CHAPTER 9
Stallion's Gate
QL Security Chief Jim Reed had been plastered to Nate Ramsey's side for almost two hours. Nate Ramsey had been searching for the three phones that could have been where the Conundrum call originated. He had six out of seven digits from the trace and seven of the remaining ten possibles were out of service.
The two men had fallen into a standard search pattern in each of the staff quarters: Reed went left, Ramsey right. This allowed Reed to circumvent Ramsey's entry into bathrooms and balconies. He didn't seem to know about the existence of the balconies and Reed saw no need for him to find out. Ramsey had located one of the numbers in Dr. Gershowitz's quarters and another in the quarters of a scientist named SammiJo Fuller. There were two personnel quarters left to search; those of Admiral Calavicci and Christina Martinez-O'Farrell. Figuring he'd get less of an argument from Reed, Nate went to O'Farrell's quarters next.
Bradley Talmadge and Craig Donovan were being given the VIP tour that Donna had given Isaac Mentnor the day before. Verbena tried to keep the NSA agents above level four but she had no recourse but to allow them total access after verifying their security clearance. As they exited the main elevator on level ten, Verbena tried to steer the group towards the Control Center. Donovan directed Talmadge to the Waiting Room.
"You appear to know your way around here, Mr. Donovan," Verbena observed. She was sure this was the 'Donovan' Parker had called out to yesterday.
"The construction plans were on the Government Intranet," Donovan replied. The trio stood in front of the Waiting Room which, to Donovan's complete surprise, was unguarded, open and empty. He turned to Bradley and said, "There was a man in here under armed guard."
Verbena quickly responded. "This is where the Guests wait for Dr. Beckett. It is almost never guarded with armed M.P.s."
"It was yesterday," Donovan insisted. He shot a look at Bradley to check if he could continue the direction this conversation was going. After receiving confirmation from his boss Donovan continued, "Yesterday Dr. Beeks, you went into that room with some armed guards to quote show that SOB that he didn't hurt me this morning unquote."
Verbena tried to quell her fear by controlling her breathing, with limited success.
Craig knew he had the advantage and pressed it. "The man called out my name, Doctor. I want to know who he was."
Verbena decided on the truth. "The man you saw yesterday, Mr. Donovan, was Dr. Beckett."
"I don't know Dr. Beckett."
"Dr. Beckett makes it his business to know the name of everyone on base," Verbena stated Sam's former practice. "How did you get on base yesterday, Mr. Donovan? How did you get to this level without escort?"
Bradley felt this was a good time to intercede. "The NSA sent a reconnaissance team to Stallion's Gate yesterday lead by Dr. Isaac Mentnor," he admitted.
Verbena looked back at Talmadge in surprise. "Donna Elesee's professor?"
"Yes," Craig confirmed. "We used him to gain access to the Project." Craig wanted to protect Isaac's position at Backstep from becoming known.
"I see," Verbena replied.
"So I saw Dr. Beckett yesterday?" Donovan repeated.
"Well," Verbena began and was interrupted by Ziggy's voice calling her.
"Dr. Beeks?"
"Yes, Ziggy"
"Could you bring Mr. Donovan and Dr. Talmadge to the Control Center, please."
*******************
HQ - Socorro
Isaac Mentnor drew a diagram of a single component explosive on the chalkboard. "The Primary is very simple," he said. "One pound of Plastik set with a delayed fuse."
"That doesn't have much destructive force," Olga chimed in.
"It doesn't need to," replied John Ballard. "All it has to do is explode through a weak spot near the reactor chamber. That's why I'd have put money on a homemade device," John said.
Isaac continued, "Anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of explosives could have set it."
Sam thought out loud, "But not just anyone could get the Plastik."
Olga started listing the possibilities, "Contractors, Demolition workers, Police."
"Military," John added.
"But why?" Isaac wondered. "What at Quantum Leap makes it a target now?"
A thought jarred Sam's mood. "Maybe Quantum Leap isn't the target," he suggested brightly.
"The finance committee," Olga offered.
"Or someone on it," John added.
"I'd say we have some research to do," said Isaac decisively. "Let's split the list to save time. I'll take Ho."
"I've got Martinelli," Olga sang out.
