The four walked to the side where there was no traffic and started a conversation:

"Well Q-Ball," Remmy said, "I think you really did adjust the Geographic Spectrum Stabilizer."

"Yeah, I think we're on the Golden Gate Bridge." Maggie added.

"Yes, back to a 2-mile radius and to our hometown, San Fransisco," said Quinn.

"Rembrandt?" Colin asked, "We are in San Fransisco, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, do you think they would call the Golden Gate Bridge the Ambassador Bridge?"

Rembrandt looked up to the lit up red letters. Sure enough, the words AMBASSADOR BRIDGE shone in the night sky. He looked at his surroundings. He recognized a few things. First he noticed that the Bay was not a bay at all, it was a river. And then he looked over to see the Renaissance Building in the skyline.

"Uh, Quinn, I don't think we're in San Fransisco or even in California..."

Quinn, staring at the timer spoke "What do ya mean, cryin' man?"

"I mean that we're not in the Bay Area, we're in Detroit"

"Detroit, c'mon that's impos-" His words were cut short when he also noticed his surroundings. "Guys, I think we should head to Canada"

"CANADA?!" The other three said in unison.

"Yeah, the hotel rates are cheaper, we've got 8 hours on this world. Plus a friend of mine from there says that Tim Horton's has the best coffee around, let's go."

They walked toward the customs office. The lady at the booth looked at them suspiciously and finally asked, "Citizenship?"

Quinn answered "American. All of us are American."

The customs officer gave them another funny look and then said "One moment, please." She then called someone up on the phone and then two other officers met her. She stepped out of the booth and started talking with them and pointing at the Sliders.

"Guys, I think we should leave now!" Maggie demanded.

So, the four friends ran as fast as they could as the officers followed them in their cars and on foot. They hid in an old cemetary nearby and when the coast was clear, walked on the riverside.

"Wow." Colin said "Canada. We always say we're from here. It's cool to actually visit."

"Yeah, well don't get too attatched, we really have to find a way to get back to California," Quinn replied.

"Yes brother. Rembrandt, you've been to the Detroit area before, what is all this stuff?"

"Well," Rembrandt said, "this right here is Windsor Ontario, across the river you can see a few things like the Renaissance Tower, they got a nice revolving restaurant there, and over there is Joe Louis Arena, home to Detroit's Hockey team the Red Wings. They have been Stanley Cupless since 1955 and I don't think they'll win another anytime soon."

"Well, I could go for a good cup of coffee," Maggie stated. "There's a Tim Horton's up ahead."

About an hour or two later, they were all sitting at a table in the coffee shop.

"Ummm, this is the best coffee I've had! Same with the donuts," declared the lone female Slider.

"Can we leave now Quinn?" Colin asked.

"Hang on, wait 'till I try to fix this thing," the scientist said, bent over the timer.

Another 3 hours passed and finally Quinn declared "Done! Hopefully that worked. With any luck, we'll be back in SF next slide."

"Speaking of which, that occurs in just an hour, c'mon we'll go to the Riverside Park and slide from there."

They walked through the city of Windsor passing a slough of fat food places including yet another Tim Horton's, McDonald's, Burger King, Harvey's, Pizza Pizza and Pizza Hut. Finally, the foursome stopped at the University of Windsor.

"I think it's time to run again folks," Rembrandt said, as he saw the customs officials coming for them. They ran all across the U of W campus and to Riverside Park.

"Dead end," Maggie said. "How much time Quinn?"

"Too much." He showed her the timer which read 00:02:59.

Within a few seconds, the officials showed up, guns in hand. "Don't move or I'll have to blow your head off," one of them said.

"Gee, I've heard that one before," Quinn said under his breath.

"We have you now you smugglers" another said.

Quinn changed his worried look to a big grin on his face. He then pulled the timer out "This thing has enough power to destroy the city. Put the guns down or I detonate it right now!"

The officers reluctantly obeyed lowering their guns slowly to the ground.

"Now back away 10 steps!"

They did.

Then Quinn activated the device. Blue streaks "shot" out of the timer and opened a vortex right in front of them all.

