Chapter 25:
The group sat in the hotel room at the Dominion Hotel. Arturo was pacing around the room.
"Don't worry, we tracked their wormhole here, but there's no guarantee that they'll show up here. They could be miles away." Michael said.
"But if they do, I can't bear to put them through the pain of my death again." Arturo said.
"It'll be fine, Professor." Rebecca said.
Suddenly the phone rang and Sam picked it up. He conversed with the person on the other end and hung up.
"The desk guy said that there's a group that wants this suite. I told him to send them up." Sam said.
"It's them, oh dear." Arturo said.
"Professor, wait in the bathroom and we'll get them ready for you." Rebecca said.
"Good idea, Ms. Collins." Arturo said and walked into the bathroom.
A knock was heard on the door and Michael walked to look out the peephole, seeing Quinn and the gang.
"Who is it?" Michael asked.
"Uh, hi. I'm Quinn and we'd sorta like the room you have." Quinn said.
"Sorry, this room is reserved for Sliders that have less than five people in their group." Michael laughed as he opened the door.
"Oh! It's you guys!" Rembrandt said.
"Great to see you again!" Colin said.
"Listen... we have a present for you. We found something a few worlds ago, that you guys would love." Rebecca said.
"What is it?" Wade asked.
"Who is it, rather, Ms. Welles." Arturo said, walking out of the bathroom.
"Professor!" Quinn shouted.
"But we watched him die, is this some Kromagg trick, or did you pick up some double?" Rembrandt asked.
"No tricks, Mr. Brown. I am your Professor Arturo. Allow me to tell you my story." Arturo said, sitting down in a chair.
The group sat intently as Professor Arturo finished up his story.
"And that's where I've been." Arturo said.
"His story sounds plausible, it's like what happened with Quinn and Mallory." Maggie said.
"I can't do this right now, it's been more than a decade! And you just waltz back into our lives?" Quinn asked.
"Mr. Mallory, please listen to me." Arturo said.
"No, I'm done listening. I'll be at the bar." Quinn said, storming out of the room.
"I'll go after him, Colin, come with me." Michael said.
"Got it." Colin said, following Michael out of the room.
Michael and Colin walked into the bar and saw Quinn sitting at the bar with his head in his hands.
"We watched him die, Colin!" Quinn said. "He took that bullet for me."
"It was a clone, just like how you were connected to Mallory." Michael said.
"We spent years without him, and he decided not to leave that place until now?" Quinn asked. "When we needed him, when I needed him!"
"Do you think he chose to get kidnapped by Kromaggs?" Colin asked.
"No... I don't know!" Quinn said.
Meanwhile, Wade was hugging Arturo as Maggie and Rembrandt smiled.
"It's so great having you back." Wade said.
"It is great being back, Ms. Welles." Arturo said.
"I trust that you'll be coming with us when we slide out of here?" Rembrandt asked.
"That is the plan, Mr. Brown." Arturo replied
"Professor, I really want to apologize for what Rickman did." Maggie said.
"No need to apologize, that was ages ago." Arturo said. "Now, I have some business to attend to."
Colin put his head in his hands as Michael argued with Quinn.
"Come on! You're Quinn Mallory! Stop moping that Arturo wasn't dead and be happy he's alive!" Michael shouted.
"Now now, Mr. Josephson, allow me to handle this." Arturo said, sitting next to Quinn.
"How dare you." Quinn said to Arturo.
"Mr. Mallory, stop being so pigheaded. I wanted to come back, but I didn't want to have traveled without you. You are the reason I continued to slide after I found that I had the terminal disease." Arturo said. "Now, come back to the room."
"Fine..." Quinn said.
The group sat in the room as Quinn held the timer and aimed it at the wall.
"Looks like we're out of here." Quinn said.
"Have fun, Professor. I hope we run into each other again." Michael said.
"As do I. It was fun traveling with you three." Arturo said,
"See you later guys!" Rebecca shouted as the portal opened and they jumped in.
"Well, we still have a day here, why don't we see the sights?" Sam asked.
"Good idea." Rebecca said.
To Be Continued...