"Frank, you take the senator," assigned John, "and I'll take the final congressman, what's his name, yeah, Fisher.
"I'm on it," Sam said as he grabbed a PC workstation and got busy.
*********************
Stallion's Gate
"Could you bring Mr. Donovan and Dr. Talmadge to the Control Center, please," a pleasant voice asked Dr. Beeks. It appeared to be coming from everywhere and nowhere.
"Who is that?" Bradley asked.
Verbena began walking toward the Control Center before answering, "That's Ziggy." The two NSA men followed her down the corridor and through the door to the Control Center. Inside Gooshie and Tina were doing routine system checks, busy work for the benefit of the NSA visitors. They looked up as the door slid open to admit Beeks, Talmadge and Donovan.
"This is our Control Center." Verbena was continuing the tour speech. "From here, all the facets of Project Quantum Leap are coordinated by Drs. Martinez-O'Farrell and Gershowitz." Verbena indicated each of her coworkers as she said their names.
"And I am chopped liver, I suppose?" Ziggy asked in a very peeved tone. The swirling light in the orb overhead was alternating hues of red to further illustrate the AI's irritation.
"Not at all, Ziggy," Verbena said at the same time as Bradley asked "That is?" as he gestured toward the orb.
"Ziggy." Gooshie answered. Looking up at the cube he said, "Ziggy, these are the men from the NSA."
"Dr. Bradley Talmadge and Captain Craig Donovan," Ziggy identified the newcomers. "I am the one who coordinates all the vital functions here at Quantum Leap, gentlemen. I've done some research on the bomb threat you've mentioned. From the search pattern your men are conducting, I presume you believe there will be two separate detonations; one in the parking facility and the other in the power core."
Craig Donovan had to almost physically pick his jaw up off the floor. The combination of Craig's expression and the matter-of-fact delivery from the Artificial Intelligence caused Bradley to laugh out loud. Amused he asked, "Have you formed any plans for action?"
Ziggy didn't respond.
"What's wrong with it?" he asked the computer technicians.
Tina responded, "She prefers to be addressed by name. I happen to agree with her, Dr. Talmadge."
Bradley tried again. "Have you formed any action plans about the bomb threat, Ziggy?"
"As a matter of fact I have," she replied. "It is highly probable that the target is not Project Quantum Leap itself but rather one of the members of the congressional committee currently inspecting us."
"Sounds reasonable," Craig admitted. "But I still want to know about that man in that Waiting Room."
"That, Captain Donovan, is classified as need to know," Ziggy responded.
Craig looked like he was about to explode when his walkie-talkie called out his name. He excused himself from the conversation and the room to answer the call in the hall.
It was Ramsey. "Where are you, Donovan?"
"Talmadge and I are in the Control Center. What did you find?"
"I found all three phones. I'm trying to round up the people whose room they were in now. Have you come across anyone named Martinez-O'Farrell or Gershowitz?" Nate questioned.
"They're both here with us."
"Roger. I'm on my way," Nate ended the communication.
When Craig Donovan walked back into the Control Center to report to Bradley he discovered Beeks taking Talmadge out the other door of the room to something the QL people called the Imaging Chamber. Bradley took the report quickly and instructed Craig to remain in the Control Center to wait for Ramsey to arrive.
Verbena was explaining the hows and whys of the Imaging Chamber as she led Bradley into the featureless room. Once inside, the door closed, Bradley began to ask some hard questions.
"The man in the Waiting Room that Craig saw wasn't Dr. Beckett, Beeks. Who was he and where is Dr. Beckett now?"
Verbena soft-pedaled around the truth. "I don't know where Dr. Beckett is now."
"Look," Bradley was beginning to lose his patience with this total stonewall, "I know everything there is to know about Project Quantum Leap. I know that Dr. Beckett jumps around in time changing places with people in the time-frame he's entered. That while he 'possesses' their body they are here 'possessing' his body." Verbena very consciously closed her jaw.
"Dr. Talmadge," Ziggy interrupted.
"Yes Ziggy."
"I'm pleased that you took the time to educate yourself on Quantum Leap," she began patronizingly, "I also have done my research and educated myself on you and your NSA branch."
Warning bells began to ring in Bradley's head.
