HK

Wade Mallory looked over at her sister in law who still stood at the window of their room at Motel 12. The five sliders had been without much of a choice due to their dwindling finances. The boys had gone out in search of money. "They'll be back soon and we know he's been on this world. The quantum scanner and the tunnel tracker from Prototronics confirmed it." Wade moved to the window and hugged her sister-in-law gently.

"I worry about him Wade. It's not like he went with Logan willingly." Maggie Mallory lifted the locket that hung on a silver chain around her neck. On one side of the oval was a small picture of Maggie and her husband Quinn; the other side held a picture of Wade and her husband Colin. A tear splashed onto Maggie's fingers. "I miss him so much."

At that moment the boys returned with groceries and grins. Rembrandt quickly ditched his bag of food on the tiny table and folded Maggie into his arms. Somehow he's become her surrogate father. While Rembrandt comforted Maggie, Max Arturo put the nonperishable food and bottles of water into each of the five packs. Colin kissed his wife gently and descreetly before helping her to prepare their final meal on this world. "When do we slide?" Colin soflty asked Max.

"One hour people," Max rumbled to everyone. Maggie wiped her tears and kissed Rembrandt's cheek. "Thanks Dad," she smiled tremulously at Rembrandt.

***

Logan St. Clare yanked on the chain that kept her connected to the wall. "Dammit," she shouted, "let me out of here. Do you have any idea who I am?" All she was wanted was to get home. Home to the parents that had fostered her and her brother out when a war devestated their world. She was sure Quinn was the right brother, but this world had cast that in doubt.

***

The two Quinn Mallory's faced each other. They looked more like fraternal twins rather than doubles. One was built more like a kicker and the other a quarterback. "So, our mother's were different? Then you might be her real brother. I left my wife, my friends, and I might be the wrong man?"

"I don't know. I'll help you free her, but I'm not more her brother than you are."

<skips ending skit....SL4ever as per contract would be included>

And with that, BritSlider began to write...........

-------------------------------------------------

Wade sat eating her last meal on this world before the slide to the next. She wasn't really hungry, but she made a show of eating something at least. Who knew what kind of food the next world would bring? Her appetite was never at it's best when Quinn was in trouble, but she tried her best to keep that from Colin. She still felt jealous when she thought of Maggie lying in bed with 'her' Quinn, but Colin was enough like his brother to be a suitable alternative. He would be devastated if he ever found out that Wade only married him because of her desperate fear of spending the rest of her life alone and unwanted.

Maggie couldn't eat at all; she was sick to her stomach at the thought of Quinn not making it back for the slide. She had already decided that she wouldn't slide without him, no matter what the others said to try and persuade her otherwise. Gone was the 'hard-as-nails' Marine Captain that was once Maggie Beckett, now as Maggie Mallory she had undergone a transition that astounded even her.

Remmy and Arturo made no pretence of their worry for Quinn. Standing in the kitchenette of the Motel room they kept their voices at a whisper so as not to disturb the others.

"Do you think we should go after him?" Asked Remmy.

"Mr Brown, I am sure that Quinn Mallory can look after himself; he has proved himself a little useful on our journeys so far." Replied Arturo. "And as to how Ms St.Claire got involved in all this, well, the less said the better. I think that it would be unwise to go after them and risk not making the slide ourselves. Better to stay here and trust that the boy will make it back in time."

-------------------------------------------

Quinn began to worry that he wasn't going to make it back to the motel in time for the slide. Less than an hour to go now, and he still had to try and get Logan out of her little 'entanglement'. Whilst he appreciated the offer from his double on this world to help him, he still wondered if there wasn't some kind of angle being played here. This Quinn seemed to know far more than he was letting on, but not enough to warrant outright suspicion.

"Let's go then," he said. "We don't have much time if we are going to get her out of there and make it back in time for the slide. No offence, but I don't want to get stuck on this world for twenty-nine years!"

The two Quinns left, headed in the direction they knew Logan to be in. They would have to formulate some kind of rescue plan on the way. Chances were they would have to do most of it on the fly.

------------------------------------------

Logan was less than happy with her situation. Chained to the wall she had a tiny bit of movement, but not nearly enough to wrap her hands around the neck of the person standing in front of her. She never imagined that the search for her real parents and brother would have led her to this.

