued.
"No problem, I'll take it," Donna offered. "The bureaucrats will have to do with me in your place."
"Good, Donna. Thanks. It's at 10 and Ziggy has the outline of the presentation." Al said. Turning his attention to the two computer experts he said, "Gooshie and Tina, I need you two to 'disappear' all the data on the current leap including all information on our Guest. I realize in my absence you would usually take the reins, Gooshie but I need someone who really 'reads people' well to handle the N.S.A. Verbena, that's you." All three nodded their agreement.
"What do you mean in your absence? Where are you going if I'm taking the Alamagordo meeting?" Donna wanted to know.
"We can't have our Guest questioned, it would endanger Sam. I'm taking him off premises."
Loud protests arose from all the Quantum Leap staffers. "Admiral, I don't think that a good idea." "Why don't we just sedate him again?" "Al honey, he's dangerous." Al raised his hands to quiet everyone down.
Verbena asked, "Why are you taking Mr. ..."
"The Guest" Al quickly corrected her. The less people who knew Parker's name, the better.
"The Guest off grounds?" Verbena finished her question.
"I don't want to keep drugging him. I need a chance to find out a few things about him and I think I can catch more flies with honey." Al answered. "No more protests, we don't have time."
Gooshie stood up. "Admiral, if we're going to arrange a little amnesia for Ziggy, Tina and I better start."
"Good, go," Al waved them out of the room.
"I've got to change if I'm going to meet with Congressmen." Donna stated, regarding her casual attire. She started to leave the room.
"Wait a minute." Al requested. Then he turned to Verbena and said, "Would you see that our Guest is awake and dressed? I will be in to talk to him in a couple of minutes."
"Sure," Verbena said as she left the room.
"This nozzle who hit on you, he wasn't one of the congressmen, was he?" Al asked Donna.
"No, it wasn't a congressman," Donna smiled broadly at him. "It was someone with my old professor, Isaac Mentnor. A guy named Parker, Frank Parker."
Al began to smile and stopped himself. "Good, I didn't want to send you across the state to an over-amorous bureaucrat," he said to Donna as they left the meeting room to head in opposite directions.
**************
Frank looked to see who was coming through the door of his featureless room. He smiled when he saw Verbena with an armful of clothes. She was followed by an armed marine.
"Oh, good. Day shift is back," Frank greeted Verbena. "Your night replacement is nowhere near as pretty as you are, Doctor."
"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Mister Parker."
Frank winced at the formal name. Damn, he missed Olga.
"Parker!?" Verbena called his attention back.
"What?"
"Let's call a truce and we can let this Marine go on with his day. You don't push past me anymore and I won't kick you again. Deal?" Verbena offered her hand.
"Deal" Frank agreed and shook her hand.
"Good," Verbena said and told the guard to wait outside for Admiral Calavicci. After he left, she offered the clothes to Frank. "Here, you could probably use a change by now." She touched some buttons on her wristband and a small screen rose from the floor allowing for a private dressing area in the far corner.
"Thanks," Frank grunted as he took the clothes and went behind the screen to change. He had gotten the pants on when he heard Admiral Calavicci enter the room.
"Where is … oh, there you are." Al spoke as Frank appeared from behind the screen, shirt still in his hand. "Good, you're dressed."
"Almost" Frank responded as he pulled on a vintage 'Jimmy Hendrix' T-shirt.
Al was feeling every tick of the clock although he was trying not to appear rushed. "You caused a lot of problems for us by calling you friends at the N.S.A." he began.
"I did?" Frank barely tried for innocence.
"Don't play now, Parker. It's time for the truth." Al's anxiety was beginning to get the better of him.
"Truth would be refreshing," Frank challenged.
Verbena jumped into the conversation. "What's with the attitude?" she directed at Frank.
Al waved her off. "Ignore it, 'Bena." Then he turned his attention back to Frank. "I need to know what you know about the bomb..."
"BOMB!" came from an astonished Verbena.
" ... And what you remember about where you are." Al finished, ignoring Verbena for the moment.
Frank thought this over for a moment. "And in return?" he questioned.
"I tell you the truth, too." Al stared through Sam's aura directly at Frank as he spoke.
Verbena was shocked at the number of his own rules Al was breaking. She moved to his side and touched him lightly on the arm. "Admiral?"
Al looked at his watch in response and said, "We're running out of time."
Frank watched this exchange and the realization of how much Calavicci was putting on the line became clear. He directed his statement directly at Al. "I'm at Project Quantum Leap."
Al nodded, waiting for Frank to continue and Dr. Beeks to pick her jaw up off the floor.
Frank continued, "It's a time travel project lead by Dr. Sam Beckett."
Now Verbena had to speak up. "How do you know all this?" she asked Frank.
Simultaneously Al and Frank answered her. "It's history." Frank said. "Later, I promise, 'Bena" came from Al.
Frank returned his attention to Al. "It's not February tenth yet is it?"
"No, it's the eighth."
Frank breathed a slight sigh of relief. "In the early morning of February tenth, a bomb is going to explode, destroying this facility and killing everyone in it."