Ziggy continued, "I know that you have been working with Drs. Mentnor and Ballard. Your name appears on many documents related to the failed Global Space Station and the Artificial Intelligence named Claire."
Bradley began to breathe again.
"Please believe me when I tell you that whomever Capt. Donovan thought he saw was of no threat to your projects," Ziggy finished.
"All right, Ziggy. I'll believe you," Bradley said to pacify the Hybrid-super-computer. He turned to Verbena Beeks. "Dr. Beeks, the last thing I want to do is interrupt your work here. My only interest in Quantum Leap is to keep it from blowing up."
"Then why the intensive research, Dr. Talmadge?" Beeks was curious.
"Time travel is an interest of mine," Bradley admitted.
Ziggy opened the door to the Imaging Chamber to allow them to return to the Control Center. Nate Ramsey was entering the Control Center from the other door as they arrived.
"Bradley," Nate began to deliver his report, "the three phones are all in personal quarters belonging to Drs. Fuller, Martinez-O'Farrell, and Gershowitz. Dr. Fuller is out of the state visiting her mother, she's due back today."
Tina took the opportunity presented. "I'm Dr. Martinez-O'Farrell," she sauntered over to Nate to greet him. Like most men, Nate Ramsey greeted Tina's breasts before ever looking at her face. "Is there something wrong with my phone?" she pouted as she took Nate's arm.
"I think I should question Dr. Martinez-O'Farrell," Nate said.
"That's fine, Nate," Bradley told his security chief.
"Let's go look at the phone in question," Nate was saying to Tina as he escorted her out of the Control Center.
Craig watched the pair leave with amusement when his line of sight was suddenly blocked by Verbena Beeks.
"You're not going to let this go, are you?" she asked him point blank.
"No, I'm not. Unless..." Craig started.
"Unless what?" Verbena wanted to know.
"Unless you have dinner with me tonight." Craig finished.
Before she could answer, Bradley and Gooshie left to go to Gooshie's quarters where the third phone had been located.
"Dinner would be nice," she said finally. "I'll meet you in Socorro."
Craig handed her the business card for the hotel with his room number written on the back. "Call from the lobby if I'm not there when you arrive."
HQ - Socorro
Sam didn't bother with the Government Intranet to research Senator Mercer-Fuld. Instead he went straight to Ziggynet by dialing his personal access number and silently thanking God that it still worked. In thirty minutes he had a full floppy disk on each of the committee members and another three floppies with bio's on their staffs. While it was downloading, Sam checked on the status of "the raid" at Stallion's Gate. Ziggy said Verbena was handling Talmadge and Donovan while Tina had sidetracked Ramsey. Sam had to laugh at the mental image of Tina flirting with Nate Ramsey, and the even funnier image of Ramsey's response. Sam checked on Al and the Guest next. Ziggy said they were in Roswell. Sam opted not to pursue with Ziggy why Al chose Roswell; it was too bizarre to be coincidental. He had Ziggy give him Al's cell phone number and logged off. After depositing the floppies on Isaac's temporary desk, Sam went to his room to call Al.
Roswell, New Mexico
Al Calavicci and Frank Parker were in a park opposite the "Alien Museum" in Roswell watching the world go by and splitting an Italian hoagie, as Frank called it, and a six-pack of beer. Al was impressed and unnerved by the amount of information Frank knew about Project Quantum Leap.
Frank explained, "When I was, for lack of a better word, 'hired' by the NSA for my current assignment I had little to do on my off hours except surf the web. I came across Quantum Leap data in a search on time travel."
Al stared at him aghast. "On the Internet?!"
Frank laughed, "No, no. On the USGov Intranet."
"But that stuff is classified," Al protested.
"It all depends on your security clearance, Pal. You know that," Frank said. "Mine is high enough to read most of it. I kinda have a hard time swallowing the 'string theory' though."
Al studied him for a moment. "You have a hard time with string theory. You should have heard me giving a 'Dick and Jane' version to the President five years ago."
"Actually I read the transcript of that meeting." Frank admitted.
"Oh, so that explains the 'history' comment to Beeks," Al commented mostly to himself.
"Yes," Frank answered. "I've always liked the gravitational distortion theory myself," Frank referred to the Sphere's time travel method.
