Chapter 19

Melbourne, Australia

April 2, 2010

The Master was in his office reviewing the reports from the Pi network launch. He was sipping a cup of his favorite tea, his beloved wife looking over his shoulder as she gently massaged his shoulders. It was looking as if Pi was a magnificent success. Already there was news of several small governments gathering their officials to vote on the important decision of whether or not they should sign over their country to the endearing and ever so wonderful Harold Saxon, their savior towards a great golden age. A thrill of excitement went through the Master as the realization of his plans was laid out before him. As he read through the reports, Lothos' presence was announced by the change of light in the Master's office, catching Peri's attention.

"HAL, I thought we told you Harry's office is off limits," she growled angrily.

The light dimmed perceptively. "Not for official business, Peri, dear," Lothos's slightly sarcastic, saccharin words expressed.

"What do you want?" the Master questioned, disinterest clear in his tone as he lowered the reports. "Can't you just take a moment to enjoy our victory? The world is ours at last. In less than a month, every government will be on their knees before us. It's good, isn't it?"

"Yes. It is very good. Wonderful, in fact. But I never doubted you'd do it." He paused. "However, there is still one area of our agreement that hasn't been addressed."

"Oh? And what is that?"

"Sam Beckett? His project? I guess it was such a minor 'clause' that it really wasn't that important to you. Still, you said you'd provide the goody two shoes to me."

The Time Lord sighed audibly. "I suppose that I did agree to that in order to obtain the necessary means to accomplish our plan." He straightened in his chair slightly. "All right. You have my full attention."

"Since the Pi Network has been activated, I'm able to get into more sites than I have been able to before. I told you recently about one of those sites, which is a special power grid in the United States. I told you I believed it is likely the one that is used to power Dr. Beckett's project among others."

"Yes, and my wife already suggested that you cut the power from their complex to disable them until I can write the program necessary to take over their computer," the Gallifreyan told him bluntly. "Is there something new you wanted to bring up or are you just jealous of our being able to actually feel joy at a job well-done and thus have to rain on our parade?"

"Initially there were some weak signatures appearing somewhere out in the southwest of the country, but that's stopped. I believe that's the best clue to where it is located. I'd like for you to go to the United States and use your abilities to convince the powers that be to either confirm or deny its location."

"I was just in the United States three days ago!" the Master complained.

"Yes, and at that time, we didn't know where Beckett's project most likely was. Now we have a solid clue that should lead to its demise."

"You're harshing my mellow again," came the sing-song response. "I was planning a 'taking over the world' party. Cakes and balloons and a few screaming peasants..."

"Sounds absolutely... medieval."

"Doesn't it?" the Master agreed with a wide smile. Peri laughed with appreciation of his words.

"And finding the project and ending its cursed existence should be the cherry on top of the sundae, in my opinion." There was a pause. "Besides, you promised."

The Time Lord seemed to consider his words for a moment, tapping his fingers on his desk in a steady repetitive rhythm. While he himself didn't care one iota what happened with Project Quantum Leap - he was planning on sending a couple of nuclear missiles into New Mexico anyway and wipe the whole state from existence - he knew that Lothos still had just a little too much control over his life at the moment. That was going to change within the next few months with the plans he was developing but he needed to keep his cards close to his chest until then. Besides, he didn't yet have complete control over the Earth, not until he eliminated any and all opposition. "Oh, very well," he said with a sigh. "I'll go get your little toy." He stood from his desk and looked over at his betrothed. "It's like having a spoiled child in the house."

Lothos's light brightened at the news that the Master would fulfill his promise but darkened almost immediately after the "spoiled child" reference. "Just remember who's 'house' you are occupying. The Prometheus Institute is my domain."

"Of course, it is. I'm just saying that a little appreciation for all that I've done wouldn't be unwarranted. I'm not your errand boy."

"I do appreciate you. If I didn't, do you really think you'd be where you are today? After all, it was my money that provided you with the means to build the satellites and launch them. Peri will tell you, I don't fund losers... or errand boys."

Upon hearing what was likely going to turn into a raging battle that her husband wouldn't win, Peri touched his arm. "Harry... let it go. Besides, I'd like to go shopping in Sante Fe."

"Some last minute shopping before the world completely collapses? Peri, I can get you anything in the whole world for the rest of your life..."

"Yes, but I enjoy shopping. It's fun. I'm going to miss it."

"So is torturing peasants!" the Master pointed out. Seeing a slight pleading expression on her face, he sighed. "I never can deny you when you look at me like that. Well... I shouldn't say never. Most of the time, though." He took a breath. "Go have Reggie arrange for our jet to be ready for takeoff in a couple of hours."

"You're so good to me, Harry!" she said with a kiss, going off to have Reggie set it all up.

He shook his head slightly. "Of all the female things Peri likes, it would have to be shopping. Why couldn't it be cooking or... or... crocheting? It would be lovely if she crocheted a noose."

"You should just be happy that she doesn't read those sappy, ridiculous love stories. Called bodice rippers from what I understand. Makes me glad I don't have to worry about such things anymore."

