Disclaimer: We don't own Sliders or its characters. Please do not sue. This story is not for profit.

Rated: PG-13

It was a cheery room, despite the toxic medicinal smell which assaulted the senses as soon as one entered it. But one soon forgot that, as the walls were a bright yellow, and there were always fresh red roses on the table, as if to assail the room's occupant from the ravages of the disease which rocked her frail body on a daily basis.

The young woman sat in her bed, writing furiously in a brand new journal. She was pale, her once thick brown locks lusterless and flat. But it didn't matter. What mattered was that her soul had to be poured into these words.

For they would be all that he'd have once she was gone.

"Dear Quinn," began the first entry.

"I've decided that it's important that I keep a record of my thoughts and hopes for you. Much as it pains me to be leaving you...it helps a bit to know that something of me will be left behind, for I don't want you to ever feel alone. So this diary is for you Quinn Mallory. Please, remember how much I love you...and how much I want you to be happy. Try not to grieve too much. I'll always be watching over you...and waiting for the day that you'll join me...when it's time. For after all, everyone has their time to leave. It was my time Quinn. Remember that.

I love you so much.

Wade"

A haggard looking young man entered the room after she shut the book. Worry marks crossed his sleepless eyes, but it was heartening to see how he tried to smile for his dying wife.

"Hi Angel," he said, a catch in his throat, as he bent down to kiss the young woman's cheek. So gaunt now...so pale.

Wade Mallory glanced up from her new journal at her husband with a soft smile. "Quinn," she said in a weak voice, a pleased expression lighting the features that had once been beautiful, and still were to him. "You came home early."

It pained Quinn to think that her beautiful smile would soon be lost to him. That is, unless he could pull off the idea that the Professor had suggested today. He sighed. They'd been working together on advanced physics. Perfecting the possibility of wormholes leading into other dimensions. Last week had been a breakthrough. The Professor's first "slide" as Quinn liked to call it.

Quinn sighed again as he thought of the machine...and the beautiful vortex. He would have gone himself had it not been for fear of leaving Wade alone.

After the Professor had returned from his slide he'd mentioned the idea. The theory was true! He'd gone to another world! Unfortunately the world he'd visited was not as advanced as their own. They didn't even have hover cars. Though the Professor was only on this world for 10 minutes, he surmised that there had to an infinite number of worlds out there -- each with it's own alternate history. Which meant there was a possibility that on one of them, Quinn might find a cure for Wade's disease. He knew how badly his pupil was faring over the condition of his young wife. And he wanted to help.

Quinn sighed again. He would do anything to find a cure for his Wade. But sliding? What if she died while he was in some other dimension? How would he live with himself? And how could he possibly leave her?

On another earth...

Quinn Mallory smiled teasingly at his best friend Wade Welles as she concentrated on the arcade game that they were playing. The world they were on had an infatuation with the eighties. It was Madonna, Michael Jackson, The Smurfs and fluorescent everywhere.

"I am soooo gonna kick your butt Quinn," Wade said as she sent Mrs. Pac-man after another 3000 points.

"Oh ya?" he said innocently raising an eyebrow as he sent Pac-man in the other direction. "Then how come I'm the one that just got the strawberries?"

50,000 points flashed on the screen, and Wade blew her hair off her forehead with a mock sigh of frustration. "That's what I get for playing with a genius," she said, giving him a playful shove. "Geez, Quinn, do you have to be good at everything?"

"Hey!" said Quinn, "I'm not good at everything! Just most things," he joked, laughing at the thunderous expression building on her face. She pummeled his arm lightly with her fists. "I'll have you know, you stink at plenty of things." She began listing things on her fingers. "You can't sing, you can't bet on hockey to save your life, you..."

Quinn laughed again, and gave her a mock bow. "Okay okay! You win. I stink!"

Wade smiled again, placated. She linked her arm through his. "You think Remmie and the Professor are through with their drive yet? I thought Remmie would go to heaven when he saw that Cadillac."

Quinn shrugged. "I dunno," he said. "But they better move it." he glanced at his watch. "Only...1 hour till the the slide."

They found the Professor and Remmie eating lunch at the Dominion Hotel's bar.

"Ah...Mr. Mallory...Miss Welles! I must say, this is a world I will be sorry to leave. They know how to treat a steak!" He rubbed his stomach as he took an appreciative bite from the plate in front of him.

Quinn grinned. "Looks good," he said. "But I think I'll go for a good ol' fashioned cheeseburger, like Remmie."

Wade made a face. "Ugh..." she said. "You guys are such carnivores! I'll have a salad," she said to the waitress that came up to take their order.

"Q-ball, you should seen this automobile!" said Remmie as he bit into his burger. "It was a machine! I am telling you, the Cryin' man was born to ride on the open road, he continued. "This place is great! Course the only drawback was this world was never blessed with the Cryin' Man's talent. "

Quinn grinned as Wade and the Professor both said "We know, your biggest hit was in '79."

Remmie smiled and began to hum, "Tears in my Fro."

Wade shook her head in resigned amusement.

Remmie shrugged. "Well what can I say...when a world don't know great talent, you just gotta protest."

Quinn glanced at the timer, got up and stretched. "Finish up guys, we're outta here...maybe the next world'll be home."

"I gotta say, I will be glad to be leaving this outfit," remarked Wade, glancing down at her Guess Jeans and crop top.

Quinn winked at her. "Oh I don't know," he said as the group walked out of the hotel and around the corner to a back alley. "I used to have a thing for that girl in Flashdance."

He pointed the timer at the wall and activated the vortex. The beautiful clear bluish swirl rippled and formed, waving the air with unnatural currents.

"Oh what a feeling!" yelled out Wade as she jumped through.

"Funny," muttered Quinn as first the Professor, then Remmie, launched into the hole in space time.

Quinn took one last look at 80's world, hummed a little Flashdance, then jumped through himself.

"Ooof!" said Wade as she landed in a pile of leaves. As she saw the Professor heading straight for her, she quickly rolled out of the way.

"Geronimo!" yelled Remmie landing straight on top of the Professor with a resounding thud -- and sending leaves everywhere.

Quinn landed on his feet at a run that sent him colliding into Wade, throwing them both down into the leaves with the Professor and Remmie.

"Plech! Mr. Brown get off me!" said the Professor's muffled voice as he spit out a few leaves.

Quinn groaned and got up, helping Wade to her feet.

"Not exactly what I'd call a Footloose entrance," she said.

Quinn just shook his head.

Then he got a good look around. He sighed dejectedly. "Definitely not home," he said pointing at the buildings surrounding them.

Wade looked up. "Woah!" she said. "Futurama!"

The buildings were tall and silver shaped, most pointing upwards as high as the eye could see in tall needle like structures.

"Intriguing," said the Professor. "Although you know Miss Welles, the theory of cosmic wormholes states we must travel sideways through space time, not forwards, so this definitely not the future."

"Could'a fooled me," said Remmie. "It does a pretty damn good imitation."

"No kidding," said Quinn. "You gotta wonder what other developments this world's got. I bet it's fascinating!"

"Indeed Mr. Mallory," said the Professor. "For once, I too, am most eager to go exploring."

"Hey guys," said Wade suddenly. "If this world's so advanced, you think maybe they've got sliding?"

Professor Arturo stroked his chin. "It's possible," he said slowly.

"Great idea Wade!" said Quinn, his eyes lighting up. "And I know just where to start looking!"

He hailed a cab quickly. "4159 BlueJay Way," he said, quickly noting the familiar driver in the front seat with a smile.

"Ach okay," said Pavel Kurlienko. They all gasped however when the cab lifted in the air.

"Woah! This is so cool!" said Wade. "We're catching air!"

"I think I'm going to be ill," remarked the Professor, as Pavel weaved up and down, and other flying cars joined them.

"Pavel, I gotta tell you, you are the best cab driver in San Francisco," said Remmie jokingly.

Wade elbowed him in the ribs.

"Haf I drove you before?" asked Pavel, eyeing the four passengers.

"Um...yeah," said Wade. "he's got a photographic memory, never forgets a face," she said in way of explanation while giving a dirty look to Remmie.

Meanwhile the Professor was grumbling to Quinn. "Conceited snippet!" he said irritably. "Why do you always assume that your house is the multiversal center of sliding?"

Quinn grinned cheekily. "Because it usually is," he said.

Remmie chuckled as Wade said saucily, "He's got a point Professor."

Part 2

"Sleep my love," said Quinn tiredly as he watched his wife's chest rising and falling, and heard her labored breathing. He bent down and softly kissed her pale cheek. She looked so peaceful lying there, face free of the pain that wracked her small body on a daily basis. While asleep she resembled nothing more than a child, shining bright in her sweet innocence.

He stroked her hair gently and sighed, noticing the way she clutched the brand new journal to her, even in sleep. He'd remembered when she's asked him to buy the book for her two days before. The fatalistic look in her eyes...He shook off the memory. It was too painful. He didn't ask what she was writing in it...really he didn't want to know. It was safer to live in denial and fight against the reality that Wade was dying, than to take the route she chose: that of a peaceful acceptance mingled with sadness at losing him. He knew that the thought of his pain hurt her more than the thought of her actual death. She was like that, he thought grimly. Self-sacrificing.

Quinn sighed briefly, getting up and slowly closing the door behind him. He had many decisions to ponder.

Behind him, Wade dreamed...

She sat up in her bed. All around her flames licked slowly and passively like a dog not trusting its water source. The flames were everywhere, consuming the entire bedroom, but they seemed to be burning in slow motion. It was the most bizarre thing Wade had ever seen.