The man standing in front of her merely sneered. "I know perfectly well who you are Logan, and your reasons for being here too. The more relevant question would be; how much is your freedom worth to you?"

Logan wasn't exactly sure what he meant by that, but she was suddenly struck by the notion that she really didn't want to find out!

----------------------------------------------

BritSlider lay the pen down on the manuscript. Carefully taking the torch with him so that it didn't feel too left out of the proceedings, he made his way back into the communal area of the Story Cave. Most of the writers were asleep, aware that the storm wasn't going anywhere for quite some time; and making the most of what little rest they could find.

Brit: SouthernSlider, I've finished my part, now it's your go.

SS: Thanks Brit, I hope you haven't left me anything nasty to cope with?

Brit: Of course not! I tried for a little character development, and left it open for you to decide who had Logan all chained up. Besides, you have the weekend to think about it, I didn't even know we were starting a new game until we were all called into the cave!

SS: Okay, I'd better see what I can do with this story.

BritSlider gave her the torch, and walked over to the bar. ThomasMalthus was seeing to his regular bar tending duties, and poured BritSlider a cold one when he saw him approach.

TM: You look like you could do with one of these?

Brit: Sure could old chap. Cheers!

And with that, BritSlider began to drink...................

SS: All right, already. I'm gettin', I'm gettin'. <mumbles under her breath once more, but this time it's unprintable.> She sighs and picks up the pen.....

-----------------------------

Logan jerked at her chains when the evil-looking man sneered her way. But it was all for naught. He had her plastered to the wall and there was no way she was going anywhere until he wanted her to.

"You've got a lot of nerve, doing this, you know. I have people looking for me right now." she lied.

"Oh, I'm sure you do, Miss St. Clair. But there is only one person I'm interested in having find you. If you are successful in luring him my way, then you can have your precious freedom." said the man.

"And who would that be? And how do I know I can trust you? You don't look like the type to keep your word." she said.

"I guess that is a chance you'll just have to take. There's not much you can do about it." He laughed that horrible laugh and turned to leave the room.

Logan spat his way, but he was too far away for it to reach its target.

***

"Are you ready?" said Quinn1.

"Whenever you are. But just remember, when we set her free, I am out of here. I want nothing else to do with her." said Quinn2.

"Me and you both. I've already dealt with her more than I wanted to."

"So why keep it up? Why not just let the guy have her?" said Quinn2.

"No one, not even Logan St. Clair, deserves that fate. You've obviously never had a run-in with him. I have. More than once. I managed to come out on the winning side both times, but I'm not sure how much longer my luck will hold. Let's just hope today's not the day it runs out." said Quinn1. "Let's go."

They both stormed the building, twisting one way and then the other, looking for obstacles in their path. Their footsteps rang out in the hollowness of the halls. The stone walls were cold and damp. A shiver went up Quinn1's spine. Would he ever see his beloved Maggie again?

***

Colin returned from the kitchen, plates in hand, setting one at his place and the other next to him. He looked to the girls and sighed. Maggie poked and prodded her food with the fork, but never made much of an effort to get any of it to her mouth. Wade just pushed her plate back after a couple of bites.

"He'll be here." he said to Wade more than Maggie and covered her small hand with his. Colin knew the agony Wade was going through. She tried so hard to hide her feelings for his brother, but Colin knew they were still there. If he could just make her see how much he loved her.

Wade jumped up from the table and ran out of the room. Colin started to let her go, but he couldn't. Not this time. This time she had to understand some things.
-------------------------

SS: Oh, I think that's quite enough. I'll just let Robin take care of telling everyone who has Logan chained to the wall. Heh, heh, heh. She's young and hasn't had her brain sucked out by band camp yet.

HK: Hey, that looks pretty decent for a brain-dead, old woman.

HK laughs and runs away from the writing desk.

SS: What do you mean, old woman. Brit is the only one who can get away with calling me old. And that's only when he uses 'old girl'. It doesn't mean the same. And there's nowhere for you to hide HK. The storm is still raging outside, but it's nothing compared to the one in here when I catch you.

HK: Somebody hide me, quick. She's on the warpath.

TM: Hey, you and your mouth got you into this, you'll have to get your own self out.

SL: Offer her some pizza, HK. Food will fix anything.

SS: Just remember, HK, 'old age and trechery will overcome youth and skill' any day of the week.

