Chapter 44
Arizona
Dr. Sam Beckett emerged from the accelerator shortly after Tony Villicana. He was much older and had gray hair. He found himself wearing the white bodysuit designed for his project once more. He turned around and spied his wife standing in the doorway as she ran to the accelerator room.
"Donna," he called as his memories came back completely.
"Sam," she rushed to his side and wrapped her arms around him.
Behind Donna, MacGyver entered the room with Murdock and Bosco Baracus. Tony stood off to the side and let Dr. Beckett finally get his homecoming.
Mac asked, "You okay, Dr. Beckett?"
"I'm great!" he laughed relieved to be back home. He looked to Tony, "You went in to save my life."
He gave a nod, "I did."
"You didn't even know me. Why do that?" he wondered.
Tony asked, "You would do it for me, wouldn't ya?"
He offered a hand, "I would." He pulled Tony in and gave the man a hug. He looked about, "I can't believe I'm home." He then recalled handing the card to MacGyver thus changing the timeline to help Sam Hawke. "Good to see you again." he told the man.
"Been a while for me." he assured him. "Thanks for the business card." Mac replied.
Dr. Beckett then concluded, "We have to get to Sam and her engine."
Tony asked, "What about your project? The military wants it."
He figured, "They can't take Ziggy but they can take the accelerator. They paid for it. We can transfer Ziggy from the old main frame to an updated one. I can make a new accelerator. One more tailored for Sam's engine." He wrapped his arm around his wife and assured, "I'm home and I'm not leaving again."
"I know you're not." she held onto him.
"Just wish Al was still here." he confessed.
Ziggy stated over the speakers, "The nanites have preserved a copy of the Admiral's mind and psyche. KITT and I have captured a number of nanites. We can resurrect the Admiral's image and mind in the form of a hologram using the nanites."
Tony asked, "You can make a copy of the Admiral?"
Ziggy cheered, "Indeed! The hologram would have all of Al's memories up until 2003 when the program ended. The nanites were able to continue interacting after the leap into Ralph Hinkley."
The group traded glances.
Sam Beckett admitted, "I would love to have Al back."
Mac asked, "But is it ethical? He would be a hologram and a copy of the Admiral."
KITT then spoke over the speakers. "I have run a number of scenarios. If we are to find and interact with those responsible for the suit and the possibility of a secret space program, we would require a hologram with military knowledge and experience. The late Admiral would be the perfect choice. The nanites have his mind copied, much in the same way Tony's mind imprinted over his younger brain."
Dr. Beckett stated, "I don't know. Resurrecting Al as a hologram is something we have to think about, KITT. Keep the option open for us. Right now, we need to get back to Dr. Hawke and the airfield."
Santini Airfield - 1984
Sam Hawke had returned to 1984 with her classmates and teacher. The teens wished they could have seen the future and gone on a tour but realized that was not an option that was going to be offered to them.
Ralph looked at Tony. He asked him, "What's it like knowing what your life will be and getting a chance to live it all over again?"
Tony shrugged, "It's odd and yet…kind of familiar in a strange way. 38 years is a long time and I forgotten some things. I'm not sure I want to do everything like I did before. It's neat being in school again and seeing all my old friends. Seeing you again, Mr. H."
Ralph could only smile as Tony seemed to have matured overnight in a way.
Karl stood beside himself, "Man! I'm never gonna get use to this. Tony having the mind of an old man and reliving his life. He sounds like a teacher." He looked to his classmates, "Doesn't he sound like an old man to you guys?"
Rhonda smiled, "I like it! This is our senior year. We all have to grow up."
Jose shrugged, "Not sure what I would do if I was old and then found myself living my life again."
All eyes fell on Sam for they wondered what she thought. She stood with a bag full of videos and holding a box with a DVD player to be installed onto a tube television. She asked, "What?"
Ralph asked her, "What would you do if you could live your life all over again?"
She shrugged, "I'm only 22! I haven't live my life yet. What do I do? Go back to when I was a baby. Potty train myself early and not throw my bottle. Tony's mind is 60 years old. Mine is 22 years old. He's older than me. Older than all of us including you, Mr. H. and he has first hand accounts of events. I don't have that. Only what I read. I can't phantom what it has to be like for Tony. Maybe Mr. H. can but that would also be limited since Tony is twice the age of Mr. H. He's an old man in a young body thanks to the mental imprinting. I cannot know what it's like and I have no right to give input or tell Tony what to do. There is no control group to even compare it too."