'I must be dreaming,' she thought lazily as she swung her feet out and rose to her feet. She was on fire as well but there was no pain. For the first time in months she was in no pain. Wade raised a hand to her face. The flames roasting her hand did not seem to be charring the flesh. She burned but was not being damaged. If only this were true in reality. In reality the disease was consuming her flesh, her nerves, her will to live, even her sanity at a manic fire's pace.

She walked towards the bathroom, watching emotionlessly as the fire continued to consume the room. Her wardrobe collapsed as she neared it. The curtains evaporated as the windows before them exploded soundlessly.

Wade realized then that she could not hear anything. There was no sound. The fire ate voraciously but inaudibly. Kind of like her illness drained her life without so much as a slurping sound.

Wade was in the bathroom now. She felt completely passionless. In fact, she felt nothing at all. No pain of course but no sensation whatsoever. Not the tub under her as she sat on the rim. Not heat or cold. Not even her own limbs. She was like a ghost. And since she heard no sounds her only working sense appeared to be her sight. And she felt no emotion.

A shadow fell on her. Someone was in the doorway behind her. He was wearing a military cap, judging from the shadow. He seemed tall and only slightly overweight. Wade didn't turn to look at him. Instead she softly fanned her right hand through the flames rising from the tub. They passed through her hand without effect, as if not noticing the hand's passage.

"We can kill without destruction," the man behind her said, then laughed as if he had made a joke. Perhaps he had.

Why could she hear him and nothing else?

It didn't matter. Wade didn't turn or respond to him. She sat there watching the slow fires burn until the dream faded.

"My word," murmured the Professor as the foursome stepped out of the cab. Before them lay the area of ground where Quinn's house normally lay. But instead of the familiar old Victorian, a mass of shimmering white towers crested brightly.

A sign before the guarded gate proclaimed "MalTuro Labs."

"MalTuro..." murmured Quinn, glancing at his mentor. "Short for Mallory and Arturo?"

"Hmmm..." said the Professor. "I do believe you are right my boy." He chuckled ruefully. "It looks as though our doubles are a good deal more financed than we were."

"Well it's certainly a step up from the basement," remarked Quinn with a smile. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "If this is where our doubles work, then any sliding equipment's got to be here."

Wade looked at the stark white of the buildings which contrasted sharply with the green of the grass surrounding the entryway. The wrought iron gate stood forbiddingly in front of the foursome. She shivered involuntarily. "This place gives me the creeps," she said in a low voice. "It's so...white."

Remmie looked like he agreed with her assessment. "So, we gonna just march in there?" he asked, pointing at the guarded gate.

Quinn smiled. "Well...it is OUR lab," he said.

"Yes," said the Professor, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "But I suggest we remain on the side of caution. After all, we have no idea what sort of experiments our doubles are working on here."

"We've got to check," said Quinn, pacing up and down a bit. "It could be a way home."

"The impetuousness of youth," thought Arturo with an irritated sigh. "I never said we weren't going to check!" he snapped sharply. "I'm simply saying we know nothing of this world Mr. Mallory."

"Maybe we can find out something from the Internet," piped up Wade. "If I could get to a computer."

"There'll be computers in there," said Quinn, pointing towards the building. "I'm going...you coming Professor?"

"Yes...yes..." conceded the Professor with a sigh.

Professor Maximillian Arturo sat in a large overstuffed chair behind his desk in his laboratory office. Pictures of awards and framed honors graced his walls. On the desk lay a piece of paper half scribbled with notes on a theoretical equation. But Arturo paid no attention to his surroundings. He was trembling as he picked up his ringing phone.

"Have you convinced Quinn not to slide yet?" asked the scratchy male voice on the other end of the line.

"He'll stay," responded the Professor in a low voice.

"Good," said the voice again. "Once you're gone, we can begin."

"You never told me this would involve hurting Wade," said the Professor angrily. "She's dying!"

"Watch yourself Max," responded the voice shortly. "You've already seen what I did to Mrs. Mallory. I can do the same to you." The voice laughed. "Mrs. Mallory is a liability. One that will soon be disposed of."

The Professor winced. Once more promises were being broken. But he was afraid now. Too afraid to fight against powers that were over his head. Powers that were out of his hands. "I will slide," said Arturo in a more subdued voice. "Quinn will stay here. He'll do anything to help Wade. I'm sure of it."

"You'd better be Max," said the voice in a threatening tone. "Your life depends on it."

A confident grin on his face, Quinn led the sliders boldly up to the guarded gate. The guard, seeing four people approach on foot, stepped out of his kiosk for a moment.

"Halt! Who goes there?" he called out. Recognition dawned as the sliders grew nearer.

"Mr. Mallory. I thought you'd gone home for the evening to be with your...Mrs. Mallory?" The guard appeared confused as he recognized Wade's face.

Wade shifted uncomfortably and flushed. "I'm Mrs. Mallory?" she thought incredulously. Quinn caught her eye, and both shared an embarrassed grin. "Um...hi," Wade said finally, growing fidgety at the guard's continued stare.

"Er...hello my good man," said the Professor breaking up the awkward silence. "We've forgotten something rather vital in Quinn's office."

"Professor?" said the guard looking even more confused. "I didn't see you leave."

This put Arturo on edge. "My double must still be inside," he thought, eying Quinn to see if he'd caught the deduction as well.

He had. "Ah well...Professor, why don't you just wait for us here. We won't be more than a few minutes...will we honey?" said Quinn, taking Wade's arm and smiling forcefully at the guard.

"I'll wait here with you Professor," whispered Rembrandt. "Maybe we can pump this guard for more info?"

The Professor nodded slightly. "Good thinking Mr. Brown," he murmured.

"Oh!" said the guard. "Of course!" He opened the gate slowly. As Quinn and Wade started to walk through, he called out. "So glad to see that you're better Mrs. Mallory!"

Wade merely stared at him and continued walking.

The guard turned back to the Professor and Rembrandt and smiled. "What an amazing recovery!"

"Huh?" said Remmie.

"Why Mrs. Mallory...she's been very ill," the guard said conspiratorially to Remmie. "In fact, I'd heard that the doctors had given her only another month at most. I'm so glad to see her on her feet."

The Professor choked a bit at this revelation, but when the guard looked at him curiously he simply laughed heartily and clapped Remmie on the back. "Doctors are fools," he said cheerfully, though his eyes were anxious. "What do they know about real science?"

"Where do you suppose my office is Wade?" said Quinn as they wandered down the hallway. The complex was big! Wade clutched Quinn's arm nervously.

"I don't know but everyone keeps staring at me like I'm some kind of ghost," she said anxiously as another technician walked by and did a double take.

"That's just 'cause you married such a handsome fellow," said Quinn with a silly grin. In actuality he felt uncomfortable with the implications that this world brought up. Joking about it was the easiest way to deal with the situation.

Wade snorted. "Whatever," she said. "Why don't you get that head of yours back into reality and find *your* office."

As they reached the end of the hallway, a nameplate on the door caught Wade's eye.

"Quinn," she stammered.

"Wha-" said Quinn, turning around to see what she was pointing at. "Did you find my office?"

"No..." said Wade slowly. "But I found mine."

"So...uh...Anderson," say Remmie, leaning onto the kiosk where the guard sat facing him. "You say Wade was sick? I'm an old friend, but I uh...haven't been in town lately. Would you fill me in?"

The guard eyed Professor Arturo nervously, but the Professor played along and waved a hand. "Go on my good man, tell him...er...what's been happening here."

"Well..." said the guard. "As you probably know, Mrs. Mallory is one of our top scientists here, along with her husband and the Professor. The Mallorys have been working on some top secret project for the past year. Real hush hush. Lots of military types, you know the drill."

Remmie laughed falsely while eying the Professor. "Ya sure man, we know it," he said.

"Yeah well," said the guard. "About three months ago Mrs. Mallory started getting real sick. Missing work all the time y'know? None of the doctors could figure out what was wrong with her. Finally she didn't come in at all. The project was stalemated for awhile. But the Professor here is working on it now, so we're back on track, or so I hear right Professor?"

"Right...right," said the professor. His brow was furrowed, processing all that the guard had revealed.

"Anyway what with Mrs. Mallory being well enough to come back to work, looks like things'll be even better," said the guard.

Remmie eyed the Professor. This "project" had to be sliding. And if it was, they could go home!

Part 4

Wade and Quinn slipped into Wade's double's office in silence. "Well this is a weird feeling," thought Wade as she made her way over to the computer terminal. "What do you suppose I do here Quinn?" she said, looking around. The small office looked as if its occupant had been gone a few hours, rather than a few weeks. Everything was still lovingly in its place.

The office was painted light blue, and there were some brightly colored Van Gogh paintings decorating the walls. The desk housing a small computer was neat, besides the few papers scattered on it. Quinn walked over and picked one up. On it were a few equations that he recognized. And he also recognized the handwriting. It was Wade's.

"Well..." he said smiling. "I guess your double is a physicist." The thought of Wade as a physicist amused him as well as warmed his heart. It was just one more slide that showed him how capable she was. Far more capable than she even knew, he thought. He gave her a lopsided grin. "Guess your double has good taste."

Wade gave him a playful shove and sat down at the desk. "Let's find out what we've got here," she said with a smile.

The computer was unlike anything she had worked with before. The screen was a flat panel, barely an inch thick. In front of it, embedded into the desk was a plastic looking screen. There was no keyboard -- and no buttons.

"How the heck do I turn this thing on?" said Wade, staring dubiously at the keyboardless instrument panel.