SS runs in and out of the sleeping bags scattered on the cave floor. As she passes Robin, she throws her the pen, and heads toward the bar where HK thinks he is hiding in safety.

SS: It's your go, girl. Do me proud while I take care of something. And don't take too long. I've got to get out of this cave by Sept. 2. GOOOOOO DAWGS! It's that time of year again.

SS sneaks up behind the crouching figure of HK as he looks the other way.
---------------------------

SS

<Robin shakes her head and goes back to writing.>

The two Quinns were now close enough to see Logan chained to the wall. The man who held her captive was nowhere in sight. *If only one of us knew how to pick locks,* Quinn1 thought. He looked up, and to his surprise, Quinn2 was already working on Logan's chains with a wire or something. He shook his head in amazement. His double was quick. That might be something he should watch out for, just in case his double turned out to be something other that what he seemed. Just then, he heard footsteps coming their way. Before he had a chance to find someplace to hide, or could even shout a warning to Quinn2, Logan's captor was upon them.
"Well, well, well," Quinn2 heard a voice from behind, "if it isn't the mice in our little game of cat and mouse. I see you've found the cheese."

Robin: Okay, that's it. I'm done.

Slider_Paul <reading>: But... but... you didn't say who the man is!

Robin <innocently>: Oops. Guess you'll have to do that. Where's that pizza?

Sarah: SL4 is hoarding it... you'll have to fight him for some.

Robin: Hmmm... hey, SS? Can you help me with something?

<Tigs, Blinker, and Brit start placing their bets for round two.>

~Robin
"So many things in your life
That you're bound to regret
Why didn't I do this?
Why didn't I do that?"

SS ran t

"Bennish?" Quinn 2 said.

Standing in a doorway was Bennish, wearing some kind of uniform and some VERY dark sunglasses. The dark figure turned to Quinn1.

"Nice to see you again, Mr. Mallory." Bennish said with a cold expression. "As you may know we still have some matters to settle."

"Wait wait wait." Quinn2 interupted. "Bennish? The campus pothead, Bennish? The blunted genius, Bennish?"

"Ah," Bennish said, turning to Quinn2. "I see you met my unfavorable doubles. Let me assure you, I am not like those halfwits."

"OK, you got who you want." Logan said. "Now let me go."

"I guess, it isn't that simple." Bennish said. "I just realized that I need all three of you."

"For What?" Quinn1 asked.

Bennish quickly puls out a tranquilizer gun and shot both Quinns.

"You'll see." Bennish muttered.

-------------

HK: Done.

HK walks over to the bar, while Tigs read what he wrote.

Tigs: THATS IT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

HK: Uh, yeah... but at least I revealed who the villain was.

<Tigs reaches for her claws>

HK <surprised>: Now wait, it's not that bad...

"HK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

HK looks to see SS walking from the bathroom.

SS: While I was powdering my nose, I realized that Charlie couldn't possibly made it through that storm. <Whips out her fan> You know the penalty for lying, don't you?

HK: Eeeek! <runs like hell as both posters chasing behind him.> Blinker, your turn in the story dude. <hides inside a sleeping bag>

Slider Paul:Ok-Ok Here goes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Quinn 1 Awoke to find himself straped into a large chair, as his eyes graduly came into
focus he noticed the other Quinn and Logan also straped to chairs. The room was mainly white
and featurless apart from a coulpe of large computers and machines with 100's of wires
running between each chair.

"Pssst" Quinn whispered, trying to wake the other 2.

Graduly they both came round, "Where are we?" Quinn 2 asked, still a bit dazed from the
stun gun.

Logan groaned, "You ok" asked Quinn 1.
"My head hurts"
"it will wear off soon, where are we"
"I dont know but I dont want to hang around long enough to
find out"
Gritting is teeth he strained and pulled trying to free himself but it was no use
they were all straped firmly in.

A voice came from the other side of the room as a familar face came into view.

It was Bennish.

"Its no use strugling, theres no escape"

"Lets us go u maniac"Quinn 1 blasted.

"All in good time, but first you all have something I want"

Bennish walked over to one of the larger computers and stared pressing buttons.

"What do you want with us"Quinn 2 asked, still trying to free himself.

"Its whats inside thoes heads of yours. Thats I want"

He pressed a few more buttons "And now im going to get it.

