SLIDERS/THE PRETENDER
Disclaimer
This is an Alternative Fourth Season of Sliders which also involves characters from The Pretender. I do not own the copyright to the characters of the above shows and am borrowing them from their owners without any intention of making a profit. Please feel free to comment on the story below. However, constructive criticism only. Flames will not be appreciated or helpful.
Footnote
This is Episode One of an imaginary Fourth Season of Sliders. I like a lot of you was not happy with the way Sliders went after the end of season three. This is my answer. I hope you enjoy it.
SLIDERS - THE ALTERNATIVE FOURTH SEASON
4:01 - Keep The Home Fires Burning (Part One)
Ten Days Before
Amanda Mallory sat alone in her front room. On the mantelpiece in front of her was the picture of Quinn that she most cherished, a picture of him on his sixteenth birthday with Wade Wells mucking around with water. Every so often she would go over to the mantelpiece, pick up the picture and just look at it as if the action would bring him home again. She got from the seat, picked up the picture and returned to the seat to look at it. It had been four years since he disappeared. She still didn't understand how. One of his scientific experiments went wrong, so the experts told her. Then, very briefly, two months ago, he came back. Not with one of the people he disappeared with, but with a military looking woman whom he called Maggie Beckett. She got sick and he had to rush her to hospital. Then he disappeared again, down a vortex that he opened using some sort of timer. He promised that he would be back and that they would be together. The sound of a door bell broke her reverie. She got up, replaced the photograph, and headed down the hall to the front door. The opening of the door revealed a handsome looking man in his thirties. He had dark hair and was wearing a dark suit, in his hand was a matching briefcase. He produced a warrant card and showed it to her.
"Mrs Mallory, my name is Jarod Malone, I'm with the FBI."
Amanda looked at this newcomer quizzically. She had seen all the suits from Federal to Military, but nobody like this.
"How can I help you?" She asked.
"I'm hoping to be able to help you," Agent Malone said "I might be able to get your son and his friends back."
Suddenly Amanda Mallory was interested. She allowed the man to enter her home. He was hesitant at first, not wanting to intrude. However, the renewed hope in Amanda's eyes was the invitation that he needed to come in.
"Can I see your son's laboratory?"
Amanda looked at Jarod suspiciously. The FBI had taken pictures of the lab from wall to wall, they combed every nook and cranny looking for clues as to what could have happened. Surely, he had seen the pictures.
"Yes, I have seen the pictures," Jarod said in answer to her unasked question "But, I need to have a look for myself, to get a feel of the place."
Amanda nodded and disappeared into the front room for a moment to get a set of keys. She went down a small flight of stairs to the door that lead to the basement. She stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. She hadn't opened this in two months, ever since Quinn and the Beckett woman arrived.
"I can take it from here if you like," Jarod said.
"No, I'd better come with you."
Jarod smiled.
"Of course," He said.
She unlocked the door and opened it. She reached in and switched on the light which revealed a dusty old basement. Most of Quinn's equipment was still there. Some had been taken away for analysis by the boffins. The two of them walked down the stairs and started to take off dust sheets. Jarod opened his briefcase and produced a red notebook which he opened. Amanda could see that there were indeed pictures of her son's laboratory.
"Have you any idea what he was working on?"
"No idea what so ever," Amanda said truthfully "What he was doing took a great deal of power."
"Based on?"
"The electricity bills, the blackouts."
Jarod smiled
"Of course."
"You said you might be able to help get Quinn and his friends back," Amanda said "How?"
"With your permission, I would like to try and recreate the experiment that your son was conducting when he disappeared."
Amanda looked at Jarod doubtfully.
"You can do that."
"I've studied his notes," Jarod said "I've watched the videotapes that he made leading up to that day. I'm convinced that I can recreate the exact conditions that led to your son's disappearance. However, if you don't want me to do so, I will understand."
"Do you have your bureau's permission to do this?"
"No," Jarod answered "In fact they think I'm on an extended vacation. I'm going way out on a limb on this. Which is why secrecy is important."
Again Amanda looked doubtful. His eyes suggested that he was genuine as did his whole manner. However, did the FBI employ quantum physicists? Every instinct told her that she should check him out. However, something told her to trust him.
"Where are you staying?"
"The Dominion."
Amanda took another deep breath and thought about the neighbours.
"It might be better if you stayed here," She said.
Jarod took Amanda's hand.
"Thank you, and don't worry, I will make every effort to bring your son home."
A Week Later
Jarod sat back and looked at the remains of the ball that had returned. It was a charred mess. He looked at the photograph of the equation he had acquired from a friend of his in the FBI and frowned.