"It's great in theory," Al responded, "but the energy requirements are too enormous to be practical."
Frank looked to see if the admiral was pulling his leg. He appeared earnest in his belief and Frank wondered just how much, or little, Admiral Calavicci knew about Project Backstep.
Al noticed the scrutiny Frank was giving him and decided to change the subject. "So, do you like your current project?" he cast out a verbal fishing line.
Frank snorted, "The hours suck but the travel is always interesting."
Before Al could respond, a cell phone rang in his pocket. "Calavicci," he answered it.
"What ever possessed you to take Parker to Roswell?" Sam's irate voice exploded from the phone.
"What?!" Al was taken aback by the intensity of Sam's question. "Good afternoon to you too, Pal. Kind of cranky today, are we?"
Sam took a deep breath. "Sorry," he said and then continued in a calmer tone, "I understand taking him off grounds by why so far away? Why Roswell?"
Al watched Parker, who was very carefully trying NOT to be interested in who was on the other end of the phone connection. To Sam he responded, "I couldn't go to Socorro, or Alamagordo 'cause I blew off a meeting there, and I certainly wasn't taking him out of the country. This was the only direction left."
Sam accepted that. He was hoping that Parker wasn't assuming that Al knew about Backstep. "Having fun?" he asked.
"It's like spending the day with Bingo." Al replied gleefully referring to the younger version of himself that Sam had leaped into a while ago. The change in Al's tone was very curious to Frank.
Sam laughed, and then asked, "Has Frank given you anything more than I have on the bombing or the bomber?"
"Not yet," came Al's reply.
"Nuts," was Sam's disappointed reply. There was a pause in the conversation.
"I can smell the wood burning from here. What are you thinking?" Al asked.
"Well we've broken almost every rule we established on this leap, what's one more." Sam sounded resigned, "Give him the phone, Al."
"ARE YOU NUTS?"
Frank stopped trying to look uninterested and paid rapt attention now.
"Maybe," Sam said to Al, "but do it anyway."
"Here," Al said as he tossed the phone at Frank, "talk to yourself."
Stallion's Gate
QL Security Chief Jim Reed had been plastered to Nate Ramsey's side for almost two hours. Nate Ramsey had been searching for the three phones that could have been where the Conundrum call originated. He had six out of seven digits from the trace and seven of the remaining ten possibles were out of service.
The two men had fallen into a standard search pattern in each of the staff quarters: Reed went left, Ramsey right. This allowed Reed to circumvent Ramsey's entry into bathrooms and balconies. He didn't seem to know about the existence of the balconies and Reed saw no need for him to find out. Ramsey had located one of the numbers in Dr. Gershowitz's quarters and another in the quarters of a scientist named SammiJo Fuller. There were two personnel quarters left to search; those of Admiral Calavicci and Christina Martinez-O'Farrell. Figuring he'd get less of an argument from Reed, Nate went to O'Farrell's quarters next.
Bradley Talmadge and Craig Donovan were being given the VIP tour that Donna had given Isaac Mentnor the day before. Verbena tried to keep the NSA agents above level four but she had no recourse but to allow them total access after verifying their security clearance. As they exited the main elevator on level ten, Verbena tried to steer the group towards the Control Center. Donovan directed Talmadge to the Waiting Room.
"You appear to know your way around here, Mr. Donovan," Verbena observed. She was sure this was the 'Donovan' Parker had called out to yesterday.
"The construction plans were on the Government Intranet," Donovan replied. The trio stood in front of the Waiting Room which, to Donovan's complete surprise, was unguarded, open and empty. He turned to Bradley and said, "There was a man in here under armed guard."
Verbena quickly responded. "This is where the Guests wait for Dr. Beckett. It is almost never guarded with armed M.P.s."
"It was yesterday," Donovan insisted. He shot a look at Bradley to check if he could continue the direction this conversation was going. After receiving confirmation from his boss Donovan continued, "Yesterday Dr. Beeks, you went into that room with some armed guards to quote show that SOB that he didn't hurt me this morning unquote."
Verbena tried to quell her fear by controlling her breathing, with limited success.
Craig knew he had the advantage and pressed it. "The man called out my name, Doctor. I want to know who he was."