The Master huffed. "I'll stick with a woman who reads and can understand Chaucer, thank you very much."

"Yes. You're very lucky that I saw Peri's potential and brought her into the Prometheus Institute. I'll see you off before you leave for the U.S. again. Until then, I'll be in my lab."

Seeing the light go dark once again, the Time Lord let go a breath. Funny how a non-corporeal being could call a lab occupied and run by humans as his. Then again, this was Lothos, the hybrid computer vainglorious. He really couldn't wait until he could input and implement the program he had waiting for him, the one that would ensure Lothos' subservience to him. Meanwhile, he would maintain his careful control and do whatever was necessary to keep the cyborg from realizing his extended plans.

DWQLTWQLTW

Over the farmlands of Iowa

April 2, 2010

Jack was quite proud of himself. They'd found the plane, gotten away from Chicago relatively easily, and now were flying somewhat southwest when he noticed a flashing light on the control panel. "Oh, shit."

"Did you say something, Jack?" Grace asked from the back of the plane where she was checking on her patient.

"Um... You know how I picked this plane because it was by a fuel truck?"

"Yeah."

"Well... we're running out of fuel."

The doctor stood abruptly, hitting her head on the roof of the cabin at his words. Rubbing it briskly, she hurried to the front of the plane and stared at the back of Jack's head. "Did you just say what I thought you said?"

"Do you think I said we're running out of fuel?"

The returned question was all the answer she needed. Slowly, she felt herself starting to get into a mild panic. "We need to land! Where are we going to land? Do you see that below us? We're in the middle of nowhere, out in the open, and the Colonel very likely has F-15s on our tail!"

"Grace. You need to calm down. Being in the middle of nowhere may actually be a good thing. Easier to get lost. And if I do this right, the Colonel will think we've crashed and we're dead, so they may not keep looking for us at all."

Grace's forehead crinkled. "You're going to crash the plane? Jack, maybe you can survive that but neither Rose nor I can. That has to be the daftest idea you've ever had... and you've have quite a few as I recall."

Jack rolled his eyes. "No. I'm not going to crash the plane. I'm going to land the plane and then I'm going to torch it. You know, big fireball and all?"

"And what will happen when they don't find even the slightest bit of human remains?"

"I was thinking I could leave a body part or two."

"You know you don't work like that, Jack. You'd have to die before any limbs grow back and we don't have that kind of time." Seeing from his expression that he was honestly considering it, she shivered. "You're sick. Really sick. You know that?"

"Hey, you want the Colonel coming after us? I'm trying to use the resources we have to get us out of this mess."

"It's still totally wrong on so many levels. I already have one patient to watch. I don't need two and be on the run at the same time."

"I didn't say I want you to remove anything... vital, Grace."

"No, just an arm here, a leg there, and then listen to you scream while you regrow yourself!"

"You could give me some good drugs."

"Which would affect the regrowth rate," she pointed out.

"Yes, but I wouldn't be screaming, now would I."

She glared blades at him. "I hate you."

"And when I grow back, you'll love me again."

"Doubtful," she retaliated, although she knew he was probably right.

"Well, we'll talk about that when the time comes." A second light had started to blink red. "Right now, you need to strap yourself into a chair after making sure Rose is secured." He started looking for a place to land. "We're going down."

Grace quickly turned around and headed back into the passenger cabin, complaining as she went. "I knew I should have turned around and walked out of that airport the moment I saw him. But did I? No. Why? Because I'm a doctor, damn it. I just had to do my professional duty instead of running for the hills as quickly as possible."

"I heard that," Jack said.

"Oh, stuff it!" she replied loudly, making sure that Rose was buckled in before doing the same for herself.

"She still loves me," Jack said to himself with a grin as he looked for a place to set the plane down.

DWQLTWDWQLTW

Project Quantum Leap

April 2, 2010

"This is not good," Al stated flatly. He looked up at the now extinguished orb. "Not good at all. Jack killed Ziggy."

There was the sound of knocking from inside of the Accelerator Chamber. "Hey, Al! Let me out of here."

"I can't. At least not yet. Need to figure out how to power the door again."

"If you go to the Accelerator Chamber door, there's a panel on the right side, an access to a manual override to the door. The only thing that can override the manual release is if the radium ring has been compromised, which I am certain isn't the case at the moment."

Al hesitated. "Well, that's all good and well but there's no lights to see by. How the hell am I supposed to find this access panel?"

"Ever heard of a flashlight?" Gooshie asked.

"Again, all good and well if I had a flashlight on me!" the older man countered in frustration.

"What about the one in the drawer in Ziggy's main console?" Gooshie stated. "I take it you are near that, right?"

"You keep a flashlight in Ziggy's console?" He shook his head. "Never mind. I'll... feel around." Doing exactly as he stated, he located the drawer in question, his hand rattling around bits and pieces of electronic parts before finding the item in question. Flicking it on, he sighed with relief that he was no longer in the dark while, at the same time, grimacing at the mess of miscellaneous mayhem he'd had to scavenge through to obtain his prize. "Ever heard of organization?" he teased, reminded once again that his friend never was one to keep things in tidy fashion.