Quinn studied the desk for a moment. "Voice identification?" he suggested.

"No..." said Wade. "We're close enough that my speaking right now would have turned it on."

"Hmm..." said Quinn, looking at the desk panel again. "Try your hand," he said, pointing to it.

Wade shrugged and placed her palm on the screen, face down.

At the contact, the screen lit up with a pleasant hum. "Yes!" said Wade. "We're in!"

A pleasant computerized voice spoke. "Welcome Wade Mallory. Confirming identification." And then a moment later, "Identification confirmed. Files generating."

"See if they've got anything on the sliding machine," said Quinn.

"Okay," said Wade, touching the now lit up screen.

Files came into view one by one, and Quinn shook his head at each one. They were files on sliding, but they were theoretical constructs, nothing concrete. What he needed was the location of the sliding machine...and hopefully blueprints.

A screen calling for a password came into view after the sixth file. "Wait a minute," said Wade as she sat hunched over the terminal. "I think this might be something..." Deftly she touched the screen with precision and within moments, blueprints filled the screen.

"Yes!!!" said Quinn giving Wade a hug in her chair. "That's exactly what we need...now if we can just get a location."

Wade frowned as she began perusing the files more closely. "Well this is weird," she remarked.

Quinn looked at her, his smile fading.

"This is the record of the sliding machine," she said, pointing at a document on the left corner of the screen. "But according to this, there quite a few files missing. Wiped out."

Quinn ran a hand through his tousled hair. "Why would someone erase the data records?"

Professor Arturo got up from his desk and stretched. It had been another long day, and there was still much to be done. He'd managed to alter the sliding equipment as instructed last week. Quinn was so distraught over Wade's illness, that he wasn't working very much. And when he was, he wasn't really there. Arturo knew this. He also knew it was the only reason Quinn had not detected his adjustments to the equipment.

Arturo examined his hands. Hands that were now dirty. Hands that were forced to act against his better judgment, and his own moral code. And hands that were in effect responsible for the suffering of Mallory's young wife. He shook his head. "It must be done," he said, almost angrily. "They'll kill me."

A moment later, a knock resounded outside of his office door.

"Come in," he said, his normally big booming voice sounding troubled even to his own ears.

The man that walked in was in his early twenties. He was of a medium build and Asian descent. His hair was short and clipped. Like Arturo he wore a white lab coat. Unlike Arturo however, he was wearing a button down shirt without a tie.

"Wing, what do you want at this ungodly hour?" said Arturo, glancing at his watch. It was nearly eight o'clock, and most of the lab technicians had headed home over thirty minutes before.

Wing looked nervous. "There's something up boss," he said in a worried tone.

Arturo sighed. "Not another meltdown in the chemical labs is it? If those idiots can't measure out clorium sulfate again I swear I'll--"

"No boss," said Wing, holding up his hands. "It's a way bigger disaster. Wade and Quinn Mallory are in the building."

Arturo looked stunned and he sucked in his breath. "Whaaaatttt?"

He walked over to Wing and grabbed him by the collar. "Where are they?"

Wing winced as Arturo's choke hold on his shirt got tighter. "In her office."

"Damn it man you let her in that office before you came and got me?!"

"I...I didn't know! Jones let it slip only a few minutes ago!"

Arturo released Wing with an aggravated sigh. "This could ruin it all," he said. "If she figures out what we've been up to...the General said she was dying!"

Wing shrugged. "Don't know," he said, "Maybe those military jocks aren't as foolproof as they think they are."

Arturo frowned. "No...something doesn't add up." He glared at Wing. "You call the General. I'm going to try and clean up this mess...and you, my good man, had best pray to God that she doesn't suspect anything yet. It's not just my life on the line here you know."

Arturo strode down the hallway muttering angrily to himself. This slip up could easily cost him everything. The General wanted Wade out of the way. Her death was not what Arturo wanted, but she couldn't be in the labs. Not if he was to alter the equipment. He'd made a bargain -- a bargain with the devil he felt now. But it was too late to stop the chain of events. His hands were tied.

He heard voices coming from within Wade's office as he reached the door. Not pausing to knock, he pulled a plastic smile on his face and strode in.

"Ah Wade!" he said merrily, as he walked over to the petite woman who stared at him in shock from the computer terminal. "I heard you were here! Why this is wonderful my dear! It's a miraculous recovery!"

Wade eyed Quinn in silent desperation. "Uh oh," she thought. "The Professor's double!"

She was mildly flabbergasted as he grabbed her in a large hug. Her Professor wasn't nearly so demonstrative. Quinn shot her a look that said, "We need to get out of here!"

"Um...Professor...it's good to see you too," she said as he released her. The Professor then turned to Quinn. "Ah my dear boy, I can not believe that you have been keeping the news of Wade's good health from me. You know how worried I was about her condition."

"Ah...yeah," said Quinn, thinking fast. "Well...uh...she wanted it to be a surprise. You know my Wade." He winked with a broad grin, though his eyes betrayed his consternation. "In fact," continued Quinn,"I think she wanted to get back to work right away...right honey?"

"Uh yeah," said Wade biting her lip and looking at Quinn like he was crazy. "You know me! Got to get back to the machine! Work work work!"

"Nonsense,"" said the Professor, fighting to control his raging heartbeat. "Do they know?" he thought. "No...I don't think so...not yet anyway."

"You two simply must join me for dinner tonight," he finished.

"But..." began Quinn.

"No buts my boy. Work is for tomorrow. Tonight we celebrate!"

Wade shrugged as she looked at Quinn. They were stuck.

Part 5

"You two simply must join me for dinner tonight."

The words rang in Quinn's ears like a warning bell. He glanced at Wade uncomfortably. There was no way to turn down the offer.

"Professor," said Wade with a benevolent smile. "Can we have just a moment to gather our things? We'll meet up with you shortly."

The Professor looked strange for a moment. Almost guilty, Wade thought with an inward frown. But she shook it off after a moment. "Stop being so paranoid," she thought to herself.

"But of course Wade," he finally said after a rather long pause. "I'll see you in just a moment then."

The Professor stepped out of the office and closed the door.

"I've got to call the front gate," said Quinn quietly. "The Professor and Remmie are still out there. If Arturo's double sees them..."

Wade nodded. "Call them," she said. "I just want to check something on the computer real quick." She glanced around nervously. "I don't know why, but I've got a creepy feeling about this."

Quinn sighed. He didn't want her to worry. "Calm down Wade. We'll meet up the others later. It's just dinner."

"Yeah," said Wade touching the screen with quick fingers. She didn't meet his eyes. "Maybe I'm just freaked out by this whole marriage thing." She flushed and continued to pull up files. Something was bugging her about those wiped out files. She was determined to find out what it was.

Quinn swallowed and didn't answer. He didn't know what to say to that unspoken topic. Their feelings for each other were the one subject under the sun that he and Wade couldn't talk about. He picked up the phone. "Front gate please," he said softly.

Wade slept listlessly, and Quinn watched her with anxious eyes. It had become an evening ritual -- this sitting by her bedside, making sure she was still...just sleeping. His own sleep had stopped mattering weeks ago, as she got worse and worse, the ravaging disease causing her more and more pain...and tearing him up as he watched her suffer.

The phone call broke him from his reverie. Little did he know that it would also change his life.

When the guard handed Professor Arturo the phone, he immediately knew something had gone wrong inside the laboratory. "I told that boy not go rushing off," he thought anxiously, his blustering attitude masking his hidden worry for the two young people he traveled with.

"Professor it's me. We got snagged by your double. He wants us to go to dinner at his place."

Well aware that the guard was within earshot, Arturo was careful choosing his words. "Yes, well that's unfortunate," he said in a calm tone of voice.

"Go ahead and check in at the Dominion," continued Quinn. "We'll meet you there later."

"There is another matter we should discuss," said the Professor in the same neutral tone.

Quinn sounded worried. "What?"

"Yes...yes," said the Professor winking at the guard, who smiled. "Wade has made a miraculous recovery from her illness. We will have to have her resume her place in the laboratory of course."

There was a rather long pause. "This world's Wade is sick?" asked Quinn, with an uneasy glance over at his Wade. "We thought that might be it...how sick?"

"Very bad...yes that is very bad," said Arturo.

Quinn sucked in his breath. He remembered a time when his own Wade had been deathly ill, not too long ago. The fear that had gripped his heart..."That's why they were all staring," he said softly.

"What is it Quinn?" asked Wade with a curious expression. He looked troubled.

"We have to go Professor, see you tonight."

"Yes...yes I will run in and meet you...of course," said the Professor. Rembrandt watched him. "What's goin' on here?" he thought.

As the Professor hung up the phone, he pulled Remmie aside by the crook of his arm, away from the guard. "We've must go into the complex for a few minutes so that when our friend the guard sees my double come out, he won't also see me."

"Uh..." said Remmie, still looking confused. "So if were goin' in...how we gonna get out? And what about Wade and Quinn?"

"Wade and Quinn are going to leave with me...ah...I mean my double. Apparently he cornered them." He looked at the complex before them. "As for how we will leave...." he pointed to his head, "leave that to me."

"Quinn...what is going on?" Wade repeated as he hung up the phone.

"Not now," whispered Quinn. "He," he pointed to the door, "is gonna suspect something if we keep him waiting much longer."

Wade wasn't satisfied with this response, but she shrugged in concession. She hadn't found any more clues on the missing files within the computer anyway.

