Chapter 38

Power had been restored to the Project Quantum Leap facility giving Dr. Donna Beckett some hope that her husband might still be retrieved from the failed experiment. After 23 years she got one more chance to bring him home and all she could do was hand her husband's life work over to a young scientist who was born a year after her husband entered the accelerator. After speaking with Samantha Hawke on Zoom she decided to leave the accelerator in older MacGyver's hands and see the engine for herself.

Tony needed more information on the accelerator and drove himself out to the Arizona facility to research what he would need to build. He decided to focus on helping Sam and her family and try to bury his feelings as he was simply too old to have feelings for a twenty two year old woman. He was nearing retirement and she was barely old enough to drink. He felt foolish for allowing his guard down, to even suggest he take her out for dinner. He kicked himself mentally for being so silly around the young woman.

Sinjin left to go to 1984 for himself and he wanted to talk to Dom about what he saw during his time as a fighter pilot in the war. He wondered if it was similar to what he and String saw flying Airwolf.

Donna Beckett arrived at the hangar driving an old used silver Chevy Malibu coup. She parked near a green Subaru Forester and then made her way to the side door. Upon knocking the door opened and Jo Santini-Hawke greeted her.

"You must be Donna." she assumed.

She offered a hand, "I'm Dr. Donna Beckett."

Jo shook her hand, "I'm Sam's mom, Jo. Come on in. We're expecting you."

Donna entered the old hangar. She admitted, "When I spoke to your daughter I saw shades of my Sam. He's smart like she is." She spied Airwolf, "That's a helicopter."

"That's Airwolf! My husband and I own her. We fly her in air shows." she informed.

Donna confessed, "From the looks outside I didn't think this airfield was working."

"It's not." she told her. "Only Airwolf is housed her along with Sam's engine."

She looked upon the helicopter, "Looks sleek."

"Back in the 80's my husband and I flew her for a year on missions. Airwolf is the only chopper still capable of mach one. Back then…it was a top secret project. Today…" she motioned "not so much." They continued towards the back of the hangar. Jo mentioned, "For the first three years my late brother in law flew her with my late uncle. This used to be his business. My uncle was stunt pilot for Hollywood and was a fighter pilot during World War Two. He came through the wormhole first. I wanted him to stay with us. Then my daughter reminded me that we couldn't just keep him…he's not a dog." she chuckled.

"That must have been hard sending him back." Donna figured.

"Broke my heart." she confessed. "But with the wormhole open and stable, he can come back and forth. I still see him and my brother in law." They arrived at the table.

Sam was into her research on Dr. Beckett's work and she did not hear Donna arrive or the conversation. She stared at the computer screen intently reading.

"Sam!" Jo called.

She jumped in the chair, "Huh!" She looked up and found her mom and Donna waiting. "Oh, Donna!" She rose to her feet, "I'm so glad you could come."

"Thank you for inviting me." she replied with a smile. "This is your engine."

"It is." she nodded.

She confessed, "Oh, how I wish my Sam was here to help you with this."

"Can I ask a question?" Sam requested.

"Of course." Donna gave a nod.

"The accelerator wasn't ready for that first test. Dr. Beckett knew it wasn't ready but he went inside anyways. Why did he do that?" she asked.

"He was pressured to prove his theory or lose funding. So, he stepped inside and that was it." she explained. "He thought Ziggy could control it and he could be retrieved. Only once did he ever leap back home and then he had to go back in to save someone else. You see when Sam entered the accelerator it gave him partial amnesia. Al was his only guide. Sam could see and hear him in the imagining room but no one else could…usually. When we lost Sam entirely, Al managed to keep the lights on, hoping Sam would come back. He never did. Al passed away last year. It's been a struggle. Mr. MacGyver rigged a power source for us but I don't know long that will last. The facility is 25 years old and needs a new roof. The accelerator eats a lot of power. I'm not sure how much time we got left but I know we are nearly out of time and your call was a godsend."