"Come on, Quinn, talk to me, how did you do it?"
He looked around the new laboratory. He had spent thousands on equipment that exactly recreated Quinn's lab. Some parts were so rare that Jarod wondered where he got them from. He had even gone to Quinn's college to make enquiries there. Quinn had borrowed some equipment, which didn't go down well with the college authorities. However, every single withdrawal had Maximilian Arturo's blessing. Some genuine, some probably forged, but all of them accepted.
"I'm not sure I should be doing this," A very pretty lab technician told him when he tried to acquire the same equipment.
"I could make this official if you like," Jarod said "However, I would prefer to get Quinn and Professor Arturo back without any publicity. I think you understand why."
The Technician nodded. She had only just arrived when Arturo and Quinn went missing. However, she remembered there was a hell of a stink which went on for ages. To get Quinn and Arturo back would be not only a relief but a benefit, and to do it quietly would be even better.
"Have you thought about talking to Conrad Bennish?"
Jarod looked at her quizzically.
"He was in the same class as Quinn," the Technician said "They were friends."
"Might be a help," Jarod agreed "Have you got an address?"
"I can get it," She said.
"That would be helpful," Jarod said.
The technician smiled and nodded.
The Centre - Blue Cove, Delaware
Sydney Green sat in front of a slightly agitated Miss Parker. They were trying yet again to access Miss Parker's powers of sixth sense and was making some headway. She had already foreseen the interruption by Mr Lyle which set the experiment back hours. He had been looking for a progress report on the search for Jarod and she had told him that he would get the information if and when she finds it. In other words, she had told Lyle, in typical Parker fashion, to get lost. At this present moment, something was disturbing Miss Parker and he needed to know what it was
"What can you see?"
"Jarod," Miss Parker said "He's surrounded by Ape like creatures, they are shooting at him."
Broots chose that moment to enter and tried to interrupt. Sydney angrily held his finger to his mouth and Broots backed off.
"Where?"
"I don't know," Miss Parker answered "It looks like San Francisco, but it's not like any San Francisco I've ever seen."
"Describe what you're seeing."
"A room, looks like an attic in some very old building," Miss Parker struggled to see "Apes wearing uniforms, and I mean Apes."
"Go on."
"Two women are helping Jarod to escape, one is a red-head, the other has light brown hair. They are drawing fire away from him. Jarod takes out what looks like a remote control, he aims it at something and presses a button," Miss Parker's eyes shot open "What the hell was that?"
"Tell me what you're seeing," Sydney said waving down Broots.
"A tunnel with bright lights, some sort of vortex, he's jumping into it. The vortex is closing," Miss Parker woke up properly "It's gone. Damn it! It's gone."
Sydney held Miss Parker's shoulders and kept on holding her until she started to breathe normally. She took out a cigarette, lit it and took a drag.
"Where the hell did that come from?"
"Some sort of premonition," Sydney suggested "You're already linked in some way to Jarod, maybe this is some way of telling us where he is."
"He's in San Francisco," Broots answered.
Both Parker and Sydney looked at him.
"A guy has been buying some expensive electronic equipment over the last week," Broots explained "He's charging it to us."
Sydney burst into laughter.
"That's Jarod all right," He said.
Miss Parker was on her feet.
"Come on, you two, we have a plane to catch."
Conrad Bennish's Home
From the moment Jarod entered Conrad Bennish's home, he could see that he was a free spirit. He certainly would not have conformed to anything that the Centre might have done and that endeared Jarod to the guy. They talked about the events that lead up to Quinn's disappearance in a hope that it might entice other vital information out of him.
"He really freaked the Professor out," Bennish told Jarod.
"In what way?"
"He virtually told him that one of his theories was a joke," Bennish almost laughed as he said that "Arturo saw red and stormed out of the lecture room."
"This was a couple of days before the disappearance?"
"Correct, Man," Bennish said "Quinn was cool that day."
"So why did Arturo go around to his home on the night they disappeared?"
"Wade had persuaded the Professor that he didn't mean what he said, that it wasn't Quinn talking."
"Wade Wells?"
"Correct."
"Did you talk about any experiments concerning the Einstein, Rosen, Podalsky Bridge?" Jarod asked.
"He was always on about it, man," Bennish answered "He was always claiming that he was so close to creating the bridge."
"Did you believe him?"
"I didn't then, but I do now."
"Why?"
"Because that's where he's gone," Bennish said "He, Professor Arturo, that chick Wade and that singer Rembrandt Brown are all in another dimension."