They opened the door to greet Arturo's double, who stood beaming over them like a father watching his child walk for the first time. But for some reason Wade couldn't fathom, she felt there was something sinister behind his friendly gaze. His smile was too full of teeth.

"We're ready," said Quinn.

"C'mon then," said Arturo. "Let's be off."

"I just wanted to say I'm so happy that Wade's better." The voice on the other end of the line was Nancy, Quinn's secretary and a friend to both he and his wife.

Quinn blinked. "Better?" he said.

"When I saw you two walk in the labs tonight I was just so pleased!" she continued, oblivious to the questioning tone of his voice.

Quinn felt his heart beat speed up as if a volt of electricity had charged into it. "Walk in?" he said incredulously. "Is this some kind of sick joke Nancy?"

"Joke?" said Nancy. Now it was her turn to sound confused. "No of course not, I saw you..."

"Wade hasn't stepped out of this house in over a month," said Quinn coldly. "I don't know who put you up to this little prank, but rest assured I'll find out."

"But..." sputtered Nancy.

"Good-bye," said Quinn, hanging up on her.

He shook his head in anger. "Why would Nancy do that?" he thought. It wasn't like her at all. She knew how much he was hurting. Everyone knew. Hell he could barely function at work, much less solve the universal field equation. Without Wade there to share in it the discovery of sliding was meaningless. And without Wade life would be meaningless too.

Still, the phone call troubled him. He felt uneasy. There was only one person besides Wade that he was close enough with to share this feeling with. Sighing, he walked over to his hallway closet and pulled on a jacket. He would make a short trip over to Professor Maxinillian Arturo's.

Walking back into Wade's darkened sick room, he gently kissed her forehead. "I'll be less than an hour Angel," he whispered softly.

After Arturo's caterer cleared away the soup course, the Professor swirled the red wine in his glass and eyed them somberly.

"That was wonderful soup." Quinn offered to fill the silence. "What was it? I couldn't quite place it." As soon as he said it, he mentally cursed himself because this world's Quinn could have invented the soup for all he knew. Or at least loved it.

Wade kicked his shin under the table. It was unnecessary, but she might have done it even if she knew he'd realized his blunder.

"Duck Eye Broth," Arturo replied casually.

"Ah yes, it was fantastic in any case." Quinn said.

Wade kicked him again.

"I know you're not from this world, so you might as well lay off his leg." Arturo told Wade.

They both looked at him in shock.

He smiled. "Oh, and I was just teasing. The soup was Pigeon Noodle soup. Quite common on our world."

Wade glared at Quinn, but Arturo interrupted. "No, don't be angry with him, I knew before that."

"How?" Quinn wondered aloud.

"Wade was given a programmable virus. It is keyed to her DNA alone so only she can catch it." He glanced at Wade. "Not even her doubles can catch it. There are minute differences in the DNA between people of parallel worlds. I theorized this and then proved it when I brought back blood samples. So the virus can be keyed to only affect people of a single world, or to affect only one single person in an entire world. In most cases the DNA difference between two doubles is only one thousandth of one percent, but it is enough to isolate this precise of a virus."

The Professor sipped slowly from his wine glass. "My point is that because this virus is so precise, and so targeted, it is absolutely incurable except by the people who gave it to her in the first place. Because of my lobbying I knew that they would have told me if they had changed their minds and given Wade the cure. I had been to other worlds and seen doubles of myself and people I knew. Therefore it was an easy deduction."

"Impressive." Quinn flattered, knowing it was the quickest way to the Professor's heart. "This is great because we can drop all pretenses and get some answers and perhaps some help."

Wade suppressed the urge to kick him again. "You're forgetting one thing, he just admitted complicity in my double's murder!"

Arturo smiled faintly and not unkindly. "I chose to sleep with the devil a long time ago and every day since the price grows higher. I AM trying to change certain minds. Wade is dying slowly, she could yet be spared. I'm doing my best to make that happen."

"You're a regular saint." Wade snapped.

The caterer emerged from the kitchen bearing a tray laden with elaborate salads. "Ah, here we go." Arturo said with excitement. "You might as well enjoy yourselves. I pulled out all the stops with this meal. You're the first people from a parallel world it will be my honor to have a frank discussion with."

"Excuse us one second," Quinn said politely and leaned close to Wade. "What do you think? If he intended something ugly soldiers would have been here to great us. He's apparently known since he met us."

"True." Wade whispered back. "We might as well pump him for as much information as possible and then get the hell out of this house when it looks like he's done being helpful or is lying to us."

"Agreed." He whispered, then straightened and said in a normal voice, "hey, who are we to pass up a once in a lifetime meal with such esteemed company?"

Arturo looked at them with amusement, then lifted his eyes to the caterer, who had just finished placing the silver salad bowls in front of them. The caterer nodded ever so slightly and departed.

Arturo swirled his glass again. The caterer had just confirmed that adequate saliva samples had been taken from the soup bowls and spoons. Now it was only a matter of scanning the DNA and programming the virus. This would be taking place in the lab in the basement of this house at this moment. "So what would you like to know?" Arturo stalled, thinking 'once in a lifetime meal indeed.'

Wade was on an airplane this time. Oddly enough, it wasn't one of the intercontinental suborbital ships she had used when MalTuro was footing her traveling expenses. It wasn't even one of the modern spacious supersonic jets that everyone paying for themselves used. It was an old jet like she had read about and seen in old movies. A 747 perhaps, like she saw in Casablanca.

She was looking out the window but was aware of how cramped she was. She had read how people had been packed into the old jets but never imagined she would experience such a thing herself. She could barely breathe.

It was a bright sunny day outside and she enjoyed looking at the pastoral farmlands and lush forests outside, but she had to say something to the person next to her before she suffocated. "Excuse me sir, could you give me a little more room..." As Wade looked over at the person in the next seat, she trailed off.

It was the General. And, of course, it was the person who had been behind her in that last dream. But now he was a grinning corpse. "I'm going to give you all the room you could ever need!" He pointed to the window with one bony finger.

Wade returned her gaze to her window. Despite the fact that she had looked away for no longer than 20 seconds, the world outside had changed. It was night now, and the entire world was ablaze with the same slowly burning fire that had consumed her bedroom.

"No," the General corrected. He apparently could read her mind, and why not? This was merely a dream. Anything was possible in a dream. "Look closer. Only one thing is being consumed."

Wade pressed her nose against the window. As before, she could feel nothing either physically or emotionally, so she had no idea if the barrier was cold. "The fires are burning but nothing is being affected." She intoned. If she had been able to feel her emotions, she would have exclaimed that last. "The trees, farms, and buildings are staying intact. How is this possible?"

The General's corpse was pressed against her even harder. His exposed teeth brushed her earlobe as he said, "look closer. Not everything is surviving."

He was right. The people down there, millions of them, were burning. Burning alive. "But what kind of fire burns only people and nothing else?" Wade asked dispassionately.

The General didn't answer.

Wade thought back to the first dream, and turned back to her tormentor. "Dreams are allegories, nothing more. I am trying to work something out in my mind, aren't I? Something I already know. I'm afraid to try and figure it out the rare times I'm awake, so I'm trying to figure it out while asleep."

The General stared at her with his eyeless sockets.

"I had it wrong in the first dream, didn't I? The fire consumed everything BUT me but that is not what is happening. What's happening is that I am being eaten but nothing around me is harmed. What I see below is the real allegory. The fire represents your weapon. The weapon that you first used on me and intend to use on countless other worlds. Open a wormhole, toss through a bottle, then sit back and wait a year. Then you have an entire world full of unharmed toys, buildings, and infrastructure but no people. You can just waltz in and take over."

The General's mouth gaped more, creating a larger grin. "There are enough worlds in the multuiverse that each member of our world can own an Earth of their own! An entire Earth all to themselves, if they wish!"

Wade suddenly remembered discovering this right before she took ill. Discovering the General's plan of Infinite Conquest. The trauma of her sickness and her inability to conceive of an evil this immense had led to her submersion of the memory. It had been trying to surface ever since, finally succeeding in her dreams. She had been so foolish to confront him with her knowledge. So foolish to not foresee that he would have her killed.

She remembered the men appearing behind her at the General's signal. The quick trip to a lab. The man in the white coat working on his computer for about an hour, sparing her sad glances as often as he dared. Then coming over to her with an injection gun.

And then the pain had begun.

"What if she talks," one of the goons had asked.

"It will all be common knowledge within a year anyway when we start to colonize." The General had said. "Who would believe her before then?"

"Then why are you doing this?" The man in the white coat asked. "I was wondering about such a slow method of silencing someone. It didn't seem practical."

"We need test subjects." The General had replied curtly. "She annoyed me so she is the first one."

No wonder she had suppressed the memory, Wade mused as the dream faded and she struggled to wake. But would she remember this time when she woke? And what could she do even if she did remember?

Part 7

The doorbell rang at the Professor's house, just before dessert was being served. "Now what?" thought the Professor angrily. Things were complicated enough with the presence of these doubles.

"Excuse me for a moment," he said to his guests.

Wade looked at him distrustingly and nodded.

The door swang open, and there stood the familiar form of Quinn Mallory.

"Quinn my boy!" said the Professor heartily, with a sense of dread filling him.

"I don't trust him," said Wade, while they were left alone at the table.

"Well neither do I, but he's the only link we've got to their sliding equipment Wade. Don't you want to go home?" replied Quinn.

"Hmmmph...at what price? Quinn remember we found those erased records in my double's computer? I bet he's the one that erased them."

"Wade, we don't know that."

"Well I'm going to find out." she replied determinedly.