She gave a warm smile, "I've been studying his work. Your husband is a genius. His work is light-years ahead of it's time. I read his stuff and I feel like I'm in kindergarten sometimes."

Donna replied, "I heard you were a child prodigy too. So was my husband. Maybe out there, somewhere he's helping us."

"I think he is." she agreed. She then addressed her mother, "I have to go back to 1984. Michael found my watch and I have to go meet this millionaire with some serious family issues. Can you watch the engine and monitor the wormhole, Mom?"

"I got it." she assured and gave her a hug. "You are doing fine."

Sam rolled her eyes displeased with herself.

Jo explained to Donna, "Turns out when you go back physically…there needs to be some rules."

Donna suggested, "Like don't meet yourself?"

Sam shook her head, "More like don't spend money with future dates printed on it and don't lose your smart watch. Don't leave your cell phone laying around and try to not say what you are thinking out loud."

Donna blinked, "Um…"

"When Dr. Beckett inserted himself into someone else's life he didn't need to worry about spending State Quarters before them came out." she added.

"I see," she nodded. "He did have to worry about being exposed. That could decrease his chances at leaping home. So, he would leap into someone's life and pretend to be them."

Sam asked, "Did he ever leap into the year 1984?"

She nodded, "A few times. He could leap through out his life spane and even before if the target was a genetic relative."

"Who did he leap into in 1984?" she pressed.

"The man in the red suit." she explained. "Sam leapt into a teacher named Ralph Hinkley. He could not use the red suit but had to fake being Mr. Hinkley. I forgotten all about that leap until the other day when I saw the man in the red suit on the internet. We all forgot all about it. I only remembered that leap yesterday."

"What was the leap about?" Sam asked.

Donna confessed, "I honestly don't remember it all. I only remember him leaping into a teacher who had a red suit that could turn the wearer into a super hero but Sam could not use it. I don't remember what they were there to do. Al was with him on the leap. I don't think any of us remembered and Ziggy's data banks have nothing on it. I checked when it went viral."

KITT spoke up, "There is a possibility that you will find Dr. Beckett on the leap, Sam. Ziggy says it's possible you may see him and Al due to a similar brain wave pattern."

Sam asked, "So…if I see him I pretend it's Mr. H?"

"Yes." KITT stated.

"Got it." she agreed.

1984

Sam returned to 1984 leaving her mother to man the engine. Dom looked at the footage on Sinjin's phone and stated it was a foo fighter, that he saw the same thing during the war and had a similar experience. Sinjin decided to stay for the few hours and get take out from Ponderosa to bring back for himself, Jo and Caitlin.

String loved having his brother in 1984 with him, even if he was thirty eight years older. He found many people mistook Sinjin for his father when they went out on the town. The pair laughed for it became in an inside joke. Sinjin played it up and told a few clerks that they were brothers. The bizarre looks were most amusing.

The next day Sam returned to school. She walked into class early to speak to Ralph to warn him that he might find himself in the future once more. As she stepped into the class she was greeted with the most bizarre sight. A loudly dressed man smoking a cigar stood next to the desk. Beside him, was a man wearing one of Ralph's suits but he certainly was not Ralph. They were both looking at one of the dollar bills that Ralph had collected from the school as the man attempted to get the money back to the future. She paused and over heard their conversation for neither saw her come in.

"I found this in the teacher's desk, Al." Dr. Sam Beckett stated looking at the bill.

Al looked upon the futuristic dollar bill, "It's not a fake, Sam. It's real."

"You think this is real?" he asked.

"Ziggy says there is a 99.9% chance that bill is real and from the future and that means…there is another time traveler here, Sam." Al told him.

Dr. Beckett asked, "What does Ziggy say I am here to do?"

"She doesn't know." he replied as he looked at a hand unit and smacked it.