Jarod thought for a moment. Somehow that confirmed his suspicions. Jarod was now sure that Conrad Bennish could help him.
"Did you know that Quinn came back?"
Bennish looked at him as if he had come out of a lunatic asylum.
"No way."
"He did," Jarod said "Two months ago, with a woman called Maggie Beckett. You didn't know about it?"
"No way, man."
Bennish whistled at the thought.
"Why did he go back?"
"I'm not a hundred per cent sure, I'll be sure ask him when I find him."
"Find him?"
"Didn't I tell you," Jarod smiled "I'm recreating his attempt to form the Einstein, Rosen, Podalsky Bridge. I was hoping that you might help me find the missing element."
Bennish sat back and took a deep breath. Jarod could see that it was a bolt from the blue.
"It would be an honour," Bennish said.
Quinn's Home
"Far out, Man!"
Bennish was almost gob-smacked when he first saw what Jarod had done to his friends laboratory. He crossed over to the equations to the blackboard and looked at it in awe.
"He wasn't kidding," Bennish said "He was that close to success."
"From what I can see, yes," Jarod said "There's something missing, but, I can't see what it is. I was hoping you would have the answer."
"I'm good, but I'm not that good," Bennish said "Maybe in a couple of months."
"I don't think we have a couple of months," Jarod said "I'm against the clock."
"Because your people will find out and tell you to stop?"
"My people will find out and take over," Jarod said "They've tried for three years to recreate what Quinn did. If they find this, we will not be able to stop them from corrupting our data. The result could be catastrophic."
"They would be creating their own bridge."
"Precisely."
"And creating chaos?"
"Possibly," Jarod said "I don't want to be in a position to find out."
Bennish reflected at the picture that Jarod was painting. It wasn't pretty.
"Why do you want to find it?" Bennish asked.
"To find Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt Brown and Professor Arturo."
"And this Maggie Beckett?"
Jarod nodded.
"And?"
"And what?"
"Come on, Man," Bennish said "I may look like a hippy, but I wasn't born yesterday. You have another reason for wanting to build this bridge."
"I do," Jarod said.
"What is it?"
"I can't tell you, it wouldn't be safe for you."
"Top secret."
Jarod smiled.
"You could say that," He said "All I can tell you is that if a woman by the name of Miss Parker comes to visit you, I need to know immediately."
It was Bennish's turn to smile.
"You're trying to escape a paternity suit."
Jarod's smile broadened but he said nothing.
"That's it, isn't it?" Bennish said "This broad is after your money and you hope to escape by going into another dimension."
"Can we get to work please, we don't have a lot of time."
Bennish smirked.
"Of course," He said with a wink.
Jarod sighed and sat down in a chair.
The Dominion Hotel
Broots walked up to Miss Parker who was dressed in her mauve short skirt suit. The one that made men pant at the sight of those long slim legs that protruded from that skirt. It had that effect on Broots anyway.
"Well," Miss Parker asked.
"Yes," Broots said "There was a Jarod Malone booked in a week ago, he booked out a day after he arrived claiming that he had found somewhere to stay."
"Did the clerk say where?"
Broots shook his head.
"Damn!" Miss Parker snapped.
"But he did ask for directions to this college," Broots said showing Miss Parker the paper that the clerk had scribbled on.
Sydney looked at the paper.
"I know where that is," He said "I was there attending a lecture given by a Professor Maximilian Arturo."
"The one who disappeared four years ago?" Broots asked.
A grin formed on Miss Parker's face.
"Broots, book us in," She said "Then continue tracking any purchase Jarod Malone made in the last week."
"Where will you be?"
"Sydney and I will be going to this college."
Broots looked into Miss Parker's eyes and saw that she had or was on the verge of working out what Jarod was doing here.
Quinn's Home
Jarod and Bennish looked at the final part of the equation that Bennish had written on the board. Amanda had joined them on Jarod's request.
"Are you sure that's correct?" Amanda said.
"Not one hundred per cent sure, no," Jarod answered.
"But it's pretty close," Bennish said "It's the only answer that makes sense."
"We'll know in thirty seconds," Jarod said.
"How?"
"Jarod and I sent an object down the Einstein, Rosen, Podalsky Bridge."
"The what?"
Jarod sat Amanda down.
"It's what your son was working on," Jarod said gently "It's a bridge between dimensions if you like."
"Dimensions?"
"Einstein suggested that this is not the only dimension," Jarod said "There are other dimensions where things happen differently."
"Like a dimension where Black Sabbath never split up," Bennish said.