Verbena decided on the truth. "The man you saw yesterday, Mr. Donovan, was Dr. Beckett."
"I don't know Dr. Beckett."
"Dr. Beckett makes it his business to know the name of everyone on base," Verbena stated Sam's former practice. "How did you get on base yesterday, Mr. Donovan? How did you get to this level without escort?"
Bradley felt this was a good time to intercede. "The NSA sent a reconnaissance team to Stallion's Gate yesterday lead by Dr. Isaac Mentnor," he admitted.
Verbena looked back at Talmadge in surprise. "Donna Elesee's professor?"
"Yes," Craig confirmed. "We used him to gain access to the Project." Craig wanted to protect Isaac's position at Backstep from becoming known.
"I see," Verbena replied.
"So I saw Dr. Beckett yesterday?" Donovan repeated.
"Well," Verbena began and was interrupted by Ziggy's voice calling her.
"Dr. Beeks?"
"Yes, Ziggy"
"Could you bring Mr. Donovan and Dr. Talmadge to the Control Center, please."
*******************
HQ - Socorro
Isaac Mentnor drew a diagram of a single component explosive on the chalkboard. "The Primary is very simple," he said. "One pound of Plastik set with a delayed fuse."
"That doesn't have much destructive force," Olga chimed in.
"It doesn't need to," replied John Ballard. "All it has to do is explode through a weak spot near the reactor chamber. That's why I'd have put money on a homemade device," John said.
Isaac continued, "Anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of explosives could have set it."
Sam thought out loud, "But not just anyone could get the Plastik."
Olga started listing the possibilities, "Contractors, Demolition workers, Police."
"Military," John added.
"But why?" Isaac wondered. "What at Quantum Leap makes it a target now?"
A thought jarred Sam's mood. "Maybe Quantum Leap isn't the target," he suggested brightly.
"The finance committee," Olga offered.
"Or someone on it," John added.
"I'd say we have some research to do," said Isaac decisively. "Let's split the list to save time. I'll take Ho."
"I've got Martinelli," Olga sang out.
"Frank, you take the senator," assigned John, "and I'll take the final congressman, what's his name, yeah, Fisher.
"I'm on it," Sam said as he grabbed a PC workstation and got busy.
*********************
Stallion's Gate
"Could you bring Mr. Donovan and Dr. Talmadge to the Control Center, please," a pleasant voice asked Dr. Beeks. It appeared to be coming from everywhere and nowhere.
"Who is that?" Bradley asked.
Verbena began walking toward the Control Center before answering, "That's Ziggy." The two NSA men followed her down the corridor and through the door to the Control Center. Inside Gooshie and Tina were doing routine system checks, busy work for the benefit of the NSA visitors. They looked up as the door slid open to admit Beeks, Talmadge and Donovan.
"This is our Control Center." Verbena was continuing the tour speech. "From here, all the facets of Project Quantum Leap are coordinated by Drs. Martinez-O'Farrell and Gershowitz." Verbena indicated each of her coworkers as she said their names.
"And I am chopped liver, I suppose?" Ziggy asked in a very peeved tone. The swirling light in the orb overhead was alternating hues of red to further illustrate the AI's irritation.
"Not at all, Ziggy," Verbena said at the same time as Bradley asked "That is?" as he gestured toward the orb.
"Ziggy." Gooshie answered. Looking up at the cube he said, "Ziggy, these are the men from the NSA."
"Dr. Bradley Talmadge and Captain Craig Donovan," Ziggy identified the newcomers. "I am the one who coordinates all the vital functions here at Quantum Leap, gentlemen. I've done some research on the bomb threat you've mentioned. From the search pattern your men are conducting, I presume you believe there will be two separate detonations; one in the parking facility and the other in the power core."
Craig Donovan had to almost physically pick his jaw up off the floor. The combination of Craig's expression and the matter-of-fact delivery from the Artificial Intelligence caused Bradley to laugh out loud. Amused he asked, "Have you formed any plans for action?"
Ziggy didn't respond.
"What's wrong with it?" he asked the computer technicians.
Tina responded, "She prefers to be addressed by name. I happen to agree with her, Dr. Talmadge."