The room was dark when Wade awoke from her dream. She was sweating profusely as the images ran through her mind. It was all coming back to her. That day in the labs, when she'd been working late on the sliding equipment, and had stumbled onto the General's plans for multiversal domination. How she'd caught him erasing the data records about having a virus that would infect countless worlds as soon as the sliding vortex opened. But after that memory everything was still fuzzy.

"My god..." she whispered to herself. "I have to tell Quinn..."

"Can I come in?" Quinn asked the Professor. It was getting rather cold in the doorway.

"Yes of course Quinn," replied the Professor, wondering how he was going to explain this one. "I have something to tell you however..."

"No need," replied Quinn, who came out of the dining room as the sound of their voices reached him. Wade followed close behind.

"Wade?" Quinn's double said, while staring at the healthy reflection of his wife. "And that's...that's me."

Part 8

"I think somebody's coming!" Remmy hissed.

"This is a military research lab that takes up two city blocks of space ... there is always somebody coming through the halls, you blistering idiot!" Arturo had tried at least a hundred different passwords and had yet to come up with the one his double was using to protect access to his computer. His double was apparently so paranoid you couldn't even use Notepad without knowing a password. "What in God's name did this mendicant use for a password!?"

Remmy suddenly ducked from the doorway and darted behind the open door. Six armed troops strutted past without glancing in.

"Quick moving, Mr. Brown." Arturo complimented, despite his anger at his double and this infernal computer. Then he said to it, "Beef Stroganoff."

"Access denied." The computer replied patiently.

"Cinnamon Buns."

"Access denied."

"Um, Professor." Remmy said thoughtfully.

"Not now, Mr. Brown. Who knows how long before someone who knows my double intimately decides to drop by for a chat. Our salmon is in hot water if that happens. Hmmm, salmon. Computer, Salmon New Orleans."

"Access denied."

"Profess-."

"Rembrandt Brown, if you please! Computer, fried catfish."

"Access denied."

"Um, Pro-."

Arturo ignored him and said, "Butter pudding."

"Access granted."

"Yes, yes of course, why didn't I think of that before? Now we're getting somewhere. Computer, do you keep a log of all activity performed at this workstation?"

"Yes, Professor Arturo."

"Um Professor-."

"Excellent. Print out all the tasks performed, all the information requests made, all orders made, and any other activity originating from this station in the past five months. While you do this, give me a copy on CD as well."

"Printing 1015 sheets. CD, Professor Arturo?"

"What portable memory storage device is currently most common?"

"The Nickel Disc, Professor Arturo."

"Put copies of this requested information on two discs for me."

A small tray jutted from the desk to his left. A nickel sized depression was in the middle of it. "Please insert the first blank ND, Professor Arturo."

"Um, Max-." Remmy began.

Arturo waved a hand at him as he searched the desk drawers until he found several nickel sized CDROMS. The first envelope read "576 heartfelt poems. Only copy, if found please return to Professor Arturo for handsome reward." Arturo ripped out the ND and inserted into the depression. The tray pulled back in. The second envelope read "Rare childhood photos! If found please return to Professor Arturo for handsome reward." He pulled that ND out and prepared to insert it when the first one was done.

Remmy opened his mouth.

Arturo turned to him, face reddening. "What in the seven degrees of Kevin Bacon do you want????"

"Ask it if it is programmed to report repeated password failures."

Arturo gaped at his friend, looking dumbstruck. "Christ Almighty." He muttered, then darted his head back to the computer. "Computer, how many password attempts do I get before you report me?"

"Two, Professor Arturo." As it said this, the tray opened up, revealing the ND. "Please insert the second ND."

He plucked the first one up and ran to the printer across the room to recover what had been printed so far. "Mr. Brown, your quick thinking might enable us to make our escape before the authorities arrive! Let's move!"

"I wish you had let me explain first..." Arturo began.

Quinn ignored him. He was staring at Wade, a healthy vital Wade, and could barely move or breathe. There was no chance of him being able to speak.

She met his gaze steadily and said in a soft and compassionate voice, "I'm not your Wade, Quinn."

Quinn's eyes darted to her companion and then back to her. He found his voice. "I gathered as much. You are doubles of Wade and I from a parallel world. It is just ... so ... seeing you healthy again, you can't imagine how it feels ..."

Wade's eyes were wet. "You don't have to explain. I am so sorry about what you're going through."

Her Quinn commiserated. "I can't imagine how hard it must be for you."

The standing Quinn leaned against the dining room wall, feeling barely able to stand up. "I'll be lost without her." He breathed. "I adore her."

None of the others replied. There was no appropriate reply.

He regained his composure with difficulty. "This explains people calling me saying they saw her healthy. That's why I came over."

Arturo nodded sagely. He put a comforting hand on his Quinn's shoulder. "I'm sorry for the shock of seeing Wade's double. Seeing her healthy must make you feel your wife's loss of health very keenly. You should probably go."

"You two faced son of a bitch! Quinn, HE knows who poisoned your wife! He's known from the beginning!" Wade spat. It may or may not have been wise but her outrage was such that no force on any Earth could have prevented her from saying it.

Her words matched little subliminal observations made over the past months in Quinn's mind. The momentary sense that Arturo had seemed remarkably unsurprised to hear of his wife's illness. The way the Professor had been so uncharacteristically comforting and understanding when Arturo had not been that way last year when Wing's sister died. Many other little, slight memories and filed away observations. Quinn met Arturo's eyes and knew.

Months of frustrated rage and mourning had finally found a target. Before he was even completely aware of it, his hand darted to the wine cart, the corkscrew was in his hand, and its pointed tip was against Arturo's throat.

"Mr. Mallory! Don't be stupid!"

Despite their weight difference, the enraged Quinn slammed his coworker against the wall and pinned him there with the tip pressing against the older man's throat. "Stupid? I have watched my wife ROT in front of my eyes! If only I could kill you as slowly!"

The other Quinn and Wade had gotten to their feet but they stayed a respectful distance away for now. They didn't think Quinn would kill Arturo, but they were close in case he might.

"We can do a deal, Mr. Mallory! We can do a deal! I swear!"

His captor grinned, an expression totally devoid of humor, and said, "Start talking. Can my wife be cured?"

Inches. Cruel inches.

People with both legs never think about how much harder everything is with only one. People with both hands think nothing of showering, brushing their teeth, dressing. Young people have no idea the brutal endurance necessary just to make it through each day when you're 90 years old.

And no one not suffering from the genetically engineered and programmed virus codenamed "Destruction" have no idea how cruel inches can be when you're trying to crawl across the floor to the bedroom door.

Just getting dressed had exhausted her. Most of the time, every joint ached as if sawdust had been injected into them, even her jaw. Now her joints were on fire. Each time she dragged herself forward those joints became supernovas. Walking was of course out of the question. CRAWLING was even out of the question. The best she could manage was dragging herself like an animal to the bedroom door and then hopefully to the hallway stairs. And then she would see. Using the phone was out of the question because they no doubt had it tapped. She had to get to the wheelchair near the door and get down the street to the pay phone at the corner convenience store. That is the only way Wing could get to her before the General's eavesdropping goons did. Wing would take her to Quinn quietly.

Footsteps in the hallway! Quinn was home! Thank God. She was bathed in sweat and moaning with pain. She would die before she quit but it would be so much easier if he carried her down to the chair.

The door opened and a shadow fell over her.

"Awwww, did Wadey fall down and couldn't get back up?"

The voice was cold and cruel. Obviously not Quinn.

"I guess the General was right to ask me to come over and collect you." The man continued. "In another two months you might have made it to the door."

Wade gritted her teeth with frustration but didn't move or talk. Better to save her strength in case he left her an opening.

"My name is Rickman, by the way. I am the General's Central Intelligence Service liaison. We might as well be on a first name basis since I'm going to be picking you up and carrying you to the car, eh?"

"Forget your password Professor Arturo?"

The words rang like a bell in the night as the Professor and Remmy slowly looked up from the computer terminal.

In front of them, stood a tall, imposing man. He wore the decorated dress of a service man, and his rank of General was proudly displayed on his chest.

"Uh...yes, well..." stammered the Professor, for once not knowing what to say.

"He changed his password...and uh...he couldn't remember what he changed it to." stammered Remmy.

"Really..." said the General in a more sinister tone. He stepped aside to reveal two uniformed officers armed with machine guns behind him. "Then why did I receive a call from Professor Arturo at his home, stating that he was eating dinner with doubles of Quinn and Wade Mallory?"

"All right sir," stated the Professor. "Yes we are doubles from a parallel universe. We simply wanted a look at your sliding equipment. You see, we are lost and we wanted to try and find a way home."

"Yeah man," said Remmy. "We're not trying to bust into your game or whatever."

"We'll see about that. You'll have to come with me. And that's NOT a request."

"Great," muttered Remmy. "Just peachy."

"She can be...cured," whispered Arturo 2 between gasps.

"Where is it?" "Where is the antidote?" muttered Quinn 2 as he held Arturo 2 against the wall with the knife.

Arturo 2 squirmed a bit, his lungs attempting to draw in air, but not being able to get much in due to the position Quinn 2 was holding him in.

"I....don't....have....antidote" he managed to breathe out.

"Then who does?" asked Wade, crossing her arms.

"General...not my fault..." answered the Professor, sweat pouring profusely down his face.

Pushing the Professor against the wall, Quinn 2 withdrew the pocket knife from it's position of nearly slicing the Professor's throat. He turned to the others and said simply, "I have to go home and get Wade. I know who this General is."

"Who is he?" asked Quinn.