"Or a place where the Atom Bomb was never created or when the Russians invaded the United States or Germany won the Second World War," Jarod added with a small glance at Bennish.
"Or when the Festival of Love became an on-going event," Bennish added.
Jarod shrugged at the suggestion and saw that Amanda was starting to understand.
"And my son, Wade, Mr Arturo and Mr Brown could be in one of those dimensions?"
"That would be my guess, yes," Jarod answered.
"Jarod," Bennish said pointing to his watch.
"I suggest that you hang onto something, Mrs Mallory," Jarod said.
Bennish counted down using his fingers and both Jarod and Amanda gripped tightly onto something solid. On one the vortex, a mass of swirling lights and colours, exploded onto the seen causing a massive disturbance in the room. An object, a small baseball, emerged from the centre and dropped at Jarod's feet. The vortex closed.
"Wow," Bennish said "That's like, intense."
"You can say that again," Amanda said, her mouth still open with the shock of what had just happened.
Jarod picked up the baseball and smiled. He tossed it to Bennish who caught it with ill-grace, smiling as he did so.
"It worked," Bennish said "It damned well worked."
"There's only one way to know for sure," Jarod said "Somebody's going to have to go down that tunnel."
"I know you're in a hurry, man," Bennish said "But, are you sure?"
"We have to know," Jarod said.
"You're not planning to go are you?" Amanda asked.
"If you want to see your son again, yes," Jarod said "And I suggest that only one of us go. The fact that four was dragged into the last vortex was probably one of the contributing factors as to why Quinn and his friends got lost."
"Agreed," Bennish said.
"But why does it have to be you, Agent Malone?"
"Because I'm expendable, Mister Bennish isn't," Jarod said "If it doesn't work you need somebody like Mister Bennish to continue the work. To correct the mistake that we've made."
Bennish blushed at the thought of being so important that somebody would take the leap to ensure that he would live. Then he frowned on missing out on the opportunity of several lifetimes. Jarod saw that frown and took him to one side.
"I need you here, Conrad," Jarod said "I need you to protect Amanda and to keep the authorities away from this Lab. You could be my and Quinn's only way back. Do you understand me?"
Bennish nodded.
"If it proves to be a safe way to travel, you will be getting your chance," Jarod said.
"But not yet," Bennish said.
Jarod patted Bennish on the shoulder.
"What a bummer!" Bennish said with feeling.
Jarod smiled and approached Amanda.
"You be careful," Amanda said.
"I will," Jarod said "Conrad, set the timer for thirty minutes, that should give me enough time to get my bearings."
Bennish set the timer. Jarod took a deep breath and took the timer from Bennish.
"Wish me luck," Jarod said.
He pressed the button and the vortex opened. Jarod leapt into the vortex and it closed a couple of seconds later.
"Good luck, Man," Bennish said.
The College
Miss Parker showed the female lab technician Jarod's photograph and the woman nodded.
"Is that him?" Miss Parker asked impatiently.
"Sure looks like him," She said "His hair's a bit longer, but yeah that's him. Are you his partner?"
"Yes she is," Sydney said "I'm his superior, we're afraid for his life."
"In what way?"
"He's developed an obsession with finding Quinn Mallory, Wade Wells, Professor Arturo and Rembrandt Brown," Sydney said "We think he could be on the verge of doing something stupid."
"We need to find him before he does," Miss Parker said.
"What exactly was he doing here?" Sydney asked.
"He was wanting to acquire the same stuff that Quinn Mallory borrowed four years ago, he said it would help to bring him and Professor Arturo back."
"And you gave it to him?" Parker asked.
"I saw no reason not to," The Woman said "I even suggest that he went to see Conrad Bennish."
"Who's he?"
"A friend of Quinn Mallory's, I suggested he might be of some help with his project."
"You have an address for this Conrad Bennish?" Miss Parker asked.
"If you give me a minute, I can get it for you."
The Technician left them in her Lab.
"We've got him," Miss Parker said "I can feel it."
"I've got a feeling we may have run into a lot more than we've reckoned with," Sydney said.
"Meaning?"
"Remember your dream, remember ape world," Sydney said "What if that was another dimension?"
"You don't believe that crap?"
Sydney smiled.
"That was the main topic of Professor Arturo's lecture. That and the Einstein, Rosen, Podalsky Bridge."
"Excuse me?" Miss Parker said.
"The bridge between dimensions, Einstein postulated that such a bridge was possible. It's also possible that Arturo and Quinn Mallory found that bridge."
"And now the Lab Rat," Miss Parker said.
"He's more than capable, especially if he had help," Sydney suggested.