Bradley tried again. "Have you formed any action plans about the bomb threat, Ziggy?"
"As a matter of fact I have," she replied. "It is highly probable that the target is not Project Quantum Leap itself but rather one of the members of the congressional committee currently inspecting us."
"Sounds reasonable," Craig admitted. "But I still want to know about that man in that Waiting Room."
"That, Captain Donovan, is classified as need to know," Ziggy responded.
Craig looked like he was about to explode when his walkie-talkie called out his name. He excused himself from the conversation and the room to answer the call in the hall.
It was Ramsey. "Where are you, Donovan?"
"Talmadge and I are in the Control Center. What did you find?"
"I found all three phones. I'm trying to round up the people whose room they were in now. Have you come across anyone named Martinez-O'Farrell or Gershowitz?" Nate questioned.
"They're both here with us."
"Roger. I'm on my way," Nate ended the communication.
When Craig Donovan walked back into the Control Center to report to Bradley he discovered Beeks taking Talmadge out the other door of the room to something the QL people called the Imaging Chamber. Bradley took the report quickly and instructed Craig to remain in the Control Center to wait for Ramsey to arrive.
Verbena was explaining the hows and whys of the Imaging Chamber as she led Bradley into the featureless room. Once inside, the door closed, Bradley began to ask some hard questions.
"The man in the Waiting Room that Craig saw wasn't Dr. Beckett, Beeks. Who was he and where is Dr. Beckett now?"
Verbena soft-pedaled around the truth. "I don't know where Dr. Beckett is now."
"Look," Bradley was beginning to lose his patience with this total stonewall, "I know everything there is to know about Project Quantum Leap. I know that Dr. Beckett jumps around in time changing places with people in the time-frame he's entered. That while he 'possesses' their body they are here 'possessing' his body." Verbena very consciously closed her jaw.
"Dr. Talmadge," Ziggy interrupted.
"Yes Ziggy."
"I'm pleased that you took the time to educate yourself on Quantum Leap," she began patronizingly, "I also have done my research and educated myself on you and your NSA branch."
Warning bells began to ring in Bradley's head.
Ziggy continued, "I know that you have been working with Drs. Mentnor and Ballard. Your name appears on many documents related to the failed Global Space Station and the Artificial Intelligence named Claire."
Bradley began to breathe again.
"Please believe me when I tell you that whomever Capt. Donovan thought he saw was of no threat to your projects," Ziggy finished.
"All right, Ziggy. I'll believe you," Bradley said to pacify the Hybrid-super-computer. He turned to Verbena Beeks. "Dr. Beeks, the last thing I want to do is interrupt your work here. My only interest in Quantum Leap is to keep it from blowing up."
"Then why the intensive research, Dr. Talmadge?" Beeks was curious.
"Time travel is an interest of mine," Bradley admitted.
Ziggy opened the door to the Imaging Chamber to allow them to return to the Control Center. Nate Ramsey was entering the Control Center from the other door as they arrived.
"Bradley," Nate began to deliver his report, "the three phones are all in personal quarters belonging to Drs. Fuller, Martinez-O'Farrell, and Gershowitz. Dr. Fuller is out of the state visiting her mother, she's due back today."
Tina took the opportunity presented. "I'm Dr. Martinez-O'Farrell," she sauntered over to Nate to greet him. Like most men, Nate Ramsey greeted Tina's breasts before ever looking at her face. "Is there something wrong with my phone?" she pouted as she took Nate's arm.
"I think I should question Dr. Martinez-O'Farrell," Nate said.
"That's fine, Nate," Bradley told his security chief.
"Let's go look at the phone in question," Nate was saying to Tina as he escorted her out of the Control Center.
Craig watched the pair leave with amusement when his line of sight was suddenly blocked by Verbena Beeks.
"You're not going to let this go, are you?" she asked him point blank.
"No, I'm not. Unless..." Craig started.
"Unless what?" Verbena wanted to know.
"Unless you have dinner with me tonight." Craig finished.
Before she could answer, Bradley and Gooshie left to go to Gooshie's quarters where the third phone had been located.
"Dinner would be nice," she said finally. "I'll meet you in Socorro."
