FALLEN HERO
By AJ Burfield, MJ Cogburn and Katherine Freymuth

CHAPTER SIX

May 29, 1977
Outside Reston, Virginia

'Sometimes in a leap, when you think that there isn't a way to solve a problem, I've found that if you just sit down and rest for a moment that the problem becomes clearer. Usually the solution appears right in front of you.'

Sam sighed and sat down on a rock. It was tougher than he thought to find the path Alia's horse had taken, especially since he was trying to be quiet about it. He stretched his neck muscles by moving his head back and forth and massaged the tense muscles of his neck with his fingers. He closed his eyes, then opened them and found he was looking at the ground. He couldn't help but smile when he saw the hoof-print two feet in front of him.

He followed the marks with his eyes and saw the broken and crushed path, freshly turned from pounding hooves. He looked around carefully knowing that Thames was after Alia as well, then started down the beaten down path. He hesitated when he heard a noise ahead. Ducking low, he crept closer, finding that the trees gave way to a natural opening protected by tree trunks. Lying in the opening was a large form with a person bending over it. It was Alia and the horse.

When Al suddenly popped in beside Sam his heart leaped into his throat. Startled, he placed a hand on his chest. "Al! You scared the life out of me! I thought you were Thames!" He whispered sharply.

Al's shoulders straightened uncomfortably. "Don't say that, Sam. The possibility is more likely than you think."

Sam's eyes widened. "What?" He hissed as he retreated back a step into the brush, afraid he'd scare off Alia. "Why?"

Al took a deep breath as he nervously looked around. "We know what's wrong with Ziggy. I'm afraid it's not good."

Ziggy's sultry voice softly filtered down around him in the Imaging Chamber, unheard by Sam. "Admiral, I can't hold him off much longer ... not much time."

Al looked up toward the ceiling. "Just hang on for a little longer," he said almost pleadingly. Then to Sam, he said, "We're running out of time here,
Sam. Somehow, Lothos has infiltrated her and we are having a hell of a time getting him out."

"Lothos? In Ziggy? How'd that happen? Can't Gooshie get him out?"

Al reacted instantly. "I don't know!" Al shouted. Realizing he had to get his act together, he exhaled loudly to calm himself.

Sam snapped his mouth shut, shocked at Al's reaction. It had been a reasonable question to ask, and he didn't understand why he had snapped so harshly. Softly, he said. "Al, you have to stop it. Gooshie has to stop it. This is serious."

Al dropped his head at the mention of Gooshie and took a deep breath, held it for a second, then said, "We're going to get Lothos out, Sam. But until we do, we can't help you or Alia one iota. If we do, Lothos will find out our plans, and you're both history."

The Imaging Chamber program shivered, reminding both Observer and
Leaper that time was running out for the both of them.

Sam fought down the growing fear by running down a list of possible scenarios through his mind. It didn't take long for the scientist to come up with a thought. "Alia!" Sam looked at Al with a crooked smile. "Alia can help! She can get us to their Project, whatever it's called, or at least get us a location. We can get him that way! That's probably why I was sent here!"

Al nodded even as Sam spoke. Neither one could help but notice how the reception was getting worse by the second. "Do whatever you can, Sam," he said as he glanced up. "Damn it, Ziggy! Hang on!"

The holographic colors in the Imaging Chamber slowly began to darken and Sam's world began to fuzz around the edges of the hologram as it ever so slowly dissolved toward the middle. "Al..." Ziggy said weakly, trying to get his attention. "Time all gone."

Al tensed at her choice of words. "I have to go, Sam." He started pushing buttons like crazy. "Hang on, buddy."

"Al... you're getting all fuzzy.... I can't hear you!" Sam said, his voice edged with panic. He reached out to touch Al knowing it was futile, but the action seemed so natural. "I'll do what I can from this end! This isn't the end, Al!"

Sam didn't think his friend heard him, but the two exchanged glances that said everything. The image began to fade, turning into a fuzzy blur, then snapped out of existence, leaving one friend in the woods and the other in a distant, metallic room.

"Oh, boy." Sam thought as he stared at the emptiness for a few seconds, not wanting to believe what he just saw. He blinked, then turned to concentrate on his last chance, lying there on the forest floor next to a dead horse. He took a deep breath to control his shaking hands and stood.

When he pushed through the brush and entered the open area, he could clearly hear her sobbing. He stepped closer, keenly aware of the crunching his feet made on the dry leaves. With each step his desperation came more under control and he began to feel empathy for her. He knew that she would not want to get back into this whole leaping gig again. Sam felt a flash of guilt about asking her to go back, but this was his only chance. He had already decided that he wasn't going to beg. He stopped a few yards away.

"Alia?" He said softly. "Are you alright?"

Alia's head snapped up at her name. Without looking around for the source, she jumped up and began to run away from the downed horse. She only made a few steps before she fell down with a cry. Quickly, she tried to get up again.

"No!" Sam called fearfully. He bolted after her and grabbed her arm. "Stop, Alia, you're hurt! Let me help you."

Alia jerked her arm away from him. "NO!" She tried to run again, but fell again a few feet away, still crying. "No.... They'll only hunt me down and kill me. Leave me alone!"

Sam took a big step and grabbed her again, then pulled her into a bear hug to calm her down. "Shhh, Alia. I know you're scared. So am I." He held her tightly and she wiggled lamely.

She felt safe in his arms, but knowing that she wasn't safe anywhere as long as Zoey was around. 'She'll get her revenge,' Alia thought, and shivered at the memory of her last punishment.

Sam felt her shaking. "It's okay. We'll be okay. Come on, sit. You're hurt." He loosened his grip and guided her to the ground. Her leg was obviously injured. Sam could see the blood staining her riding pants.