Suddenly all three chairs stared vibrating with power and they were all pined back hard into
the chair as if some magnetic graviy was pulling them in.

Then on each chair 2 thin long metal poles on each side of their heads stared moving closer and
closer to there temples, suddenly what appeared to be blue electricity flashed out, striking the heads
causing them all great deal of pain.

"Its some kind of mind experiment, must - fight. - it!"Quinn 1 stutered.

Monitors around the room started flashing with pictures and data.

Bennish, casuly removed is dark shades and laughed, an evil laugh.

"Excellent,...Most Excellent"

One by one they all fell unconcoince and all was dark once again........

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Slider_Paul: Well thats my lot for today, sorry guys gotta dash, ive got a date!

Then before anyone else could speak Slider Paul ran out the cave.

SS: That bloke is always in such a hury

HK: oh well over to you blinker

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Colin opened the door quietly. "Wade?" he whispered.
His wife lay sprawled across the bed. She lifted her head slightly, and whispered, "Quinn?" Her voice was hopeful, and it pierced him to the bone. She turned her head to look at him, then let it fall back to the bed when she saw who it was.
"No, Wade." Colin's voice was hard and insisting. "No, Wade, it's not Quinn. No, Wade, it's me. Your *husband*. I'm sorry if that disappoints you." Colin found himself growing angry and bitter.
Wade got up, and turned, sitting on the bed to face Colin. Her face was full of dismay, and Colin knew he had hurt her feelings, but, at this moment, he cared very little. It hurt him every time he caught her watching his brother, every time she winced when Maggie and Quinn kissed, every time Quinn was gone, and she ran to her room crying, while Maggie at least stayed in the open.
So he cared very little about what he said next. "So why did you even marry me? Why not just commit suicide the night Quinn proposed to Maggie? Of course, you knew before then. Why didn't you just *stay* at the Kromagg camp?! Maybe you would've been happier with them than with me!"
She opened her, in protest, but Colin ignored her. She had hurt him too much. "In fact, why are you here now? Why don't you just stay on some world and rot!"
He saw tears start, and Colin knew he had gone too far. "Wade, I'm sorry. I was just upset." He moved to her, to wrap his arms around her, but she moved away.
She looked at him, with tears streaming down her face. "So it's true! I've always loved Quinn, and I probably always will! What do you care? You obviously don't care that much for me! Or else you wouldn't have said any of it!"
He looked at her, and his face hardened again. "Oh, Wade, did that *hurt*?"
She shuddered at Colin's sarcasm.
"Well, picture this, if you will. You marry Quinn, I marry Maggie. How would you like it if every time Maggie and I kissed, Quinn winced in almost physical pain? if you saw Quinn watching Maggie instead of you? if Quinn was unhappy everytime Maggie was gone? *This* is what I've had to live with, Wade! I just can't help it if I seem a little upset. I apologize, Wade, if this upsets you, if this *hurts*, but, Wade, I've been hurting every day of two years. Two years!"
Wade looked into Colin's face, and softened, just a little. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
Colin could see she meant it. And more. He could see she was softening. Maybe they still had a chance. He would take it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

misswells threw down her pen. "I just didn't want to write about the Quinn double/ Logan/ stuff, cuz it confused me, so, someone else'll have to do it."
She sighed. "I'm done."
"Well, I'm too lazy to check the list, so, who's next?"

* * * misswells

All: "Uh oh." SL4ever: "Death to Jake Busey!"

***

Wade went outside to get some air. Colin wisely remained behind, wanting to give his reluctant wife some time to herself. Pacing around the room nervously and brooding about the state of his marriage, he picked up a framed photograph. The image showed Colin and Wade on their wedding day. Suddenly Colin's mind had a shudder. He couldn't remember the date of their wedding. He couldn't remember anything much about his life with Wade at all. What was going on?

**

Professor Maximilian Arturo stepped out of the shower humming the number one pop hit on this world, "Hit Me With Your Ever-Lasting Love, Baby Girl" by 15 Minitz iz Farr2Long.

"And I just want you to know that I am the one you have been searching forrr", Arturo belted out, unknowingly violating the spirit, if not the letter, of the Geneva conventions. Suddenly, the middle-aged physics professor was startled enough to stop his catewauling. Blood was dripping on the floor. Gasping, the Professor saw a gaping maw of blood, almost as though he had been shot. Desperately turning towards the medicine cabinet to see if he could treat his wounds, Professor Arturo glanced in the mirror... and saw nothing there.