Tony smirked, "So you plead the 5th."
She cocked her head, "I'm just not qualified."
He nodded, "I get that." He then took the box and bag of movie from her arms to carry for her. "Let's see, what movies you got here…" he fingered through the cases. "Tootsie!" he cocked an eyebrow.
She mentioned, "I had mom throw in some old 80's movies."
He fingered through, "You just about every PIXAR movie there is." He then came to another, "Back to the Future. When did that old movie come out?" He flipped over the case, "1985!"
Karl asked, "What's Back to the Future?"
Tony grinned, "Let's watch it!"
"Dom doesn't have a television here." Sam reported. "We need to get one."
Tony glanced at Ralph, "We have a TV in class. I can hook up the DVD player and we can watch the movie there."
Ralph asked, "Is bringing that equipment and movies that have not been filmed yet to school a good idea?"
Tony shrugged, "Who knows."
Sam suggested, "Just keep the room locked and lock the DVD's in a cabinet, Mr. H."
Ralph asked, "Do have anything educational in there?"
"Air show footage." he read off a DVD title. "Oh hey, a DVD for Airwolf. You and your dad make this one?"
She nodded, "We did. We also put it up on the Youtube account. I filmed it and dad does the narration and the walk through. He's flying too."
Tony admitted, "I wish I could go to your next air show. I know older me can but, I wish I could see it myself."
She asked, "Why not? You know how to get back and forth. You know the future. You lived it…in a way."
Karl looked at the cover of the DVD, "This that slick helicopter in the hangar that we saw in the future. What's so special about it?"
"Airwolf is the only chopper that can do mach one. It has a jet engine. My Uncle String helped design it. He flew it on top secret missions for the CIA." she then paused, "Of course that is happening now and that is classified…"
Karl asked, "So where is the chopper?" He looked about and didn't see it.
"They have it hidden in a cave." she miffed. "My dad is currently a POW and Uncle String is black mailing the government to get him back by keeping Airwolf from them."
Ralph blinked, "String is blackmailing the government?"
She grinned, "He's bad ass!"
String, Catlin and Dom returned through the wormhole next. They made their way out of the hangar. String called, "I'm surprised you are kids are still here."
Tony held up the DVD, "This looks like a cool movie to watch."
String grasped the case and looked it over, "You even made a movie, huh?"
She nodded, "I filmed it!" She smiled proud. "We sell it to raise funds at air shows but anyone can watch it for free on Youtube."
String handed the DVD back, "Dr. Beckett and his wife are on the way to the hanger. He wants to see you when he gets there. I think he wants to help you with the engine. We will need his help if we are going to put that new prototype in Airwolf."
Dom asked, "Which Airwolf?"
"Sinjin's Airwolf." he clarified. "Sinjin wants to see if we can find these foo fighters. Gonna need Sam's engine and Dr. Beckett's accelerator to do it. You guys will have to figured that all out. Dr. Beckett's brain power a bit beyond mine." He asked, "What you doing with the movies and player?"
Ralph stated, "Tony will hook up the player to the class room TV and the class can watch the movies there. I will keep them locked up."
String nodded, "Lock it up tight."
Caitlin found herself looking at the movies as well. She asked, "Back to the Future? Oh wow, these are all those movies you were talking about. Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters Two and Ghostbusters Afterlife." She looked at Sam, "Just like you said…3 movies."
Karl also pawed through the bag of movies, "Hey Indiana Jones! Star Wars, Return of the Jedi." he cocked his head, "Wait…" he grasped the movie and squinted, "This won't come out until 1987."
String figured, "That must be the next movie."
"Mom threw in everything." Sam rolled her eyes.
Caitlin grasped another case, "Stargate?"
"Cult classic from the 90's." she nodded for it was one of her favorites.
Jose asked, "Any Mad Max?"
"Leather Weapon with Mel Gibson." Caitlin replied.
"Close to Mad Max." Sam rolled her eyes.
"Ah nuts," Caitlin sighed and picked up a case, "Footloose. I was going to take you to see it in the theater, Sam. You already saw it."
"You can take me to see it if you want too, Aunt Cait." she assured her.
"Wait!" Rhonda paused, "Cait is your aunt?"
"Adopted aunt." she nodded. "Might have to have that shotgun wedding after all…" she grinned to Dom.