Samantha decided to greet her new teacher. She stepped outside the door for a second and then marched in a loudly stated, "Good Morning Mr. H." She went to her seat figuring she needed to get the bill back to the hangar at some point.

Dr. Beckett looked to the student records before him. He asked, "Rhonda?"

She shook her head, "Other girl."

"Ah," he nodded feeling a bit flushed. "Samantha Santini." he smiled, "Sam is it?"

She nodded and smiled, "My name is Sam. Sam I am. Do you like green eggs and ham, Sam?"

Dr. Beckett paused for it was if she dropped some kind of clue. He looked to Al who was looking in the hand units and hitting it again. "Ziggy has nothing on this student, Sam."

She sat back in her chair and just watched the pair work. She found Al to be very colorful and nearly amusing.

Next Karl walked into class. He greeted, "Morning Mr. H." He didn't see Al or Dr. Beckett. He went to his chair.

Al reported, "That is Karl Smithers. He graduates and joins the Air Force." Al grinned, "Kid should go into the Navy! Air Force," he rolled his eyes.

Dr. Beckett smiled at the boy, "Morning Karl."

Next walked in Rhonda. She dragged herself to school, "Morning Mr. H." She took a seat.

Al reported, "Rhonda Blake. She becomes a medical doctor, Sam."

"Morning Rhonda." he replied.

Next entered Jose. He greeted, "Morning Mr. H."

Al reported, "Jose Rodriguez. He gets married, has kids…nothing happens to him."

Sam winced for she knew he would die of cancer in 38 years.

Dr. Beckett greeted, "Morning Jose."

Finally, Tony entered the room. He sauntered in, "Morning Mr. H." He looked to Sam, "Morning Sam." He then took a seat closer to Sam and avoided Rhonda. Karl and Jose both took notice.

Al reported, "Tony Villicana, Navy then auto mechanic." He grinned, "Ah' the Navy!"

"Morning Tony." Dr. Beckett greeted him. He figured he must be there to help the girl named Sam Santini for Ziggy had nothing on her. "So class…where did we leave off?"

Tony spoke, "Time travel."

Dr. Beckett paused and looked at Al.

"I got nothing." Al reported trying to figure out why the Dr. Beckett had leaped into Ralph Hinkley.

"Um…time travel?" Dr. Beckett asked.

Young Tony nodded, "Yeah…all the weird money they have been finding. We think a time traveler is doing it. Sam said a warp drive engine could make a time machine." he reminded her.

She stated, "I said you need one, not that is was a time machine."

Rhonda rolled her eyes, "Are we back on this again? What about the field trip to the fire hall?" At that point the field trip sounded good to Rhonda.

Karl shook his head, "I like Sam's idea better. Go to the future, eat at McDonald's and see a dead mall."

All eyes fell on Samantha. She shrugged, "I still want to go to the planetarium."

The class moaned.

Dr. Beckett asked, "Do any of you have permission slips for the field trip?"

Rhonda, Karl and Jose all held out their slips. Tony stated, "I already turned mine in."

Dr. Beckett gathered the slips and then looked to Samantha, "Miss Santini?"

"I forgot. Been a busy night." she replied.

Tony advised, "Just sign it yourself, Sam. The school won't care."

She removed the slip from her book bag and signed it. She handed it to Dr. Beckett.

He read, "Sam Santini." He made a sour face. "You are not supposed to sign these yourself."

She replied, "I'm not a child."

He placed the slips in a pile. "Okay…field trip to the fire hall." He looked for any clues left for him by Ralph but found none. He looked to Al.

"I'll have Gushy get the details from Mr. Hinkley in the waiting room." Al stated and then opened the imaging room door and stepped into the light.

Sam Hawke witnessed the operation. She spoke to herself, "And I thought my project was mess up." She spoke louder than she assumed and the class look confused.

Dr. Beckett asked, "What was that, Miss Santini?"

She rubbed the side of her head, "Nothing."