Craig handed her the business card for the hotel with his room number written on the back. "Call from the lobby if I'm not there when you arrive."
HQ - Socorro
Sam didn't bother with the Government Intranet to research Senator Mercer-Fuld. Instead he went straight to Ziggynet by dialing his personal access number and silently thanking God that it still worked. In thirty minutes he had a full floppy disk on each of the committee members and another three floppies with bio's on their staffs. While it was downloading, Sam checked on the status of "the raid" at Stallion's Gate. Ziggy said Verbena was handling Talmadge and Donovan while Tina had sidetracked Ramsey. Sam had to laugh at the mental image of Tina flirting with Nate Ramsey, and the even funnier image of Ramsey's response. Sam checked on Al and the Guest next. Ziggy said they were in Roswell. Sam opted not to pursue with Ziggy why Al chose Roswell; it was too bizarre to be coincidental. He had Ziggy give him Al's cell phone number and logged off. After depositing the floppies on Isaac's temporary desk, Sam went to his room to call Al.
Roswell, New Mexico
Al Calavicci and Frank Parker were in a park opposite the "Alien Museum" in Roswell watching the world go by and splitting an Italian hoagie, as Frank called it, and a six-pack of beer. Al was impressed and unnerved by the amount of information Frank knew about Project Quantum Leap.
Frank explained, "When I was, for lack of a better word, 'hired' by the NSA for my current assignment I had little to do on my off hours except surf the web. I came across Quantum Leap data in a search on time travel."
Al stared at him aghast. "On the Internet?!"
Frank laughed, "No, no. On the USGov Intranet."
"But that stuff is classified," Al protested.
"It all depends on your security clearance, Pal. You know that," Frank said. "Mine is high enough to read most of it. I kinda have a hard time swallowing the 'string theory' though."
Al studied him for a moment. "You have a hard time with string theory. You should have heard me giving a 'Dick and Jane' version to the President five years ago."
"Actually I read the transcript of that meeting." Frank admitted.
"Oh, so that explains the 'history' comment to Beeks," Al commented mostly to himself.
"Yes," Frank answered. "I've always liked the gravitational distortion theory myself," Frank referred to the Sphere's time travel method.
"It's great in theory," Al responded, "but the energy requirements are too enormous to be practical."
Frank looked to see if the admiral was pulling his leg. He appeared earnest in his belief and Frank wondered just how much, or little, Admiral Calavicci knew about Project Backstep.
Al noticed the scrutiny Frank was giving him and decided to change the subject. "So, do you like your current project?" he cast out a verbal fishing line.
Frank snorted, "The hours suck but the travel is always interesting."
Before Al could respond, a cell phone rang in his pocket. "Calavicci," he answered it.
"What ever possessed you to take Parker to Roswell?" Sam's irate voice exploded from the phone.
"What?!" Al was taken aback by the intensity of Sam's question. "Good afternoon to you too, Pal. Kind of cranky today, are we?"
Sam took a deep breath. "Sorry," he said and then continued in a calmer tone, "I understand taking him off grounds by why so far away? Why Roswell?"
Al watched Parker, who was very carefully trying NOT to be interested in who was on the other end of the phone connection. To Sam he responded, "I couldn't go to Socorro, or Alamagordo 'cause I blew off a meeting there, and I certainly wasn't taking him out of the country. This was the only direction left."
Sam accepted that. He was hoping that Parker wasn't assuming that Al knew about Backstep. "Having fun?" he asked.
"It's like spending the day with Bingo." Al replied gleefully referring to the younger version of himself that Sam had leaped into a while ago. The change in Al's tone was very curious to Frank.
Sam laughed, and then asked, "Has Frank given you anything more than I have on the bombing or the bomber?"
"Not yet," came Al's reply.
"Nuts," was Sam's disappointed reply. There was a pause in the conversation.
"I can smell the wood burning from here. What are you thinking?" Al asked.
"Well we've broken almost every rule we established on this leap, what's one more." Sam sounded resigned, "Give him the phone, Al."
"ARE YOU NUTS?"
Frank stopped trying to look uninterested and paid rapt attention now.
"Maybe," Sam said to Al, "but do it anyway."
"Here," Al said as he tossed the phone at Frank, "talk to yourself."