"What in blazes just happened to me?" queried the Professor.

*

Conrad Bennish, Jr. looked over the two Quinns and Logan St. Claire as they awoke.

"I knew I shouldn't have tried force first," Bennish mumbled.

"What?" Quinn1 asked groggily.

Bennish looked sheepish. "Forget it. OK, what I have to say is not going to be easy. The reason you came here, the reason I performed these experiments, even the storm in the story cave, it's all related."

"What? Story cave?" Quinn2 queried confusedly.

Bennish sighed heavily. "Look, let's just say that there's a world where the reality of the 'Sliders' universe is shaped and there's a cave there where a bunch of fanatics dictate how your lives are going to turn out. Sort of like the Fates, only they like to write fanfic."

Both Quinns and Logan glanced around at each other. "Even if what you're saying is true, what does it have to do with us being here?"

"Logan St. Claire found that world," Bennish explained. "She went in while the story gamers were out getting the world's largest pizza and warped your reality. Now the story gamers are trapped continuing your sham of a lives in this faux reality either until you realize the truth or the fabled SL4ever can write you out of this predicament."

"So we're on our own, huh?" Quinn2 asked bitterly.

"Pretty much," countered Bennish. Then continuing, more seriously, "Quinn, think. Colin and Wade aren't married. Neither are you and Maggie. As much as you hate to think about it, you couldn't save the Professor or Wade."

"No," exclaimed Logan. "It's a lie, a trick! Don't listen to him!"

"Why did you even come to save Logan in the first place? Do you remember?" Bennish asked pleadingly.

"Logan's been sliding with us for a long time," Quinn2 said defensively. "We picked her up on...wait, no we didn't. Why am I not remembering things today?"

"It's because they never happened," Bennish replied enthusiastically. Suddenly, the ceiling was ripped open and blue eminating light filled the hole it made. And what came next would astonish them all.

******

OK, that's it. I've got to get to class. It's all yours, SL.

ThomasMalthus

Torch <voice of Sabrina Lloyd> : Will you get on with it?????

*******

"I'm sorry." Wade whispered.

Colin sighed and set the picture down. "How do I even respond to that? What am I supposed to say? 'I forgive you?'"

"I don't know, Colin."

"I sure as hell don't know then."

Her silence was cutting, almost accusatory. But when she spoke her voice was numb, like a person resigned to the worst. "Do you want a divorce?"

The word shocked them both. It was the first time it had been spoken aloud between them. Both had thought it, but as long as it was safe inside their heads it really could never happen. Now she had let it loose. Released it and it could never be safely tucked away again. Colin found his anger had vanished like a coward whose bluff has been called. Fine, he thought to himself bitterly, leave me here holding the bag after you got me in this mess. "No." He answered earnestly. "I don't. But I don't want to remain married to you unless you are committed to me ... ME. You have to be committed to me, and you have to prove it to me."

"How do I prove that?"

"When Quinn gets back and we all Slide, you and I will stay behind on the first suitable world we find. If you're committed to me, you'll do it. If not, you won't. And if you're not committed to me, it is better to get out of a marriage now before we waste any more time with each other and wind up ruining any chance of our friendship surviving."

Wade agreed without reservation, and they embraced tentatively.

Colin pulled away and smiled down at her for a second ... then recoiled in horror.

"What is it? What's wrong?" She cried.

Colin was speechless. For a second, she'd looked different to him. Her face washed of color, her lips ruined and useless, her eyes unseeing, and below her neck ... there had been nothing.

"Colin?" Wade implored.

He backed away, hands shaking, voice frozen. He tore his gaze from her, forcing himself to look elsewhere. Unfortunately, he looked over at the open closet door. His eyes caught full length mirror. And his reflection.

But there was more than one of him. There was an infinity of Colins in the mirror, all stretching behind the closest one as if he'd turned his back to it and held up a second mirror and looked into it. But in this case there was no second mirror. Then, as he watched, all the Colins started to collapse in on themselves...

****

Maggie found Arturo ashen and trembling in a seat next to the bathroom. "What's wrong, Professor?"

He talked laboriously, his hands clenching with the effort to form sensible words. "Someplace ... no ... something is ... wrong with meeee."