Miss Parker looked at Sydney and then realised Conrad Bennish's role. From what she was hearing, he was probably the next best thing to Quinn Mallory. If Jarod was to go for help, it would be to someone like Conrad Bennish.
"Oh brother," Miss Parker said "If he's crossed that bridge, we could lose him forever."
"Maybe it would be for the best."
Miss Parker glared at him and dismissed the thought just as quickly. If she did let him escape down that bridge, she may as well join him, because her life would be hell for as long as she lived. She saw the Technician return and breathed a sigh of relief. She almost snatched the paper from the technician's hand and ran down the corridor.
"Thanks for your help," Sydney said.
Sydney walked in pursuit.
A Parallel World
Jarod picked himself up from the grass and shook himself down. He checked the timer and saw that it was counting down from twenty-nine minutes. He put the timer in his inside pocket and started walking. He walked for ten minutes, taking in the sombre looks on the faces of people that he passed. He could see that they were afraid and started to wonder why. He soon got his answer when he saw what looked like jack-booted apes beat up a man just for kicks. He wanted to dive in and help the guy. However, an instinct told him not to interfere, to keep a low profile. He soon joined a group of similarly dressed people being herded onto a truck by ape like creatures dressed in Nazi style uniforms. He sat next to two women, one had brown haired woman with green eyes, she had handcuffs around her wrists as did the smaller red-head woman who sat next to her. They looked tired as if they had been hard at work all day. He saw a man being pistol whipped to the ground and then thrown into the truck by the apes. Jarod helped the man to his feet and sat him down opposite.
"Are you all right?"
The man nodded.
"Who are these clowns?" Jarod whispered.
"They're Kromaggs."
Jarod turned around and saw the Red-Head and the Light Brown haired woman smile nervously. He tried to get his head around the name 'Kromaggs' and didn't like the sound of it at all. He returned the women's smile in a hope that it would start some sort of conversation. It worked.
"I haven't seen you before," The Red-head said "When did you get in."
"I arrived a minute ago from a parallel universe."
"You slid?" The Light Brown haired woman said.
"It would be an appropriate way of describing the experience I suppose," Jarod said with a smile.
He looked at the Red-Head properly for the first time and thought that he recognised her. He could see that the two women were excited by what they had just heard. The truck started up and an Ape Guard joined them.
"You!"
Jarod pointed at himself.
"Yes you, why haven't you got cuffs on," He said
He noted that everybody else included the man he saved had handcuffs on. He was the only one who didn't. He could see the ape take out a pair and approach him ready to put them on.
"Maybe because I've just arrived."
He hit the Ape Guard and snatched his weapon. The Ape Guard tried to regain control but Jarod butt-stroked him out of the cab.
"Nice place you have here," Jarod said "Are they all like that?"
The truck skidded to a halt and that allowed the prisoners to jump out and run. Some, including the man that Jarod helped, were cut down by gun fire from accompanying troopers, others like Jarod and the two women ran towards a forbidding looking house in the suburbs of San Francisco. Only Jarod and the two women made it to the house, the others were mown down before they even reached the gate. Jarod and the two women placed furniture in front of the door to barricade themselves in.
"Who are you?" The Red-Head asked.
"My name is Jarod."
"I'm Maggie, this is Wade."
"As in Maggie Beckett and Wade Wells?"
The two women eyed him suspiciously.
"I've just come from the home of Quinn Mallory," Jarod said "I've been trying to find you guys, to bring you home."
"You've come from Earth Prime?" The Red-Head asked.
"I suppose you would call it that if you came from there, so yes I came from Earth Prime," Jarod said.
"How long do you have?" The Light Brown Haired Woman asked.
Jarod took out his timer.
"Ten minutes before I have to return."
"We're not going to have enough time to get back to Remmy and Quinn," The Red-Head said.
The door started buckling with the force of charging bodies.
"I can get you home," Jarod said "You and Professor Arturo."
Again Wade and Maggie looked quizzically at Jarod.
"You didn't mention his name, I assumed he was with you."
"Professor Arturo's dead," Wade said.
Jarod saw that the door was about to cave in and decided to take in this information later. They had to get out of that building now. Jarod guided the two women to the back of the house where they found Kromagg soldiers forcing their way in.
"Stairs!" Jarod said.
"We'll be blocked in," Maggie said.
"I know," Jarod said "I can't see any other way."
He opened fire with his borrowed weapon and cut a Kromagg down. Maggie scrambled for the Maggs' weapon before his friends could arrive and gunned one down for herself. She joined Jarod and Wade climbing the stairs. They reached the top finding themselves in front of a locked door.
