The Fourth Season Machine

• • •

by Dorky



Episode U-620: To Take The Pain Away



Logline: The group land on a world where gangs are all over. Remmy meets Malcolm's double and he must help him handle the death of his father. Then Maggie and Mallory soon realize they should be together.

Guest Stars: Wes Charles Jr. as Malcolm Eastman, Eugene Byrd as Demar, J. Karen Thomas as Mrs. Eastman, Roger R. Cross as John, and Avery Brooks as Father Joseph

Synopsis: The vortex opens outside a coffee shop, with the sliders knocking over a table, and each landing on top of the other. Luckily it was early in the morning, and no one was around. The sliders get up, and Mallory puts the table back in place. Wade states they slide in 37.5 hours. The group head to the Chandler down the street, with finding the area very poor looking, and realizing damage to buildings and spray paint on sidewalks with symbols unknown to the group, but looked like the chinese language. Remmy feels he could be back home, since parts of California already look like this in towns, but obviously knows he's on a parallel world, when the group see a billboard wanting people to vote on less education and more drugs dealers allowed in communities. After checking into the hotel, they head to the room, and relax. Maggie turns on the television, while sitting on the edge of the bed that Remmy was laying on. A news program appears, and a reporter talks of riots this past week due to an increase of gangs in the Los Angeles area. Mallory figures they should just stay in their room until the slide, since it would be safer. The others agree, but Remmy states that if a gang comes to raid this place, it could be disastrous.

Later that afternoon, a gang of kids arrive at the hotel, they head to the top level of the place and work down, so they start knocking on people's doors. When knocking on the sliders door, Remmy answers to be shocked that the boy who was standing in front of him was Malcolm Eastman, a kid to close to his heart. Remmy asks the boy what he wanted, so Malcolm pulls a gun out, telling him to give up his wallet, and the others to do the same. Remmy gave up his gold watch also, Mallory lost $20, Maggie lost her earrings and necklace, and Wade loses $100 and her beaded necklace. After the door closes, Wade was shocked of who it was, and wonders how he turned into a gang member. The group are glad the situation was over, but Remmy pulls his ATM card from his shoe, glad to still have that in hand. Maggie figures he joined as a popular demand, or he has family problems. Remmy reminds the group how he felt Malcolm was like a son in a sense to him, and would always want him or any double protected. Wade tells Remmy that he now reminds him of Quinn, when 3 years ago, they met Quinn's younger double, and Quinn couldn't let his double do the things he did.

Wade and Remmy head to the bar, to relax, while Maggie and Mallory remain in the room. Mallory feels they should talk about them, and if there was a possible future. Maggie feels that with losing her husband, and now a free woman, she would like it, if she could pursue a relationship, but she also feels that if this other Quinn would come back, by unmelding the 2, she could have a hard time. Mallory gets off the bed they was on, and tells Maggie that she is selfish, and wants her life the way she wants it. Mallory storms out of the room as Maggie tries to catch him in the hallway. Maggie stops him before walking down the stairs, and tells him that she has feelings for him, and is unsure if she can handle seeing her husband again, without having mixed feelings. Mallory tells Maggie that she should decide to love one person, and let go of the past. Mallory continues walking down the stairs, as Maggie returns to the room, to think about things.

Remmy tells Wade how he feels about the Malcolm he knew, and is unsure if he would ever return to him again. Wade tells him that the Malcolm of this world may have a world and family, but he could need help to change his way of life. Remmy feels that he plans to do exactly that. Wade finds Remmy crazy for going out into the streets with gangs everywhere, but is willing to help him. Mallory enters the bar, and Wade tells him to knock some sense into Remmy for trying to save a kid, referring that to the Malcolm he knew from an alternate earth. Mallory isn't paying attention, leading Wade to stop him from sitting at a booth, and asking what was wrong; Mallory states he has woman problems. Wade knew he and Maggie were getting close, and Wade tells him to give her a chance, since this Maggie was always use to see the Quinn she knew and no one else.