Karl figured, "You two are not sisters then."
Sam admitted, "Nope! Cait was sent undercover into the high school to help find the source of the bills…which is me."
Tony asked, "Why are you still in the class, Sam?"
"Cover." she explained. "This technology makes me a target. So, my cover while in the past is to be Dom's 16 year old daughter. It's for my own safety."
Ralph agreed, "That is a good cover. They won't think of looking for a teenager."
Karl wondered, "Who would want to hurt Sam? She's not mean or anything."
String stated to the boy, "If you are a bad guy and want to get a hold of that engine but can't, then you go after the inventor."
He gasped wide-eyed, "Oh!" He grew angry at the thought, "Well…any bad guys would have to get through us first." He addressed his friend, "We'll protect ya, Sam."
She gave a wary smile, "I appreciate that." She knew the kids could not protect her if someone truly intended to harm her.
Ralph promised, "I'm here for you, Sam."
"Thanks," she gave him a hug.
Tony stated, "You got me watching out for you on both ends of that wormhole, Sam."
She had to agree, "I guess I do." She then wrapped her arms around him in a grateful embrace.
Rhonda admitted, "I never thought you could be in danger." She shook at the thought of someone wanting to harm her friend. Even when Rhonda thought Sam was a teenager trying to move in on her boyfriend, she never thought of harming her or even getting in a fight. The idea of Sam being a target for simply inventing an engine was alarming for the young woman. "I will watch out for you."
"Me too!" Jose promised. "We will watch out for ya, Sam."
"Thanks." she replied grateful and yet she didn't wish to place the classmates in harm's way.
String stated, "I have Sam's back. That's why I'm staying in the school as a teacher. Michael, Cait, Mac…we can all alternate in and out of the school to provide security."
Ralph assured, "She's in my class and I can provide security too. Plus, I got the suit if we need it."
Tony agreed, "Sam got security and I'm not let anything happen to her. Just wish I could carry my pistol but…I haven't bought my pistol yet and I don't have my permit yet. I know how to shoot, I know hand-to-hand, I learned all that in the Navy." He pondered, "Technically, I'm not even supposed to carry my pocket knife to school." He puckered in thought, "Wish I was a cop and could go undercover, have my side arm and a badge…" he tailed off in thought.
Catlin stated, "I used to be a cop and I used to go undercover as a narcotics officer. It was heart breaking watching these kids on drugs."
"I had an employee with an addition. He OD and died." Tony mentioned.
Rhonda asked, "Employee?"
"I own a garage in the future." he told her. "I had employees! I had overhead cost. Customers needing work done and having no money to pay for the work. All sorts of issues. I remember when I was a kid and I thought having my own business would be easy. It's anything but easy."
Dom agreed, "Tell me about it! You have to pay gas and electric, insurance, social security, taxes, wages, phone bill advertising, disposal cost…" he waved his hand and shook his head. "Then you pay yourself with whatever is left."
Tony cheered, "And still pay taxes on top of that!"
"I know!" Dom agreed nearly laughing. He looked to Sam, "How does Sinjin keep Airwolf flying in the future with the air shows? He can't make that much money."
"We run it as a non profit educational business." she informed. "That saves us taxes and we can accept donations that are a tax write off. Whatever we put in we can basically write off." she informed.
Dom cheered, "That's the way to do it!"
Tony pondered, "I wonder if old me can write off the car I just gave you."
Dom told him, "A car is a hell of a write off."
Karl asked, "Just what are you talking about? Write off!"
Dom explained, "When you own a business, you are taxed on what money is left after you pay all your bills. Donations can be used to offset that big tax bill so you don't pay an arm and a leg."
Karl asked, "Wait! You mean if I opened a business, I would have to pay tax on any money I have left?"
"That's right!" Dom told him. "That's called your profit."
Karl soured, "Ah' man!"
Tony added, "Don't forget property and school taxes too."
Karl's head shot back, "Property and school taxes! You mean pay taxes to the school?"
Dom grinned and nodded, "That's right. If you own property you get taxes for the state and local government and the school. And if you don't pay it, they can take your property."
The boy gasped, "Now way! I'm never owning any property then. I won't have to pay it."
Tony shook his head, "Then you rent and you still pay it through your landlord."
"That ain't fair." the boy cried.
Dom smiled, "That's life!"