"The military leader of the sliding project," replied Quinn 2. "You see MalTuro Labs are partially financed by the military, so we have a military overseer overlooking things, offering suggestions..."

"Poisoning employees?" interrupted Wade. "It doesn't make sense."

"That's why HE'S coming along." remarked Quinn 2, his face flushed with anger.

"We'll help too," said Quinn, and Wade nodded in aquiecense.

Wade was in too much pain to think about where they were going or how fast or slow it was taking to get there. All she was aware of was the throbbing that encompassed her entire body. A throbbing that would soon encompass countless numbers of worlds if the virus Destruction wasn't stopped.

She had been so close to pulling the plug on the General and all of his schemes. But now, as the repressed memories came flooding back, she remembered: Sitting in her office, researching the sliding techniques with inanimate test subjects, stumbling across the computer files for the virus, confronting the General, and then wham! Being hit with a sedative and injected with Destruction.

Rickman sat in the front seat. She was aware he was talking to her, but she didn't listening until he said the following: "You've been a great test subject Wade. But now that we know Destruction works, it's time to say goodbye."

Part 10

"Have a seat." The General commanded.

Arturo and Remmy did as ordered. An armed guard stood behind each of their chairs.

The General walked to his wetbar. "Either of you like a drink?"

"I'll take two fingers of Scotch on the rocks, please." Arturo said to ingratiate himself.

Remmy, not trusting the General for a second, said, "nothing for me, thanks."

The General brought over two glasses of Bourbon without ice. He handed one to Arturo and one to Remmy. Both men accepted them without complaint.

The General sat behind his desk, sipped his own drink, and regarded his captives. "I'm going to kill both of you. How does that make you feel?"

There was a knock on the door. The General pointed and one of the guards opened it. A man in a white coat rushed in. "We've done it sir! We've isolated the genetic differences between us and the first three worlds. The tests your ordered were 100% successful. The offworlders died in each case and none of the control people succumbed."

"The control people were locked in the same room as the offworlders when the gas was released?"

"Yes sir."

The General nodded. "You're dismissed." After his office door had been closed again he picked up the phone. "Mitchell. The tests are complete, the control people survived but have seen too much. Have them taken care of." He replaced the phone and returned his attention to the Sliders. "So, where were we?"

"I believe you were wading into a bizarre cat and mouse game with us." Arturo reminded helpfully. "You had just asked the single most absurd question I have ever heard uttered, dwarfing even the inane gibberish of self obsessed brainless supermodels. Your exact words were 'how does that make you feel.' My answer is 'relieved' if it will save me the indignity of an extended conversation with someone as obviously phony and shallow as you."

A deathly silence fell over the room. Remmy looked at Arturo with bulging eyes. The two guards almost dropped their rifles in shock. The General's face remained impassive as he pulled open a drawer and removed an automatic pistol. "Leave us. If they so much as lift a butt cheek from their seats I'll shoot them like dogs."

The two guards left the room and closed the soundproof door behind them. As soon as they were gone The General threw back his head and laughed. He laughed for at least a minute, until he was redfaced and gasping like a fish. "Oh my ..." he gasped for breath as he spoke, "oh dear me ... you should have seen the expressions on the faces of the guards. They have never ... heard anyone talk to me like that before." He leaned forward and whispered to them. "I have everyone here terrified of me. Your double is a shivering coward and I wanted to see if you were the same. It is quite obvious that you are not." He giggled some more even as he dried his eyes. "Oh my, this has been amusing. That is something I didn't expect at all."

"Am I to deduce that your going to infect other worlds with whatever you've infected Wade with?" Arturo asked pointedly. "That you've figured out a way to keep people from your world from getting sick?"

The General briefly outlined his scheme. He seemed prone to gloating anyway, and Arturo's standing up to him seemed to have engendered respect that little else would have.

"Very clever." Arturo said in mock admiration that The General didn't seem to pick up on. "Infect the worlds, allow everyone to die, and then come back later to claim them."

"I can't take full credit for this, I have several genius advisers." The General replied mildly.

"There is only one problem. Another world has a big jump on you in parallel conquering. My friends and I have encountered them. You're going to be doing them a big favor by emptying worlds for them." Arturo began to tell him about the Kromagg Dynasty.

Rickman parked the car in an underground parking lot. Wade, weakened and drained, had drifted in and out of sleep and didn't fully awake until he stopped the car so she had no idea where he had taken her. She quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be unconscious before he looked over at her.

He made a noise that sounded like he was clucking his tongue. Then he opened the door and got out. It sounded like he was going to the trunk so she opened her eyes to confirm it. It was, and his back was to her for now. She opened the glove box. Nothing helpful was inside so she closed it and brought her hand back.

Rickman was quiet when he got to the back of the car, as if peering in at her, then he opened the trunk and lifted it.

Wade reached under the seat, praying for a tool or God help her a gun or SOMETHING. Her fingers found a cylindrical device and she pulled it up. It was a spraycan filled with mechanical lubricant. She removed the cap and checked to see if there was a safety or if she had to turn the nozzle before using it. When she was confident it would fire at will, she tossed the cap under her seat. This would have to do because already Rickman had pulled something out and was closing the trunk. Wade hugged the can to her body, concealing it within the folds of her shirt. It should look like she was hugging herself as if cold. She closed her eyes and waited.

Footsteps. Rickman approached her side of the car, set something on the pavement, and then unlocked her door. He opened it and inspected her. To make it more realistic, she moaned a little and weakly covered her eyes with her free hand. She felt like that would sell her semiconsciousness and total vulnerability than remaining frozen like a statue.

Rickman bought it like it was on sale. He leaned forward to grab her, his face only a foot above hers.

Wade brought out the can and sprayed a long blast of lubricant right into her captor's eyes.

Rickman screamed and jerked his head straight up to get away from the blast. Of course he conked his head on the edge of the car doorway with a deep, meaty thud. Wade brought the can down a little and sprayed another long blast through his open mouth and straight down his throat. Her tormentor jerked back again and hit his head on the metal edge of the car doorway a second time. This time he fell to his knees. Choking, he pulled away from her, crawling on his hands and knees.

She sat up, picked up the keys he'd dropped and closed the passenger door. She scooted over, feeling more energetic than she had in weeks. She started the car and left him choking, being sick, and clawing at his eyes. As Wade pulled away, she got a good look in the rearview mirror of what he'd taken from the trunk.

It was a sleeping bag.

She had no doubt the intended use of THAT.

"We're stopping by to pick up Wade." Quinn 2 ordered. "I'll give you directions to my house." He and Arturo occupied the rear seats of his car while Wade drove and Quinn sat half sideways so he could keep an additional eye on the Professor.

"I don't think you can spare the time." Arturo said, flustered. "I'll be missed any time. If The General calls and I don't answer at home or my cell phone, he'll freeze all my access and there is no way you'll get in the labs."

"Without Wade, there's no reason to GO to the labs. Don't argue with me. We're going to pick her up and you're going to get all of us in there and cure her." Quinn 2's voice left little room for argument. He began to give directions to his house.

Arturo gulped silently. He didn't know what this psycho would do when he discovered his wife was missing.

"So you are telling me that a race of monkey men are running around conquering worlds?" asked the General.

"Yes," replied Arturo. "And the Kromaggs not only have advanced technology, they have perfected mind control and telepathy. When we were their, we were able to speak to them only through an interpreter, who received telepathic memories from them and relayed them to us." Arturo paused a mamonet. "She died helping us ecsape."

The General scratched his chin. "Hmmm...very illunminating." He took a sip of his dring. "And if we attacked these apes with Destruction?"

"It wouldn't work," replied Arturo. "Destruction is tailor made for human genetics. The Kromaggs are an entirely different species."

"That is troubling," replied the General.

"Troubling?" said Remmy. "Man you're even crazier than I thought. Professor let him go up against those Maggots. maybe they'll end up killing eachother off."

"Now now Mr. Brown. The General here deserves to know exactly wehat he is getting into if he is planning on world domination." replied the Professor, giving Remmy a sly wink and mouthing the words "I know what I'm doing."

She blinked as she dialed the numbers. They blurred in and out of focus. She swallowed and hit the send key on the cell phone, praying that the connection would go through.

A weak voice answered him. "Honey it's me."

Quinn2 was in such shock he nearly swung into another lane. "Honey why are YOU calling?"

Wade and Quinn blinked and looked at eachother. "It must be my double," Wade whispered. Quinn nodded in acquiewscense.

"Where are you? Why are you calling? Why aren't you resting?" Quinn2 shot out, one question tumbling after another.

He heared her take a deep painful breath. "I'm on my way to MalTuro Quinn. They tried to kidnap me and kill me, and I know who's responsible for me getting sick." she said haltingly.

"No Wade," he answered. "I know who it is too. I just found out tonight. Going by yourself is too dangerous. Go home and I'll pick you up."

"But how do you know...?"

"Let's just say the Professor and I had an intimate conversation." he replied.

"The Professor? What does he have to do with this? I only know that the General is responsible..."

Quinn2 cut her off. "Go home," he said. "I'll meet you there and explain everything."

Part 12

"Don't you see, General? If you wipe out entire worlds that will allow the Kromaggs to step in and claim every one without a shot being fired against them. They breed like rabbits, with far shorter gestation and childhood growth periods than humans. Without the attrition taking entire worlds causes, they'll soon be more powerful than ANY single world, no matter how militaristic. You'll be paving the way for the destruction of ALL of humanity on every world."

The General took this in impassively.