"Shit!" Jarod cursed.
"Now what do we do?" Wade asked.
"This!" Maggie said
Maggie kicked at the door and managed to force it open slightly. She shot another Kromagg just as Jarod and Wade put their shoulders to the door and forced it open a little more. They pushed their way in and started to use the furniture to barricade themselves in.
"How long have you got?" Wade asked.
Jarod took out his timer.
"Thirty seconds."
"We're going to have to draw them off," Maggie said "It's us they want. They don't know about your capabilities yet."
"I can't let you do that," Jarod said.
"We don't have time to argue," Maggie said.
"Just tell Mrs Mallory that Quinn's okay," Wade said.
Maggie and Wade took away the barriers and went out with their cuffed hands on their heads.
"No!" Jarod said.
The Kromaggs burst in and Jarod shot two of them before opening the vortex. He jumped in and it closed just before the other Maggs could reach it. The lead Magg saw a book lying on the table. He closed it and saw its title - 'The Book of Shadows'. He felt himself choking and falling to his knees trying to relieve the pressure around his neck. His troopers burst in to try and help but found themselves crashing into walls as if thrown by an invisible hand. Somebody approached Maggie and Wade, somebody that Wade knew very well.
"Logan St Clair?"
Inside Quinn's Home
The vortex opened and Jarod fell out. He almost crashed into a jubilant Conrad Bennish.
"You are a genius, Jarod," He said hugging the Pretender "It worked."
Jarod disentangled himself and went to Amanda. He took her hand.
"I saw Wade and Maggie Beckett," He said "They're alive or were when I left them. They told me that your son and Rembrandt Brown are still alive."
Amanda collapsed into Jarod's arms and started sobbing with relief.
"Unfortunately, they're in trouble," Jarod continued "They were prisoners of this ape race that call themselves Kromaggs. I couldn't bring Wade or Maggie back with me and I don't know what happened to them."
The sobs turned into sobs of fear. Jarod took Amanda's shoulders.
"I will find out what happened to them."
"I know you will," Amanda said "I trust you."
"What about the Professor?" Bennish asked.
"According to Wade, the Professor's dead."
"No!"
Bennish slumped into the chair, shocked.
"I don't believe it," He said "People like him don't die."
"I know," Jarod said.
Conrad Bennish's Home - Three Days Later
Sydney left Bennish's home and approached the car that Parker was sitting in. Sydney had persuaded Miss Parker that it might be better if he handled Bennish. They could have a scientific discussion and he could slip Jarod into the conversation.
"It would be better than your rough-house tactics," Sydney had suggested.
Miss Parker, although miffed by that suggestion, decided to let Sydney try it his way. As he approached the car, Miss Parker tapped her watch.
"You've been two hours."
"Sorry, he was an interesting guy," Sydney said.
"Does he know where Jarod is?"
"He does," Sydney said "But, he's not saying where, and that's only the impression I got from my conversation. He was very evasive when I directly challenged him."
Miss Parker glared at him.
"Maybe I should have gone in there after all."
Sydney shook his head.
"He may look like a hippy," He said "But he's loyal. It would have taken a lot to shake him."
"So what do you suggest?"
"That we keep a surveillance on him, let him lead us to Jarod."
Miss Parker sighed, but nodded her agreement.
A Parallel World - A Week Later
Jarod returned to the Kromagg dominated world. This time he was armed to the teeth and ready for any eventuality. He didn't need the weapons. He slid into a scene of wild hysteria and massive celebrations. Fireworks were going off everywhere, people danced in the streets and hugged every body could see. Even Jarod was hugged and kissed by two women and a man. For a moment he thought he was on the wrong world until he saw the building he escaped from not a week before looking the same as he left it. He grabbed the arm of a blonde female cop.
"What's happened here?" He asked.
"Don't you know, buddy?" The Cop said with a smile "The Maggs are dead, all of them."
"How?" He looked at the cop's badge "Officer Lewis."
"Where have you been?" She said.
"I'm a reporter with the San Francisco Herald, I want to hear it from your own words."
"The sliders Quinn Mallory, Rembrandt Brown, Wade Wells, Maggie Beckett and Logan St Clair," She said "They poisoned those creeps with some fungus that affects humanoids with their genetic make-up. The Maggs are all dead."
The cop kissed another male passer by.
"What happened to the Sliders?"
"They left," Officer Lewis said "I heard that one of them gave his life in order to perfect the fungus."
"Which one?"
"I don't know," Lewis said "Whoever it was will go down in history as a man who gave his life to save his people. He will be honoured as a true hero."