That evening, Wade and Remmy take a taxi to Malcolm's home, after finding an address in the phone book from the room. They arrive, but the driver refuses to stay around. Wade pays the man, then the 2 exit. Remmy heads up to a house that is small, and a window on each side of it. He walks up stairs, and rings the doorbell. A man answers the door, revealing he was a priest, but then a woman shows up at the door, asking who it was. Remmy asks if the woman knew where her son was at. The woman starts panicking, but Wade introduces her and Remmy, and states Malcolm stole a few things from hotel guests. The woman introduces herself as Mrs. Eastman, and asks how they knew Malcolm. Remmy states he saw Malcolm's name in his shirt, which lead to here. The 2 get invited in, and served tea. Mrs. Eastman states that after Malcolm's father was killed in a car crash, he started joining gangs and acting out. Remmy feels for Malcolm, talking about a good friend acted out, when a good friend died from a pyscho colonel. The priest introduces himself as Father Joseph, and was here, talking to Mrs. Eastman in finding help for Malcolm. Mrs. Eastman feels they should just move out into the countryside. Remmy agrees, feeling a city is no place for a young boy, who wants trouble every other second. Malcolm enters to be surprised with who was there, he asks him mom what was going on, and she explains that Remmy and Wade were there to get what they lost. Malcolm refuses, telling his mom, she's dumb, if she thinks that he will leave this place, sine his friends are the only thing keeping him alive, so he would rather be killed and taken out, then by force. Malcolm rushes out of the house, with Remmy going after him, but Malcolm is to quick to be caught.

During the following morning, Maggie and Wade are eating breakfast in the hotel restuarant, when Remmy and Mallory show up. They give their order to the waitress, and relax with getting coffee. Maggie asks Remmy why he and Wade got back so late, and Wade states they wanted to talk to Malcolm, possibly to help him change his life. Remmy still decides to go back out into the streets to find him. Wade agrees to go again, since Remmy shouldn't go by himself. Mallory and Maggie agree to go, but Remmy feels that if they got into danger, he wouldn't be able to handle their deaths. Remmy and Wade take another taxi around town, and Wade soon sees Malcolm enter a gas station, so the taxi stops, and lets the 2 out. Remmy thinks a good idea to catch Malcolm would be to hide from him, and go out to grab him when he exits. Wade agrees, but hopes Malcolm doesn't have a gun, so the 2 hide on a side of the store, near a garbage bin.

Back at the hotel, Maggie in the pool, having a drink, when Mallory arrives to see Maggie flirting with 5 guys at the side of it. Mallory approaches Maggie, telling her, he needed to speak with her privately. Maggie exits the pool, with drying herself off to walk to a bench, and sit down. Mallory tells Maggie that he feels that he should give her a chance, even with what happened earlier. Maggie apologizes for wanting to have her Quinn around again, but really wants a relationship to work between the 2. Mallory kisses Maggie, and then the 2 decide to leap into the pool, making a splash and getting some people wet.

Malcolm finally exits the store, and Remmy rushes out, and grabs a hold of him, with Malcolm struggling. Wade assists, by grabbing his legs. The 2 start carrying Malcolm down the sidewalk, when a car pulls up near them, and stops. A young African American exits, with pointing a gun at Remmy's back. He forces Remmy and Wade to drop Malcolm, or things may become bloody. Malcolm thanks the kid known as Demar, and he gets in the car. Remmy tells Demar that all he wanted to do, was to help Malcolm with changing his attitude. A van pulls up near the car, a black male exits it, and pulls a gun on the group. 3 more men exit, doing the same. Wade and Remmy are shoved into the van, along with Malcolm and Demar. Then with taking off, they soon arrive into an abandoned building, where the van enters through a garage opening. The van door opens, and the 4 are forced out. Wade is separated from the males, and is taken into another room. Remmy tries to stop them from taking her, but he is hit on the head with a gun, and goes unconscious.