Maggie felt a thrill of fear shoot down her back. "Professor, can you hear me? What's going on? What are your symptoms?"

He screamed suddenly and pitched forward. Maggie stared at him in horror as blood began to seep from under him and pool around him. There was so much blood ... it was as if he'd be shot or something.

Maggie ripped a table cloth off the small table nearby and folding it into a compress. Then she knelt to roll the obviously wounded man over. Before she could touch him ...

... he was gone. Vanished into thin air.

She would have sat there all night, staring at the empty place on the now clean wood floor except that Wade suddenly screamed bloody murder.

****

Someone emerged from the blue vortex which had ripped open the ceiling. The person landed easily in a military roll, jumped to his feet, and produced a weapon all in one motion. Before two more people emerged from the vortex the first had gotten his bearings, selected Bennish as a target, and shot their captor. Screaming, Bennish collapsed and died writhing.

Quinn barely had time to acknowledge the waste of this quick killing and didn't begin to hope these rescuers would release him from his captivity in time for the Slide before he realized that the three figures were not likely to free him or his companions any time soon.

They were Kromaggs.

****

Remmy was already there, but was standing in utter shock and blocking the door. Maggie, feeling sluggish herself, finally managed to elbow him enough to let her through the doorway. The only person in the room was Colin. He was standing at the closet mirror, staring blankly at his own image.

"Colin?" She queried doubtfully.

It was Remmy who responded though. "She was just standing there, screaming. And then her body disappeared. And for a minute it was just her head floating there five feet off the ground. And then it just ... disappeared. Wade's gone."

Maggie turned to him, a sudden horrible feeling overcoming her. "Remmy? Remmy, I ... I don't think I ... she was ever here."

His eyes widened. "Shut up!"

"I ... I never ... she hasn't been with for a long time ..."

Remmy grabbed her shoulders, his fingers digging in painfully. "I said shut the hell up!"

"I never knew the Professor. I saw him once or twice but never really-."

"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHU-."

There was a blinding flash across the room, followed by a loud explosion. They both turned, not nearly as shocked this time to discover Colin was gone.

"We're next," Remmy said hopefully.

Maggie turned back and met Remmy's eyes stubbornly. "We're not going to disappear because we're still alive."

"I know." His was resigned. Defeated.

Maggie was about to reply when their world began to melt.

****

The lead Magg inspected them direly. He leered at Logan and licked his ragged, gapped teeth openly. The two Quinns received less invasive once-overs. Then he turned his back on them and headed for the door. "Release the dead one's play things. His days of experimenting on the hapless are over."

The two underlings cut this manacles with precise shots. Without hesitation the three rushed towards the door. They almost reached it when the leader spoke again. "On second thought, let's hunt them down like stags and dine on them."

He'd been toying with them. The three former captives broke into a run. Quinn's double was more stiff, or perhaps had not taken care of himself as well as Quinn, because he lagged behind as they raced down the corridor. They heard him scream as he was picked off. They were unarmed so it would have been foolish for them to stop. Neither of them felt foolish, and they made it to the corner and around before their pursuers could hit them.

Quinn signaled all the elevators and then led her to the stairs. He heard an elevator arrive before the door closed behind Logan and hoped it would depart before the Maggs rounded the corner. Logan tried to take the down stairs but he grabbed her arm. "No!" He hissed. He lead her up a flight of stairs and then motioned for her to sit down and shut up. They sat huddled together, gasping for breath, as the door below them crashed open and two pairs of footsteps raced down the stairs.

They sat there for another half hour but no one came back up. Finally Logan made as if to rise. Quinn didn't move. "Come on! You're going to miss the Slide!"

"There is no Slide." Quinn snapped.

"What are you babbling about? That crap Bennish was talking about? Come ON Quinn! You have to get going!"

"None of this is real." He stated firmly. "The Maggs don't use blue vortexes, theirs are red. They might toy with us like that, but we ran down a long corridor. How could they avoid hitting you and I? What are the odds of hitting only one out of three? None of this is real. I'm trapped in Better Than Life or some kind of virtual program. Or maybe I'm just curled up against the wall in an insane asylum somewhere. But all I know is NONE OF THIS IS REAL! You're not real. You're a figment of my imagination, so tork off."