"I know," responded Al softly.
Verbena had had enough of being ignored. "Admiral?!?"
Al turned his attention to her. "That's the official reason the N.S.A. team is coming today. The real reason is to look for him. Yesterday he made two separate contacts with N.S.A. members." Al took his friend's hand in his. "Sam is working on this from his side."
"So he," Verbena nodded at Frank, "has to disappear." Al nodded. "I have some notes to shred," Verbena said and walked out of the room.
Nothing makes Frank Parker more nervous than being spoken about in the third party in his presence. The word 'disappear' didn't reassure him either.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
"You and I are going on a field trip," Al said. Seeing resistance in Frank's eyes he opened his jacket enough to reveal the Taser strapped under his left arm. "I'd rather not carry you out but I will if have to."
Frank decided to play it cool. He wouldn't believe the Admiral would murder him and Tasers weren't lethal. "No problem as long as you take me somewhere I can get a good cup of coffee," he promised Al.
"You have a deal," Al said. "Let's go." Al led Frank through the corridors of Quantum Leap, up the main elevator and to the parking level. Frank couldn't help but notice the stares and smiles that people flashed as he walked by. The pair stopped just before exiting the facility. Al touched a series of buttons on his wristband and waited.
"The parking facility is empty but I estimate arrival by the N.S.A. team in five minutes, Admiral." Ziggy's alto responded.
Al touched the wristband in acknowledgment and motioned Frank out the door. The men went to a vintage fire engine red Thunderbird convertible.
"Nice car," Frank observed.
"Thanks, get in." Al responded. The engine roared to life and as the car approached the checkpoint, the Gate swung open. The two guards at full attention who saluted as they drove past amused Frank.
Al swung the around the far side of Stallion's Gate and headed off into the desert. He wanted to avoid the road until he was sure the N.S.A. had arrived. A few moments later, the onboard link to Ziggynet beeped. Talmadge and his band had arrived at Quantum Leap. Now it was time to fulfill his end of the bargain with Parker.
"Frank? I can call you that, right?" he questioned.
"As long as you don't call me late for dinner," Frank responded with the punch line of an old joke.
"Did your Intell say anything about how Dr. Beckett travels in time?"
"By switching places with someone in that particular time frame." Frank answered. "Why?"
Al stopped the car. He reached across Frank and pulled down the passenger side visor. "Frank, meet Sam Beckett," he said as he brought his hand off the mirror on the inside.
"Holy Shit!" The phrase was out of Frank's mouth as he did a double take at the reflection in the mirror. Gone was the face Frank had gotten used to in the last 32 years. A slightly older man, one with light eyes and sandy brown hair had replaced it. 'Aging Surfer' was the description that came to Frank's mind. He looked over at Calavicci who was studying his reaction with a practiced eye. "This is crazy!" Frank finally said. He watched the face in the mirror say it too.
"That it is, Frank. That it is." said Al. Satisfied that Frank wasn't going to flip out on him; Al put the car back in gear and headed off into the sunrise.
Socorro
Just after Craig left the room in the morning, Sam got out of bed and began his day. After dressing in running shorts and a T-shirt, he called Ziggy for an update. Ziggy informed him that Al had received and acted on his warning. The N.S.A. would find nothing of concern at Stallion's Gate. Relieved, Sam went to find Olga to invite her to run with him. He couldn't afford to raise her suspicions by acting too 'out of character' for Frank Parker.
Isaac Mentnor and John Ballard were finishing a discussion on opera over coffee when they saw Olga and 'Frank' return from their morning run. They promised the runners they would keep the table and wait for them. It was then that John remembered what Nate had said about Frank and brought it to Isaac's attention.
"It's funny that Nate mentioned this because Olga and I are concerned about Frank, too. How was he yesterday at Quantum Leap?" John questioned.
Isaac shrugged his shoulders. "Typical Parker. He tried to pick up my former student. What was it that raised your concerns?" Isaac was working on his own theory about the change in Parker's behavior.
John filled Isaac in on the conversation he and Olga had had the previous evening citing the lack of profanity, the formality with Olga and the over interest in Quantum Leap. He showed Isaac the transcript Nate had given him. The review of the mission logs and animated conversation with himself the night following the backstep were of intense interest to Isaac and lent themselves well to his theory. However, until he had more proof, Isaac wasn't quite ready to share this theory with his colleague.
************
Stallion's Gate
Bradley Talmadge and Nate Ramsey made first contact at Stallion's Gate by asking to see Admiral Calavicci. After being told that the Admiral was off premises, Bradley asked to speak to the highest-ranking member of the Project. Verbena greeted the NSA team like honored guests. Quickly Bradley informed the good doctor that the government had received a threat against Project Quantum Leap and had dispatched Ramsey and his team to locate and disable the explosive. Verbena reacted reasonable shocked at the prospect of anyone wanting to destroy all of Dr. Beckett's hard work. She granted access to Ramsey's team with the proviso that a QL M.P. accompanied each of the search groups to "act as a guide through the maze of internal corridors and unlock any necessary doors". Ramsey had no choice but to agree.
