Chapter 23:
The group fell out of the vortex onto the ground. The Professor stood up and brushed himself off.
"There's one thing that you kids have over the old group." Arturo said.
"What's that?" Sam asked.
"None of you land on me we exit the vortex like Mr. Brown did." Arturo said.
"Speaking of the old group, we've been to like six worlds since we started tracking their wormholes and we haven't found them yet." Michael said.
"Tracking wormholes isn't an exact science, I'm sure. Plus if they're using a similar timer to the one that we were using when I was with them, it has a radius of 400 miles, and your timer seems to be centered on the same place as the original timer." Arturo said.
"Anyway, we should go find a place to rest. We've been running for a while." Rebecca said.
"Indeed. Is the Dominion Hotel still around?" Arturo asked.
"Yep, we've been staying there on most of the worlds we land on." Michael replied.
"And I have some of the money that we got from that quiz show on the last world." Sam said.
"I still can't believe it, a world where the height of intelligence is pop culture knowledge." Arturo said.
"I still can't believe the guy I was up against didn't know the last question, I mean come on! It was such an easy question about Indiana Jones!" Sam laughed.
The group arrived at the hotel and walked in. They approached the front desk and rang the bell. A man walked out of the room behind the counter, and his eyes widened.
"You must be here for the convention, I assume?" he asked.
"Convention?" Michael asked.
"The sliding convention." he replied.
"Sliding convention?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, after Quinn Mallory invented sliding years ago, we've had an annual convention, we get at least twelve different Arturos every year." he replied.
"So, you're telling me that sliding is, commonplace on this world?" Arturo asked.
"Very much so, yes." he said. "If you're interested, the Museum of Sliding has their Quinn Mallory exhibit up right now."
"Where's that?" Rebecca asked.
"It's based in Quinn Mallory's house, with some expansions added." he replied.
"Thank you, I think we'll head there now. Can we at least reserve a room?" Michael asked.
"Sure. I'll give you the Sliders package, mini bar, four beds, etc." he replied.
"Thank you so much." Sam said, handing the man money.
"It'll be ready in a few hours. And the package comes with tickets to the museum." he said, handing four tickets to the group.
"Thanks." Michael said. "Let's check out the museum."
The group walked up the block to see the Mallory House come into view, with crowds in front of it.
"Well, seems like Mr. Mallory made a name for himself on this world." Arturo said.
"Yep." Michael said. "Let's see if we can get inside."
The group pushed their way through the crowds and showed their tickets, and were immediately allowed inside.
"This is interesting. I've only been in his house a few times." Arturo said, walking toward a glass case with pictures in it. "This picture here, is of Quinn, his parents, and his childhood pet. We saw a similar picture during our first slide together, right before we met Rembrandt."
"Let's check the basement." Rebecca said, motioning to the door.
They walked into the basement, and Arturo's eyes widened.
"My god, looks identical to how it was on our world, when I first entered it." Arturo said.
"So, this is the birthplace of sliding?" Rebecca asked.
"Hey check this out, it's like those wax figures that talk to you." Sam said, pointing to a wax replica of Quinn Mallory. He pressed the red button next to it.
The figure sprang to life, it's mouth began moving and it's arms started to swivel.
"Welcome to the basement where I, Quinn Mallory, invented sliding." the figure said. "I am programmed to answer all your queries about sliding."
"Let's test this thing. Where did you get the theories for the device?" Arturo asked.
"The theories were taken from the work of Professor Maximillion Arturo, who sadly passed away before sliding could become a reality." the figure said.
"Where is the original timer?" Michael asked.
"The original timer that Quinn Mallory made is in the glass case to my left." the figure replied, and they walked over to the case.
"Wow. This is it, the original timer." Arturo said. "Just as I remember it. Last time I used it was on the world where we had to miss the gateway to save Quinn."
"So, this is where it all began..." Rebecca said.
"Indeed, Ms. Collins." Arturo sighed. "We always hoped that one day we'd land back there. It never happened though."
"Well, we better get back to the hotel. I'd rather not run into any doubles, it gets too confusing." Sam said.
"Agreed." Rebecca said.
The group sat in the hotel room and Arturo held the timer in his hands, turning it around.
"Are we sure this thing can hold the four of us, the original timer was optimized for four people, but is this one?" Arturo asked.
"Quinn helped fix this up, so it probably can." Michael replied.
"And it did hold us for the last six slides." Sam said.
"Yes, but sliding is unpredictable." Arturo said. "I've never trusted anything this small to be reliable."
"Well, good thing is that we only have an hour left here." Michael said.
"So, Professor, why not regale us with a story of your sliding journeys? Got a personal favorite?" Sam asked.
"Well, there was this one world, where I nearly won a mayoral election and set the men's right's movement years ahead." Arturo said.
"Men's rights? I didn't know you fancied fedoras, Professor?" Rebecca said.
"Fedoras? I'm afraid I don't get the reference." Arturo said. "We were on a world where women were the dominant gender, and it was frowned upon for men to do what they'd do on our world."
"Wow. Finally a world with a sane society." Rebecca said.
"I was nearly assassinated when I was running for office." Arturo said. "If you call that sane, I suggest you check into a mental hospital."
"Any other worlds you can tell us about?" Michael asked.
"There was the world with the hybrid spider-wasps..." Arturo replied.
"Oh good, my two favorite bugs." Rebecca said.
"One climbed on my back, I wasn't too thrilled about it either." Arturo said.
"Wow. And we know all about the world with the Azure Gate Bridge." Michael said.
"Indeed." Arturo said. "Let me tell you about the world where I helped build the atomic bomb..."
The group stood in front of the wall, as Arturo aimed the timer at the wall.
"I will never get used to the new technology." Arturo shook his head.
"Let's get out of here!" Sam said. The timer opened and they all jumped into the portal.
To Be Continued...