Lewis danced away with a man and two women. Jarod accepted another kiss from a jubilant woman and sat down on a nearby bench trying to take in what had happened. She said 'He', Jarod thought, which meant that it was either Quinn Mallory or Rembrandt Brown. He couldn't tell Amanda that her son may be dead, not until he knew for sure. Checking the timer and finding that his time was nearly up, he got to his feet and activated the timer. The portal opened ad he jumped in.
Quinn's Home
Jarod picked himself up from the floor and dusted himself down.
"I have to find a better way of coming out of that vortex," He said.
"Well?" Amanda asked expectantly.
"They've moved on," Jarod said "I don't know where."
Amanda took Jarod's shoulders and sobbed. Jarod hugged the distraught woman.
"Where's Conrad?"
"Meeting with that Parker woman," Amanda said "She is one determined woman."
"I know she is."
Six Weeks Later - The Dominion Hotel
It had been a frustrating six weeks for both Miss Parker and Jarod. For Miss Parker it was dealing with the aggravating Conrad Bennish. She had visited him at least five times and with each visit, she became more and more hostile. Sydney was proved to be right, he was loyal to a fault. Every time she or Broots tried to tail him, he gave them the run-around. Miss Parker was convinced that Sydney was also right about Bennish knowing where Jarod was. However, despite his hippy appearance, Bennish was proving to be an elusive quarry. He was giving her and Broots the grand tour of San Francisco's sights.
"It wouldn't surprise me that Jarod is hiding out in Quinn's Mallory's home," Sydney said.
"A little obvious," Parker said "I don't think even Jarod would be that stupid."
"Have you heard of a double bluff?" Sydney said.
"Of course," She said "However, and I hate to say this, the only way he's eluded me is that he's always been one step ahead of me. He has always made friends during his pretends."
"And they've always covered for him," Sydney finished.
Miss Parker virtually growled at the thought. That made Sydney chuckle. After visiting The Golden Gate Park for the umpteenth time after Bennish had given her another bum steer. Miss Parker returned to her room to see Sydney in a disheartened mood.
"What's up?"
"Raines wants us back," He said.
"You're kidding," Miss Parker said "We're this close to getting him."
"There's been a reported sighting in New York," Sydney said "They want us to go and investigate."
"What does Broots say?"
"So you trust his word after all?"
"Sydney!"
Sydney smiled.
"He thinks that it's Mr Bennish and college friends up to their tricks," He said "I've relayed that to Raines and Lyle."
"And?"
"They've given us two more days," Sydney said "If we don't produce evidence by then, we're to go to New York. I tried to argue for more time but they're adamant."
"Damned Raines!" Miss Parker snapped "Where's Broots?"
"The electricity company," Sydney said "He's following up a possible lead."
A Parallel World
Jarod looked at the small colony created by the survivors of the Earth destroyed by solar flares and smiled. He had heard that the now missing Colonel Rickman had set up a policy of using the inhabitants of this Earth as slave labour. A policy which was abhorred by the scientific community. He was glad that the colonists had found a way of co-existing with their neighbours to the point where they were glad to help each other create the new world. One helped build the new world, the other provided the education and the structure that the world was going to need to survive. It was an amicable agreement which was bound to succeed. He also found Malcolm, the black boy that Rembrandt befriended on the dying world. It was from him that he found out what happened to Professor Arturo.
"You say that Rickman was going to shoot Quinn and Arturo stepped in the way of the bullet?" Jarod said.
"That's exactly what happened man," Malcolm said "Rickman killed Captain Beckett's husband, he would have killed me if he had the chance. He certainly put my parents in a coma."
"And your parents are here?" Jarod said.
Malcolm nodded.
"Rickman had them brought here, some kind of experiment."
Malcolm shook his head.
"Until you came," He said "We had given up hope of ever saving them. Thank you for finding a cure and bringing them back to me."
"My pleasure," Jarod said "Do you have any message for Rembrandt."
"Tell him that he promised to return to see me one day."
Jarod placed his hand on Malcolm's shoulder.
"I will," He said "Thank you for your help."
With that Jarod activated the timer and leapt into the vortex. Malcolm looked at the closing vortex and smiled.
"That goes for you too, Jarod."
The Dominion Hotel
Miss Parker's cell phone rang. She activated it.
"Yes."
"I've found him," Broots said "You're not going to believe where."
"I'm not in the mood for guessing games," Parker said "Where is he?"
"The Mallory home," Broots said "There's been at least eight massive electricity outages coming from that home over the last month and, get this, I've just seen Conrad Bennish enter the house."