She cringed as she sat down and jarred the leg.

Sam knelt down beside her and started a cursory examination, finding the wound on her leg. "Is it a bullet, or from the fall?" He asked, tearing at the hole to make it bigger.

"I think it was a bullet," she gasped. "It's been stinging since Traveler jumped the ledge." Her nails dug into her thigh.

It was a bloody mess. He examined the whole leg carefully. "Well, the bone's intact, and there's an exit wound. I think it's okay."

Alia clenched her teeth tightly as he probed the wound. "God, can you hurt me more, Dr. Beckett?" she complained.

"A little sore, huh?" He laughed shortly, and ripped off his sleeve. "I was always told I had a good bedside manner."

Alia looked at him through slits. "This isn't funny. You don't have any idea about what's going on with Thames and Zoey, and you're worried about this?" She asked motioning to her leg. "I didn't see her, but I know Zoey's around too. Why can't I see her?" She gritted her teeth in pain.

He wrapped the leg firmly, then checked her foot for a pulse.

"I know exactly what's going on with Zoey and Thames. My guess is that your brain waves have been altered somehow, so you and Zoey aren't linked anymore." Sam paused. "Increased Theta waves could do it. Maybe the hypnosis combined with the electrical surge from your last leap increased you Theta waves. That's just a theory, but I do know that we're going to stop them both. Again."

"Again?" Alia asked, distracted by her throbbing leg.

"Yes. Only this time, we'll both be free."

Without warning, Alia slapped him hard across the face. "I was already free... and you brought them back to me!" She painfully struggled to her feet, trying to avoid touching Sam.

"Me? I didn't bring them! I just showed up here!"

She twirled around to him, flailing her arms for balance. "And I'm supposed to believe that? Lothos placed me exactly where he wanted me. Surely your Ziggy has that ability, too." She took a few jaunty steps forward testing the leg.

He stood up and brushed off his pants, and took a big breath to control his anger and fear. "We don't know who, or what, controls my leaps. But I'm always put somewhere for a reason, and you're it!" Sam grabbed at her, trying to act as her crutch, directing her away from the lifeless horse. "And we gotta get out of here before we both die!"

Alia jerked away from him. She wasn't going to argue with him about dying. She knew all about that subject. "No." She said doggedly, shaking her head in denial. "No... you aren't here for me. I was fine and dandy before you showed up." She continued limping away from him. "But I'll be damned before I let Zoey or Thames try to do anything to me."

Sam stood in place, letting her go on her own and knowing he couldn't force her into anything. But she was his last hope. "Alia," He said forlornly. "ALIA!" He couldn't hold the fear back any longer. "You don't understand!"

Alia quickly turned around to him and snapped, "I understand that if you keep yelling like that that they'll find us."

He put his hand on his forehead, physically trying to calm his thoughts.
His hand was shaking visibly, and he tried to control it. "No," he said firmly and calmly. "You don't understand. I'm not here for you, Alia." He took a deep breath and dropped his hands helplessly to his side. He stared at her directly in the eyes, his desperation clear, and he knew he had her attention.
"You are here for me. I need your help."

Alia finally noticed his shaking and the edge in his voice. The Sam Beckett she knew was strong and independent; this one was very scared and dependent on her. That alone was enough to scare the daylights out of her.

"What?" she sputtered, almost losing her balance. "My help? I can't help you,
Sam! There isn't any way for me to help you. I can't get you home."

"Maybe not. But you can save my home."

"Your home?" She hesitated, then took a step toward him. His eyes showed the fear he was trying to hide. "What do you mean? How could I help you?"

After a moment's consideration, he stepped to her and took her hands.
She felt the clammy hotness of his grip. "Alia. Ziggy's under attack from Lothos."

Alia's face went white in an instant. She knew exactly what Lothos was capable of. Her mouth opened and closed, wanting to say something but not knowing exactly where to start. Finally, she looked away shook her head sadly.
"Then, Ziggy's gone."

He gripped her hands tighter and pulled them to his chest. "Alia!" He pleaded, "You have to help me! I refuse to accept that. I won't give up on Ziggy. Never. I'll do everything in my power to save her, and I can, with your help! That's why I'm here. The entire Project is in danger and all my friends could die! You know that!"

Softly, she replied, "You don't understand me, Sam. Ziggy is gone if Lothos was able to establish a strong enough link..."

He threw her hands down. "I will not lie down and take it! And neither will you! You will never be truly free if you let this go, Alia, and you know that!" His voice dropped to a whisper. "You know I'm right."

Alia closed her eyes. He was right. He was always right. In resignation, she took a deep, shaky breath. "Do you know if he established a physical link to Ziggy?"

A flash of hope sparked in Sam's mind. "I don't think so. They've been able to work around whatever it is so far, but I don't know for how long."

Alia sighed. She had suppressed the memories for so long that she actually wondered if she could recall them. "Well, you first have to realized who we are dealing with here, Sam. Do you remember Nathaniel Lothoman?"

Sam's brow furrowed. Asking for a memory from him was usually a hit or miss affair, but that name was familiar.

"You must remember him," she insisted. He stayed current with all of your experiments. Never wanted to be behind the genius of our time."

"Wait..." Sam was thinking hard. "He was always asking questions. I got the idea he was more than a fan. Almost a competitor."

Resigned, Alia nodded sadly. "More than you know, Sam. More than you know."

Even as she said the words, her mind began to flash back to when she had been taken from the streets of Britain. She wished now that she had never run away from home, had never said yes to a lunatic...but she had.

Even as she told Sam her story, she was reliving it.