"I'm organized when it counts," Gooshie responded, his voice showing some hurt.

"I'll believe that when I can go through a drawer to find a flashlight and the drawer doesn't threaten to take my hand."

"Hey, don't you have a junk drawer? Everyone has a junk drawer."

"Yes, and it's organized! Besides, why would you have a junk drawer in Ziggy's console?" he questioned as he found his way to the Accelerator Chamber door. He frowned when he saw the panel. "You should have told me to get a screwdriver while I was at it. Now I have to face the hand-eating drawer again."

"Why am I not surprised your junk drawer is so neat? I bet you couldn't play Bingo with the fact you have to mix up all the numbers."

"Oh, ha-ha," Al retaliated. "You want to get out of there or what?"

"You wouldn't..."

"Just keep pressing your luck, Schlomo."

"Oh, now that hurts."

"Yeah? So does your junk drawer," he countered as he returned to the console to retrieve the screwdriver needed to remove the panel. Returning to the door, he rearranged his hold on the tools before starting to remove the screws. "You'll be out of there in less than five minutes."

Several hours had passed and the Admiral was no closer to releasing the door manually than he had been when he started. He was on the verge of finding a corporeal and using his pistol to shoot at the stubborn mechanism but decided that it probably wasn't such a good idea. "I thought that you said this was a simple manual override," Al complained as he worked.

"I don't understand it. There should be enough residual power in the lines to effectively activate the override."

"Yeah, well, all I have to say is that you're really lucky there's a lot of air in there." He took a breath as he tried once again with the combination of numbers and buttons that needed to be pressed. "And you just had to have the combination reset by Ziggy but not get the information from her. What's with that?"

"Hey... that's not my fault. I didn't reset it; she did. She likes to reset it and have me guess. It's sort of a game with her."

"Oh, you know how much I love those kind of games," the older man growled slightly. He looked at the system once again. "I think I've finally got it." He entered the last sequence and was pleased to finally hear the hiss of air escaping that told him the lock had finally been released. "It's about time. That definitely didn't go as planned," he finally said once both men were in the Control Room. "I hope that Sam's found a way out of that situation."

"Yeah," Gooshie answered, sadly. "I'm sorry, Al. I know Sam's in a terrible predicament right now and we can't even be there to provide moral support."

"Yeah," came the quiet response as Al put the flashlight on the console, leaving it on to provide them with light. "Just means that we have to get power back as quickly as possible so that we can get back to him ASAP. I'm not leaving him alone back there to go through... whatever it is those bastards are doing to him."

"Neither of us will. You have my promise on that," Gooshie stated before going to the strange cylinder that was strangely dull now. "Must have blown a fuse... or something."

"Great. Jack gave us a defective alien contraption." The Italian gave a sigh. "Think you can find a way to bring the power back up?"

"I don't even know what makes the damn thing work. I'm a programmer, not an... um... alien contraption engineer."

"I meant in general, Gooshie. Obviously the alien thingamagiggy doesn't work so..." He gestured to the air as if the solution was there. "Maybe we can figure out why we were cut from power in the first place and correct it." He thought for a moment. "Probably is at the power grid itself."

"Yeah. Likely." Suddenly there was the beginning of lights. "Looks like Jorge's got the emergency generators on."

The smile on the Admiral's face showed just how relieved he was to see without the need for a flashlight. "Well, at least we've got something. Now if we can just get enough power for the Imaging Chamber..."

"Not with us only being on generators. Won't even be able to fire up Ziggy, assuming that contraption didn't fry her chips." He sighed. "Poor Ziggy."

Al was silent for a long moment as he thought about how everything suddenly went sideways. He looked over at Gooshie. "Maybe, though, we have enough power to contact Jack."

"Could work," the programmer agreed. He set to work to run the power to the phone. However, no matter what he tried, he couldn't get a dial tone. "That's strange."

"Looks like we're going to have to get some help outside our normal channels."

"It's 5 o'clock on a Friday. You really think we're going to get any help? Everyone's shut down. And it's Easter weekend. I doubt we'll get any help until Monday. Face it... we're dead in the water. Or the desert. Or up the creek without a paddle. Or..."

"I get your point already," Al told him, shaking his head. "But we've got to try. I mean, it may be a long shot but there has to be some kind of support from somewhere."

"I could drive up to Kirkland. Or down to Holloman. There would be someone on duty."

"Go do what you have to do to get power back on here," the Admiral ordered with a nod. "We might not be getting a lot of funding from the government but we still fall slightly within their grasp. They have a vested interest in us even if it's small." He took a breath. "I'm going to check on Beth. She's probably sick with worry with this power outage." He patted Gooshie on the back. "Get going. The sooner we get the power back up to full capacity, the better."

"Yeah." Gooshie started to walk off, but turned to his friend and boss of many years. "We're going to help Sam, Al. You can count on that."