******************
Donna Elesee, now dressed like a university lecturer, placed the printed copy of Al's speech in her briefcase. She stopped at the Control Center before she left for Alamagordo. Gooshie and Tina had downloaded all the current leap data onto Gooshie's laptop and then purged Ziggy's memory. They were musing about where to stash the laptop when she entered the room. Feeling that 'off-premises' was the safest, Donna volunteered to take the laptop to Alamagordo with her. Neither techie could see any reason not to give the laptop to Dr. Elesee. Besides, it added to the image she wanted to portray to the finance committee. Tina also gave Donna a note for Congressman Martinelli's assistant "if she saw her".
Donna drove past the NSA convoy parked in front of Stallion's Gate on her way to the highway. She noted the similarity between them and the contingent of Marines deployed to Project Quantum Leap. All fresh-faced young men and women eager to make their mark on the world. It was about thirty miles later that Donna realized she had seen one of those faces before. It was Donovan, one of the men that Isaac had brought yesterday.
*************
Al Calavicci had stopped briefly in Bingham for the promised coffee then swung southeast through the Capitan Mountain range toward Roswell. During the drive, he and Frank exchanged information about Project Quantum Leap and the bombing. Frank kept talking about the bombing as if it had already happened and the past tense of his remarks both mystified and amused Al. He was very impressed with Frank Parker. He was very bright, quick-witted and had a great eye for detail. The 'swiss-cheesing effect' was very limited and Parker's memory was filling in with each passing mile. Al just hoped the same wasn't happening to Sam.
**************
HQ
Later in the morning John Ballard, Olga Vukovitch and Sam were kicking around ideas on how to protect Project Quantum Leap's power core. Olga came up with the obvious first.
"The easiest thing would be to move the primary away from the power core," she said.
John responded with, "If we find it in time."
"We could just defuse it," Sam offered, the thought of any explosion in his project just ate away at his gut.
"Isaac is reviewing the data on the bomb fragments from the last timeline," John told them. "He prefers that option above all else."
Olga was studying the diagram of Project Quantum Leap on the wall. "Is there anyway to add shielding to structure here and here?" She pointed to the two levels between the garage and the power core.
John answered, "We would have had to have started already. Construction alone would take two weeks. Why didn't they shield the core better when they built it?"
Sam reacted before he could think. "WE..." he started out hotly. John and Olga immediately stiffened at his tone, and Sam's brain kicked in, "... Well, I guess they never thought they'd be a bombing target," he finished fighting to keep the bitterness he felt out of his voice. Sam watched Olga and John's reactions and realized that he had not succeeded. He took a deep breath and tried another approach. "We could force a rapid shutdown of the core."
The worry on John's face was replaced with intrigue.
Sam continued, "It's risky but if Ziggy detected the..."
"Ziggy?" Olga questioned.
John beat Sam to the explanation, "Ziggy is the hybrid supercomputer that controls all the vital functions at Project Quantum Leap."
Sam stared at him in amazement and Olga voiced the question on Sam's mind, "How did you know that?"
"Susan and I relied on the groundwork done by Dr. Beckett when we created Claire."
Satisfied, Sam continued, "Ziggy could shut down the core in forty-five seconds if she needed to."
"How long was it between the primary and secondary explosions?" Olga asked.
"Thirty-eight seconds," John and Sam answered together.
Olga continued, "So if we can't stop the primary we have 38 seconds to evacuate everyone."
"Or the AI needs to know about the primary before it explodes," John built on Olga's train of thought.
"Evacuation saves lives," Olga finished.
"But not the technology built into that mesa." Sam retorted. "We'd lose the Acceleration Chamber, Imaging Room and Ziggy." He looked meaningfully at John and said, "We can't lose her like we lost Claire." Silently Sam thanked Frank's personal journal for the information on previous backsteps.
The passion in Frank's words raised Olga's concerns about her friend and it showed on her face. Fear and nausea began to push at Sam. He had to get away. "I need a break," he rushed out of his mouth and walked just as quickly out of the conference room.
Outside Sam consciously slowed his breathing down. If he allowed the fear to have a foothold, he would not be able to save anything. Ziggy was his brainchild; he would not let her die. As he walked slowly back to the conference room a new idea occurred to him. Once in the room he noticed the addition of Isaac to the group. All three faces studied him with anticipation.
"There is another consideration," Sam said.
"What's that?" Isaac asked.
Sam chose his words carefully. "If the acceleration and computer technology is lost, Dr. Beckett will remain where he is."
"And who he is." Isaac added under his breath.
"Dr. Beckett won't be able to return." Sam stated the obvious then gave it a moment to sink in to the Backstep personnel. "I know what it feels like to be displaced in time," he added.
Olga's face had softened considerably. "You feel a kinship with Dr. Beckett," she stated.
Isaac jumped in to the conversation, "Of course, he's a fellow time traveler."
The group paused to consider what had been said. John Ballard broke the silence, "O.K. so let's focus our efforts on the primary. Isaac, what did you find out?"