Arturo's face hardened and he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. They sat that way for several long minutes, Arturo leaning against his chair back with his arms folded, Remmy frowning with memories of the Kromaggs, his mind seemingly only half in this room right now, and The General impassive and still as a statue.

The General (metaphorically) blinked first. "Well?"

"Well what?" Arturo barked.

"Continue your pitch. You have my attention."

"It's become obvious to me that you don't believe a word I'm saying so I see no reason to further waste my breath!"

The General looked down at his pistol, seemed to consider something, then returned his gaze to The Professor. "I've killed many people for far less disrespect than you've shown me."

Arturo waited him out again. He'd finally realized that The General loved the manipulative effect scary statements followed by long pauses had on most people. He would not play that game.

The General (metaphorically) blinked again. "Okay, fine. Let's see some proof that these Kromaggs exist. Do you have their world's coordinates?" His free hand waved over the timer he had confiscated from them.

"No, I do not. And I really don't think you're equipped to go there even if I did have them. We're talking about a civilization that has enslaved dozens of worlds that we know of. You couldn't handle them."

So quickly that the timer was in his face before Arturo even saw the General move, the man picked up the device and tossed it over. The Professor barely had time to catch it. I can't believe how fast he is, Arturo said. He could shoot me and I'd be dead before I saw him move.

"Call up the coordinates for this first world you mentioned." The General said and picked up a phone.

By the time Arturo had complied, a man in a white coat was escorted in by he guards. He carried this world's version of timer, which looked like a '70's calculator.

"Do you have the coordinates ready? Then give it to him."

Arturo handed the timer over. The man in the white coat downloaded the coordinates and handed Arturo's timer to The General.

"Take a squad to this world and investigate. Report back in an hour." The General ordered. The man in the white coat nodded and left the room. Their captor smiled gently. "I miss the action. All I do these days is pick up the phone and bark orders."

"I feel for you, man." Remmy said dryly.

The Sliding Quinn had to wait in the car since the guard obviously wasn't going to let two Quinns in. But Quinn2 and Arturo2 got Sliding Wade through security. They parked and headed across the long parking lot towards the main research building on foot.

"Now what?" Arturo2 asked soberly. He didn't seem especially disturbed or inclined to turn them in. Wade supposed that he was relieved that the betrayal of his friends was finally at an end.

"Now we go find The General and confront him." Quinn said forcefully.

"Quinn, are you sure that's a good idea? This man sounds like he'd think nothing of blowing us all away! He certainly won't care if you take the Professor here a hostage!"

Quinn jabbed Arturo in the back with the haft end of his knife. "Move it!" He ignored Wade.

She was about to tell him that she really wanted to help him but was not doing to do so if all he wanted was blood revenge. What prevented her was a vortex opening twenty feet in front of them. Three men stumbled out. The last of them collapsed before he'd been out of the vortex even a second. They could see smoke rising from his back. The man in the lead, obviously a scientist, ran as fast as he could for the main research building.

"What the blazes?" Arturo gasped. "That's Arnie! ARNIE!"

The man in the white coat turned. His eyes were the size of saucers and they could see a stream of drool running from his mouth and hanging like a rope. He turned back and run faster. Behind him the healthy soldier was helping his fallen comrade get to his feet.

Suddenly, a red vortex opened 20 feet above the two soldiers. A Kromagg fighter appeared and swooped higher. A fat squat ship followed it and the vortex closed. The trailing ship hovered for a moment, and then headed for a bare stretch of the parking lot. The fighter located the running scientist and fired. He was torn apart a foot from the door. The Kromagg fighter gained more altitude and then swung back around for another pass. This time its deadly energy weapons were targeted on the two soldiers. When they had been cut down the fighter headed for the entrance gate.

Arturo2, Quinn2, and Wade watched the ship scream over them and fire on the gate sentry. "What the devil is THAT!?" Arturo screamed over the sound of engines and weapons fire.

Wade grabbed his arm. "If we don't get inside before that troop ship lands, we're going to find out! Come on!"

The two men followed her. They made it inside just before the landed ship opened its bay doors and began disgorging troops.

"This will be much better if you're telling the truth." The General told them smugly.

Arturo and Remmy had been listening to The General think out loud for the better part of an hour. They had spent more tedious hours during their lifetimes, but this one ranked up there.

"We can always conquer human worlds later. But a war against a subhuman enemy will be just the thing we need to mobilize everyone. The public will be BEGGING us to come up with new and better weapons. Especially once we get footage of these ugly brutes." He chuckled dryly. "This is all assuming you're not spinning a desperate 11th hour fairy tale."

As if in answer, there was an explosion outside the window. The General tossed their timer on his desk and replaced it in his hand with his pistol. He ran to the window in time to see the Kromagg fighter destroy two soldiers. He watched the fighter head for the gate.

The General turned to the Sliders. "It appears that it wasn't a fairy tale. And that my scout team has attracted them here to this world." His chin lifted and Arturo saw in that moment just how delusional this man was.

"Excellent."

He headed for the door. "Watch them," he told the guard. "If they so much as stretch their legs out in front of them, shoot them."

"Yes sir!"

The General left the room and headed for the stairs.

Arturo and Remmy stared at their timer, sitting a mere 8 feet from them on The General's desk. Remmy checked out the guard from the corner of his eye and was further dismayed to see that the man was watching them with the intensity starving hawk. He was at the doorway so there was no way he and/or the professor could reach him in time to overpower him. They would be shot down like dogs.

"Good one, Professor. Siccing the Maggs on them." Remmy whispered.

Arturo sighed. "I was hoping he would go himself and would be killed or captured. No such luck. I just hope this world can fight them off while also ridding themselves of their immoral leadship."

"You're not trying to put the fate of this world on your shoulders, are you?"

He winced. "Because of my actions millions of people could die or end up enslaved. That is not something I take lightly."

Remmy shrugged. "They allowed pyschos like this general to take and remain in power. If you sleep with evil you can't complain about the nightmares you wind up with."

Arturo looked at his friend in shock. "My dear man, that might be the most profound thing you've ever said!" But he didn't seem to be any less burdened.

Part 13

Wade2 pulled into the parking lot of MalTuro labs. Despite what her husband had said about the danger, she wasn't about to let the General get away with his plans for Destruction. Seeing her husband's car in the lot, she took a deep breath. He was here. It had been right for her to come. She wiped the sweat off her ashen face and tried to stop shaking. She parked the car next to her husband's and started when she saw a familiar face pacing back and forth around the car.

"Quinn?" she said shakily after rolling down the window.

Sliding Quinn stopped walking with a start at the sound of his name. he looked around and saw a small Honda Civic parked next to Quinn2's car. The face in it was eerily familiar, despite it's lack of color and thinness. It was Wade.

Quinn walked over to the car, and opened the driver door. Wade2 nearly tumbled into his arms.

"What are you doing here? Where's the Professor? What about the General?" she said in a weak whisper.

"First of all, I'm not your Quinn," said Sliding Quinn. And he began to explain about doubles and what had happened to her husband.

The labs were in chaos as people ran screaming down the hallway, trying to avoid the laser blasts that came from the ships above. But the blasts didn't concern the General. It was the creatures behind those blasts that were his main priority.

"Wing!" he cried out as a young asian man started to run past him.

"Uh...yes sir," replied Wing.

"I have new orders for you in light of the new attacks."

"New orders sir?" Wing said, swallowing hard.

"Get me some DNA from these ape creatures. We have to adapt Destruction to them."

"Sir Destruction is based on human DNA. We have no idea if it..."

The General cut him off. "Now Wing."

"Yes sir."

Sliding Quinn started as ha saw the all too familiar shape of a Manta ship come through.

"Oh no..." he whispered. The ship opened fire, and one of its first targets was the security booth to MalTuro labs. The beam of laser energy sent the kiosk into a flaming piece of rubble. Seeing that they would no longer have to answer security questions, Quinn1 picked up Wade2 and started towards the lab.

"I have to warn the others. Those are Kromagg ships," he said, thinking out loud.

"Kromagg?" whispered Wade2.

Quinn1 held her tighter. "A race of ape like creatures bent on taking over every world in the sliding universe."

She coughed. "Sounds like the General. Quinn, we have to get ahold of the antidote for Destruction. Otherwise the General will be free to invade worlds at random and destroy them. Who knows, he may even want to partnerup with these Kromaggs of yours."

"I doubt that will happen, the Kromaggs will never...but you're right we need the antidote."

So saying the two made it passed the rubble and entered MalTuro's main entrance.

Part 14

There was a red flash. The soldier guarding Arturo and Remmy was thrown into the room, his back smoking and charred. His rifle skittered across the floor and ended up at Remmy's feet. He moved to pick it up and then a Kromagg stormtrooper was at the doorway. It snarled and raised its pistol type weapon.

Remmy jerked his hand back but it wouldn't matter, the Kromaggs asked for no quarter and gave none, not even to unarmed combatants.

The Kromagg seemed about to fire, perhaps less than an ounce more pressure was needed on weapon's trigger before it fired ... and then its eyes widened. It shook its head noticeably and then lowered its weapon. One more snarl and them and it was gone.

"What was THAT all about?" Remmy wondered.

"Apparently it sense something in our minds it liked." Arturo said thoughtfully. "In any case, grab and weapon and let's get out of here! Our only goal now is to get off the premises and link up with the others. The Kromaggs will solve this problem for us."

Remmy picked up the rifle and peeked into the hallway. It seemed clear for the moment.

"I am reminded of something Winston Churchill said when he heard the Nazis had invaded the Soviet Union." Arturo added. "He said, 'I say we supply both sides with arms and provisions and let them kill each other!'"