Logan fumbled with something in her waistband. "You're too smart for your own good, you know that? This happening every third or fourth time is really getting tedious!"

"Maybe if you were a better actor I could be fooled more consistently." He dug.

"Shut up," she said and shot him.

****

Quinn opened his eyes. Maggie was sitting up, stretching. She glanced over at him and smiled gently. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead!"

There was a sock against his face. What on Earths had they been doing last night which resulted in a sock being next to the pillow? In any case, it made for a handy weapon so he tossed it at her face. She recoiled, then giggled and started tickling him.

Wade was drying off from her shower next door and heard the giggle. Her mouth twisted, but she fought to submerge the expression and the feelings that caused it as Colin stepped out of the shower. He displayed his back. "I think you missed a spot."

Wade snapped her wet towel two inches from his bare butt. "Don't make me use this!"

Arturo and Remmy were in the lobby, watching the morning news and playing Tonk. The Professor glanced at his watch. "Those four are going to make us miss the Slide!"

"Cool it Professor, we have plenty of time. Come on, it's your turn."

Arturo dropped a card. "I've had more years learning and teaching in college than most of the people in this lobby have been alive! My intellect exceeds all but one fraction of one percent of the world, and I can't figure out this blasted game! Who invented this abomination? Did you make up the rules as you went along?"

Remmy cackled. "Of course not! I thought you'd like a challenge. Are you gonna tell me that the great and wonderful Professor Arturo can't figure something out?" He made as if to rise. "I'm going to tell the channel 6 news!"

"Sit down you mendicant! I didn't say I was quitting!" The other man growled.

*****

"Jesus God Almighty! Where is the >:-#-ing clean up crew? Get these bodies out of here!"

Two orderlies arrived through the blasted open door with two body bags. They stretched Bennish's bullet infested body completely out and placed the bag over him. A third orderly, an attractive black woman, came in with a mop, bucket, and several damp cloths. She began cleaning up the blood. After Bennish was zipped up, the orderlies went over to the body of the man who had been monitoring things in this room. He had been Bennish's hostage and had been cut down without regard along with his captor.

The female orderly wiped the blood off Mallory's face with gentle regard. She straightened his hair and smiled when he responded a little. Then she glanced at the others in the room and quickly went back to her cleaning. No one paid attention to whether she punched any buttons on panel above his head while she wiped the blood from it.

"Mr. Peckinballs, the press is assembled outside."

The officious man straightened his tie and ran his fingers through what remained of his hair. "Let's go." He and his entourage left. The two male orderlies placed the bodies on gurneys and rolled them out of the room. That left the female orderly, the replacement monitor at his station, and the guard at the door. The female orderly wiped Maggie's bed frame and then wiped the panel above her head. If she punched any of the buttons, the monitor attendant didn't notice. The orderly moved to Remmy's bed...

Downstairs a hundred strong press corps was bombarding Peckinballs with questions. "Was the madman acting alone?" "Are the three Sliders safe?" "Did Conrad Bennish reach any of them and tell them anything?" "When will the broadcast of their Dreamlife resume? The advertisers are furious!"

Peckinballs raised his hands magnanimously. "Please, please. There is no reason for concern about any of those issues. None of the Sliders were hurt. The broadcast will resume once we're sure that they've bought this month's plot. Which they undoubtedly will. We here at Story Cave Enterprises pride ourselves in the realism of our adventures. They are indistinguishable from reality. You know our motto, 'are you really looking at this ad or are you dreaming that you're look at this ad?' Ha ha ha."

"Bennish mailed a video to our station, Mr. Peckinballs. In it he said that your company is no better than slavers and that you are a morally evil person, as is anyone who watches your program."

Peckinballs glared at the questioner. "Hey, 80 million people can't be evil. 75 million, when they're watching Survivor, maybe, but not 80 million! Ha ha ha. Seriously, if Mr. Bennish had wanted to make a change he should have lobbied Congress to make Sliders legaly defined human beings. Until they are recognized as human beings with the associative rights, any one can do anything they like to Sliders. If Sliders don't like it, they can stay the >:-# off our world. That's how I feel about it."

An aide rushed up and tried to whisper in Peckinballs' ear. "Not now, cretin! ... Now, I've assembled the writing team for you to ask them for hints about the upcoming story we have planned for the Sliders. Would you all come this way?"

The aide tugged on his boss's suit sleeve. "But sir!"