She saw the smile on Sydney's face and scowled. He had been right and she hadn't listened. She knew that Sydney would never let her forget.
"You're there now?"
"Yes."
"Stay there, we're on our way."
Miss Parker grabbed her leather jacket and she and Sydney hurriedly left the room.
Outside Quinn's Home
Miss Parker and Sydney got out of the car and joined Broots at the gate.
"You'd better be right about this," Miss Parker said.
Miss Parker took out her weapon. Sydney took her hand.
"Put that away," He said "I want to take him without bloodshed."
Miss Parker glared at him. Then she compromised by holding the weapon down and deactivating the Safety catch at the same time.
"Satisfied?"
Miss Parker didn't wait for an answer. She headed for the front door. Sydney sighed at Broots and followed.
Inside Quinn's Home
Amanda heard the door bell ring. She could see that the vortex was opening and Jarod was coming through. Now was not the time for visitors.
"Do you want me to go?" Bennish asked.
"I'll go," Amanda said "This is my home."
Amanda left the Basement and went upstairs. At the same time Jarod flew into the basement and landed at Bennish's feet. Bennish helped Jarod up.
"Well?"
"I didn't find out what happened to Quinn or Rembrandt, but I can confirm that Arturo's dead," Jarod said "I'm genuinely sorry for your loss."
Bennish sat down.
"Thanks for doing that, man," He said "I'll make arrangements for a decent memorial."
Amanda returned with somebody behind her.
"They're here to see you, Agent Malone."
Miss Parker stepped out from behind Amanda. She had a weapon in her hand and Sydney by her side.
"Hello Lab Rat," She said "Time to return to your cage."
Jarod looked at the surprised Bennish and Amanda and the possible escape routes. He could see none except for one, the timer he had in his hand.
"Not this time."
Jarod activated the timer. The vortex reappeared and began swirling violently
"Jarod, no!" Bennish shouted "No parameter has been set."
It was too late, Jarod had already leapt into the vortex.
"No you don't," Miss Parker shouted.
She and Sydney flew down the stairs and leapt into the vortex just as it closed, despite Bennish's feeble attempt to stop them Broots appeared from behind Amanda and started down the stairs
"What happened?"
"I think we may have lost them," Bennish said.
Amanda slumped to her knees. It had happened again. The hope that had been built up had suddenly crashed because of outside interference. Bennish went upstairs to comfort Amanda. He glared at Broots.
"I hope you bastards feel good about yourselves," He snapped "You may have ruined this woman's life and destroyed any chance of getting Quinn Mallory home."
Broots could find no answer to that.
A Parallel World
Jarod landed on the grass first and looked around anxiously. It was the same park he had landed in not forty minutes previously. But, was it the same world. He could see that the vortex hadn't closed and knew that somebody had followed him. Who? His answer came a split second later and was his worst fear. Miss Parker crashed into him and knocked him to the ground followed shortly by Sydney. Miss Parker took out her weapon and levelled it at Jarod.
"You really think you can get away from me," Miss Parker said.
"One can hope," Jarod said.
Jarod ignored Miss Parker's weapon and got himself to his feet. He saw Sydney get up and dust his suit down.
"Quite a ride, isn't it, Sydney," Jarod said.
"Worse than a roller-coaster," Sydney said "Still I get to prove that Einstein was right. This is another dimension I presume?"
"Hopefully none with Apes in," Jarod said.
"Apes?"
"Or Kromaggs as they're known."
"Shut up," Parker snapped pressing her weapon against his temple "Reactivate that device and get us home."
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because if I activate it now there's no guarantee we will get home," Jarod said "We could end up sliding around forever."
"How long do we have?" Sydney asked.
"Five days and change and even then I cannot guarantee getting us home."
"Because no parameters were set," Sydney deduced.
Jarod nodded his confirmation.
"You will activate that device or I will blow your head off and activate it myself," Miss Parker said.
Jarod threw his hands up in despair. This woman was so blind that she was missing the obvious. He could see that Sydney was understanding and looked pleadingly at his old tutor and mentor.
"I suggest that you listen to Jarod, Miss Parker," Sydney said "He is our only hope of getting home."
"And I don't think those two would like you brandishing weapons," Jarod said.
Miss Parker felt the cold steel of a gun brush the side of her head.
"Drop your weapon," The voice, a female voice, a voice that Jarod recognised, said.
"I suggest that you do so very slowly," Sydney said.
Miss Parker looked at Sydney and then Jarod and slowly dropped her weapon. Suddenly all three of them were being handcuffed by police officers.
To Be Continued