A few minutes later, Remmy comes to, he finds that Malcolm and Demar were on opposite sides of him, sitting in chairs tied up; Remmy soon realizes he was in the same position. A black male enters, introducing himself as John, and he explains the reason why they were tied up, which was the fact, Malcolm had business to attend to, with him, and they just happened to be on the scene too, so everyone was taken. Remmy asks if Wade was okay, and John tells him that she was in another room, making tea. Remmy found it odd, but people do things when guns are in their faces. John pulls out the timer, asking Remmy what it was for. Remmy states that it was a device known as a remote control to watch cable. John slaps Remmy in the head, and tells him to state the truth, or he would recieve a bullet if he told another lie. Remmy tells John that it opens a portal that leads to alternate worlds, and that was the complete truth. John thinks it too scifi-ish, but then asks Remmy to show him how to open it up. Remmy tells him that it can't open for another 7 hours. John tells Malcolm and Demar that he would deal with them soon, then exits the room. Malcolm looks to Remmy, asking why he told bull crap to John, since he was the worst gangster in society. Remmy tells Malcolm it was the truth, and so Remmy explains to Malcolm about meeting a double of him, and that was why hey came after him in the first place, but Malcolm refused to believe the story.

After a few hours past, as the gang was sitting and smoking pot, and discussing plans in a closed off room, Remmy sits around, wondering if he would survive this place. Demar looks to Remmy, asking why he was so interested in changing Malcolm, since he likes his life here. Remmy states that he had a niece, who ended up joining a gang, and shortly after joining it, she was killed when fighting another gang for a car. Demar asks Remmy if he should just consider that Malcolm may enjoy his life in a gang. Remmy responds that Malcolm lost his father, and he may be doing this to be accepted as a cool person in society, so the hurt won't get to him, like when losing his father; it would be like putting oneself up for adoption.

A few seconds later, the door opens, to reveal Wade, who had a gun in her hand. Wade states she stole it, when one of the gangsters was sleeping, who was suppose to be watching her. Wade states she just escaped her chains, since her double use to be a thief and able to unlock locks. Malcolm soon awakens, asking to be untied. Remmy unties Malcolm, along with Demar. The 4 begin to exit the room, when suddenly, John arrives, putting a gun to Wade's head, then the garage door opens, with police officers in green uniforms yelling at everyone to get down, since this was a raid. John backs up with Wade into a nearby room. Remmy, Malcolm and Demar get down. The rest of the gang exit the room, firing their weapons, with the officers doing the same. John slaps Wade, telling her, his men wouldn't be down, if it wasn't for her. Wade apologizes, then John puts his gun to her head again, about to pull the trigger, when suddenly, a shot is heard, John's eyes widen, and he falls down, causing Wade to fall too, and him landing on her. Demar gets John off of Wade, and helps her up. Wade thanks Demar with a hug, then the 2 exit the room, to find 2 men of the gang being hauled away, and Remmy soon rushes to Wade, to hold her tight.

With time running down before the next slide was to take place, Remmy felt he needed to see Malcolm one last time, since he was taken by the police, and later let go into his mothers custody. Remmy heads to his house, he along with Malcolm head for a walk to a nearby park with coconut trees planted there. Remmy tells Malcolm that he was lucky that the gang didn't hurt him, or get them all killed. Malcolm apologizes to Remmy for him and Wade to get involved with his problems, and would want a punishment to make sure he learned his lesson. Remmy tells Malcolm that he is leaving in awhile, but feels that running from problems, won't get rid of them. Remmy tells him that even though he lost his father, there was someone else who still loves him, and wants the best for him. Malcolm agrees, and feels that maybe he may take the priest's offer to head to a camp this summer for troubled teens, and he would try to change his ways, even though this entire country is covered with gangs, and spreading around the world. Remmy agrees that it will be a start, and maybe one day, society will change for the better.

Maggie, Mallory and Wade show up to meet Remmy at the park. Malcolm thanks Remmy for the push, but he believes he may have problems changing his ways, or even getting out of a gang with Demar. Remmy hugs Malcolm, who resists it, and takes off. Malcolm is soon out of sight, when Maggie tells him it was time to go. Mallory tells Remmy that it was stupid to risk his life for a kid who may have lied this whole time to him, about changing. Remmy tells Mallory that if he was lying, he could start to believe in it, and start to change his attitude. Maggie opens the vortex, she is first in, followed by Mallory, then Wade, and just as Remmy leaps in, Malcolm shows back up, yelling to Remmy, and is shocked as the vortex closes, wondering who or what Rembrandt really was.

Executive Producer: Jerry O'Connell




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