"Whatever it is, IT CAN WAIT." He turned away and started leading the press to the main conference room.

The aide mentally shrugged. He'd tried to quietly tell Peckinballs so he could spin it to the press, but if he wanted to be like this ... "The Sliders are gone, sir! They've escaped!"

He twisted around like a viper. "What?!?"

"Someone shot the monitor and the guard, opened a vortex and wheeled Maggie, Rembrandt, and Mallory through it!"

Clenching his fists, Peckinbals raised his head and screamed to the heavens, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

The end.

****

HK: Um...

misswells: Hmm...

Slider_Sarah: Er...

Britslider: Well... <to the bartender> Make that a double please.

Robin: I don't care that it sucks, does this mean the storm is over? It doesn't sound like it is!

Tigs: I can't believe what happened to what I started.

Slider_Paul: I have a question. Ha, ha. Just one? Not hardly. Anyway, you didn't explain everything TM had Bennish say. What about the bits about the "fanatics" and "SL4ever" ?

SL4: Hey, I did what I could. Perhaps the writing team is nicknamed "the fanatics" and the head writer is someone named "SL4ever." Shall I take another day or two the revise it and fill in all the holes?

<loud thundercrack. Sound of rain coming down even harder.>

SP: Um, never mind.

TM: I had you set up beautifully! You >:-#-ed it up royally!

SL4: All we had left were corn dogs. And I'd rather eat living camel than eat a corn dog. We had to finish and finish now.

SL4 <walking to the cave entrance> : STORM? STORM! We're done! <offers pages of Story.>

Storm <voice of Halle Berry> : Let me see that. <wind rips the sheets out of his hand>

Storm <after a couple minutes> : This is a trite, horrid, obviously rushed ending. You have the new football season starting in an hour, don't you? You just want the story to be over so you can go watch your stupid little American game.

SL4: Guilty as charged. Sniff. Okay, I'll go write it again. >:-# football. Sniff.

Storm: HEY! Did I say it wasn't acceptable? Do you think I have nothing better to do than keep you hacks trapped in a cave for an entire month? Do I look like some kind of loser storm? I am a Perfect Storm, buddy. I HAVE a life! I have a date with a hurricane tomorrow! ARE YOU CALLING ME A LOSER STORM WHO HAS NOTHING BETTER TO DO??????!!!!!! I CAN MAKE THE TWISTER LOOK LIKE A GULLY BREEZE, YOU CLOTHING STUFFER!!!

SL4 <glancing nervously at the wind circling him> : Um, no. Not at all! You are a wonderful storm with quite a life! If our story pleases you then by all means, carry on.

Storm: OH, SO YOU'RE ORDERING ME TO LEAVE NOW, EH? Do I look like a storm that can be ordered around by the likes of YOU? I'LL LEAVE WHEN I'M DAMN WELL READY TO LEAVE, YOU - <beeping sound> Oh, sorry, that's me. Yes? Ken! Hi darling! You made back it from terrorizing Cuba early? Excellent! No, I wasn't doing anything important. I'll be right there sweetie.

<the sun shines as the storm disappears>

Other writers: YEAH!! Let's go!

<Stampede as everyone runs for their cars.>

Robin: Last one to the tennis court is a rotten sprinkle!

Slider_Sarah: Sliderchicks here I come!

BritSlider: You call that >:-# FOOTBALL? ROTFLMMFAOUIPO!!!!!

misswells: Woo Hoo! I'm outta here! Where's my SUV?

HK <standing at the entrance with SL4> : Forget anyone?

SL4: Oh >:-#!! SouthernSlider is still in the MST Cave! And it's now 9-3! I fell asleep while writing! She's gonna kill me!

<runs back through cave and arrives at the MST theater room>

<Five Soviet Koloshnikov rifles are aimed at Remmy's head. He slinks down in his seat.>

Remmy: "Y'all need exact change, is that it?"

SS: Is that your final answer?

SL4: Um, the story is over. And, I couldn't finish it in time. I'm sorry! Please don't kill me!

SS <rising>: You're lucky the DAWGS won anyway. Here's your seat back.

TBH: Do you really have to go? You killed!

SS: Awww, it's easy.

SL4: Gee, thanks guys. Really, from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate how much I was missed.

HTWD: Oh, quit whining and take your smegging seat!