Commander, I just encountered the four Sliders we've been ordered not to interfere with.

Commander Krang smirked in surprise, then sent back, then follow standing orders, you moron.

At once, sir. Resuming search for leaders.

Krang's squad had destroyed two packs of human attackers and was proceeding to the main lab. Being able to read their inferior minds not only made busting their amateurish ambushes simple, it make locating their control nexus and crucial areas easy. He and his Kromen already knew about Destruction and the military of this world's plans for multiversal conquest. Capturing those leaders and destroying that ability to travel to and wage war against other worlds was top priority.

His squad reached the main lab. There was a gunshot and the soldier next to Krang flew against the wall. Krang returned fire and cut down the sniper. He walked over to the wounded human. Interesting that he had not sense this man before the shot. It must have a very powerful mind. A harsh probe and he understood that lying before him, cradling a ruined right arm, was the very brains behind the invasion plans.

"They call you the General." Krang said disdainfully.

"Yes," the human's voice was painfilled but defiant.

Krang went to a nearby workstation, motioning to two soldiers to watch the General. He found what he was looking for and stuck the needle of a syringe into it. He filled the syringe completely, 6 times the normal dose such as what Wade2 had been given.

"I'm not going to fall for your lame threats." The General chided sarcastically.

Krang returned silently to the General, bent over, seized his head, and inserted the needle through the human's cheek, through his tongue, and into the bottom of his mouth. The General's hands beat uselessly against his stronger assailant and his eyes screamed as the Kromagg pressed the plunger and emptied the contents.

After the 'Magg leader released the General's head and pulled out the needle, The General fell against the floor. "Wh- why?"

Krang grinned, plucking something out the human's mind. "You annoyed me." He began to laugh, a hideous, cruel sound.

The General stared at the Kromagg leader until the mega dose of Destruction began to seize his body and his world faded to black as he lost consciousness.

Arturo2, Quinn2, and Wade were hiding in a supply closet. The Professor kept a watch at the door, waiting for the coast to be clear. Once a Kromagg stormtrooper had hesitated in front of their door (Arturo2 shrank back every time someone came near) and actually rattled the doorknob but then he suddenly left. The three couldn't know it but the soldier had sensed Wade's "mental mark" which indicated she was to be left unmolested until such time she and her friends led the Kromagg Dynasty back to her Earth.

A couple minutes later the hallway was finally empty of invaders as far as they could see in both directions. Arturo led them out just as a door from the parking lot opened.

Before the three could react, Quinn1 and Wade2 slipped through.

"Wade!" Quinn2 exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" It was a rhetorical question. He knew what she was doing here and he adored her for it. Looking at her at this moment ... she stood with exhaustion and pain written all over her face but her eyes still blazed with fight, her back was still straight. She was a woman, a person, who would NEVER give up no matter how dark the situation, no matter how dire the odds. To imagine she would go quietly home while he, her beloved husband, risked his life for her Quinn would have to be an utter fool. Some part of him had known she'd have to be bound and gagged before she'd allowed herself to be taken home and of course would never do it of her own volition. Quinn had never loved her more than he did this second.

Wade2 met his gaze and seemed to read his thoughts and feelings in his eyes the way only a soulmate can. So her only response was a wain smile and slight shrug. Quinn1 helped her reach Quinn2 and the two embraced warmly.

The door at the far hallway opened, scaring the original three hiders a second time in two minutes.

"What in the devil are all of you doing here!?" Arturo1 exclaimed, irritated. Remmy was on his heels.

"We need to find the antidote for Wade before it's too late." Quinn1 replied.

"We better hurry," Remmy observed, "for some reason the Maggs are pulling back. That can't be a good sign."

"Let me take you to the Main Lab." Arturo2 offered urgently. "I can show you where the antidote is." He seemed eager to start making up for his earlier complicity.

"Report." Krang ordered.

The captain indicated The General's body. "Before he went under I lifted the memory from his mind of him sending one of his men through a wormhole. The scientist took along some of his research files, a blood sample, and a laptop." He pointed to a Kromagg corpse huddled in one corner. "The blood came from one of our scouts."

"That ignoramus can't do anything on his own. It would take decades to get anywhere without the resources of this world." Krang snorted "No, our task is to eliminate this world as a threat. Recall your men. Call in a Melter and burn this entire hectare with this lab as the center point. Then we'll head for the capital of this hideous nation unit."

"As you command." They left the Main Lab together, calling for their Kromen to withdraw to their ships. The Melter would be in position to eradicate this entire city block within ten minutes.

Behind them, the General, dying but far from dead yet, stirred.

The sliders and Wade2, Arturo2 and Quinn2 headed down the hallway of MalTuro Labs. Chaos and destruction followed their every move. All around them was fire, people screaming in terror, and Kromagg manta ships.

Arturo2 led the way towards the main lab -- where the General's lab office was. He knew that all the information on Destruction was on the General's private PC.

They entered the lab, shocked to see the General lying on the floor next to his desk in an otherwise empty room. Unknown to them, the Kromaggs had exited the room to board their manta ships in order to destroy the lab five minutes before.

"What's with him?" Wade said, pointing at the General. He looked catatonic.

"Looks like he ran into the 'Maggs sweetheart," replied Remmy.

"We need his palm on the monitor to get into the encrypted files," said Arturo2.

"Not a problem sir," replied Arturo. He picked up the General by the arm and began to drag him over to the computer screen. The General's eyes fluttered and he muttered out some words.What he really meant to say was "Don't touch me. The amount of Destrction in me will infect you and make you eventually die." But what came out was "Touch me...die." Arturo ignored him as unknown to him spores from the virus Destruction made their way into his body. Spores that would only be discovered later, on a world where Quinn met his 11 year old double. Spores which on that world, held no cure.

The computer lit up as Arturo place the General's palm on the monitor. "Foolish babbling computers," said Arturo in disgust.

Quinn2 patted his wife on the shoulder and sat down in front of the terminal. He felt the first stirrings of hope. Quickly he brought up the files for Destruction. "Anatomy..." he murmured. "Blood samples..." He blinked as his eyes fell on the files he was looking for. "Yes! Antidote!"

He turned to the others expectantly. "The matierials for an antidote are in his safe," he said, nodding to the General. He stood up. "Do you know the combination Professor?"

Arturo2 nodded his head enthusiastically. At last he could make up for the wrongs he had done to the Mallorys. "Let me lead the way."

"Wait!" said Wade2, breathing heavily. "What about him?" She pointed at the General, who lay motionless on the floor.

Quinn2 growled. "He doesn't deserve our help, but if there's any antidote left we'll bring it back here."

The noise of the Kromagg invasion was getting louder. Screams and marching feet could be heard outside. "C'mon," said Quinn. "The Kromaggs aren't going to give us much time and..." he pulled out and looked at the timer, "we only have 3 minutes left in this world."

The Sliders and their doubles marched down the hallway to a large private office. Arturo2 ran into the room and removed a painting from behind a small desk. A safe gleamed in anticipation. Arturo2 ran to it and proceeded to open it. "72...49...26...7" he said, breathing heavily. The door swung open to reveal alchohol swabs, cotton balls, syringes and a tube filled with a strange yellowish liquid.

"This is it!" said Arturo2 triumphantly. He turned to Wade2. "Hold out your arm."

Wade2 complied weakly. Arturo2 wiped her arm with an alcohol swap then a cotton ball. He then injected a syringe full of the yellow liquid, and plunged it into her arm. "That'll do it," he said quickly.

Wade2's eyes fluttered. As the liquid entered her body she felt herself begin to feel stronger and stronger. Her breath came easier. She even felt able to stand on her own for the first time in months. "Oh Quinn," she cried out. "It's working!" Quinn2 quickly kissed his wife on the lips and laughed for joy.

"We have 2 minutes left," said Quinn. "The Kromaggs are going to overrun your world. I think you guys should come with us. You can start over in a new world."

Quinn2 looked at Wade2. She nodded. "I want to get as far away from those apes as soon as we can," she said. "We can start a new life on another world."

Arturo2 breathed heavily. "I'd like to leave too if you'll let me."

Quinn nodded.

Arturo grabbed the last of the antidote. "We have to check on the General." He headed back towards the labs, picking his way around bodies and fallen pieces of the once proud buildings.

The General was where they had left him. Arturo ran over to him and put a hand on his neck. Feeling nothing,, he shook his head.

"Too late," he said softly.

"Poetic justice," said Quinn2.

"It's time guys!" shouted Quinn. He jumped into the silver bluish circle that formed in the air as he pressed the timer. The others soon followed suit, leaving the rest of the world to the Kromaggs.

Epilouge

Wing stumbled to his feet as the vortex closed behind him. He grabbed at his backpack and laptop case, breathing easier when he realized he still had them. What now? What could he hope to do on his own?

"Welcome." A soft, cultured voice said behind him.

Wing twisted around, spying an older man standing with a firm looking woman and several thin men wearing glasses and disheveled suits. He recognized their look and would have bet anything they were scientists like him. "Yo-, you were expecting me?"

The man smiled kindly. "My name is Marc LeBeau, but I am better known as The Seer. And yes, I've been expecting you with great anticipation."

"Ho-."

The Seer's smile faded, his eyes hardened. "You have much to atone for, young man. You will do that by saving my world from an eminent invasion." He turned acknowledge and introduce his two nerdy companions.

For the first time in years, Wing felt the knot of guilt in his breast begin to relax the slightest bit.

The End