"SLIDE!"

The group slid and the vortex closed behind them. The officials stood around and stared where the portal opened...

A twist and a turn later the sliders were spit out of the vortex again. "TARNATION!" Colin exclaimed. "That was a truly awesome experience!"

"Um, Q-Ball, did we make it back to California?" Remmy asked.

Quinn started, "Yeah I think we ar-" but he was cut short again as the four of them gaped at the object in front of them...

Quinn explained to Colin about the statue and its background while Maggie and Rembrandt sat on a bench. "I hope you have connections around here Remmy. The timer says we're here for 3 and a half days." Rembrandt replied "I haven't been in New York in 10 years. I've got a buddy. His name's Frankie Brooks. A big time producer back home. If he exist on this world we probably have a chance at finding a place to stay for the next couple of days." "Great," Maggie said, "If we have time I'd love to see the broadway show 'Dogs'." Rembrant looked at her odd. "I heard it's great. It's the longest running musical on Broadway." "Yeah, I bet it has to be with a title like that." Remmy chuckled.

Quinn and Colin met up with the others while the ferry docked. "So the statue was given to America by the French, and the date on your world was July 4, 1776?" "That's right bro. Different earths, different histories." Quinn replied. The four headed for a taxi and Remmy explained his plan for the following days. On the way down Broadway Colin caught a glimpse of a giant billboard. "Sir, stop the car please." Colin asked. "What is it," asked Remmy, "The bright lights gettin' to ya?" As they exited the cab they all looked up to see a play that would have never existed on any other world. It was called "Sliders", starring Quinn Mallory of the TV hit "The Andy Griffith Show: The Next Generation." Along with his name was his producer's, Frankie Brooks.

"Well, if I don't exist here, it looks like Quinn can be our meal ticket." Remmy said with a big grin. The four headed inside the theatre to check out the performance.

This reminded him of a time when he had to make a speech at his kindergarten graduation. He nearly wet his pants - as a matter of fact, he did. One of the things in his life that he hates when his mother brings it up.

"Mallory!" said the voice of a stage hand. "Get in position. It's almost time to begin." Quinn was about to run out of the exit door but before he could, his hand was taken by one Wade Welles.

"Come on Quinn!" yelled Wade tugging him into the middle of the stage.

Luckily the curtain was still closed. But he was fixated on the Wade double, that his stage fright was forgotten.

"Wade!" said Quinn, hugging her so tightly in his arms. He wanted to say everything he felt about her. He wanted her to know how much he missed her. But that was impossible. For she was only a double. Another copy of his Wade.

"What the hell's wrong with you?!" said Wade pushing Quinn away. "You know when we broke up, it was because I had no more feelings for men!"

Quinn's face drew blank with disbelief. "Uhh..Umm, I'm sorry Wade. I just wanted a...uhhh...hug?"

"Well hug this," said Wade punching him in the stomach "Ok!" said Quinn waving his hand at her and gripping his stomach.

He then remembered he was on stage. With no clue what to do or say.

"Wade, could you just go over a one minute summary of this production?"

"Funny Quinn," said Wade with a sarcastic expression. "Its a different show every damn week. This is a two parter. Colin and Maggie get split from the Professor in a double wormhole."

"Maggie and Colin are in this?!" said Quinn in surprise.

"Stop being such a wise ass, Quinn" said Wade glaring at him. "WE are Colin and Maggie"

"...Oh" said Quinn in more shock. "But, I haven't learned most of my lines--"

"What lines? This is a damned improv Broadway production!"

Quinn's eye suddenly lit up. He had an idea. When he is on stage, he will make a story similar to the situation they are in now. And he might get an answer from the 3 other sliders while improving. But, he was reminded of that kindergarten speech all over again when the curtain started to open in front of a packed crowd...

Wade and Quinn jumped through a crepe paper pseudo-vortex while the orchestra below played noises that might sound like air being pushed into a vacuum, inside an atmosphere. Quinn had to laugh at the folly of his life experiences being made into an improv show.

"What's so damn funny?" Wade asked.

"Well, uh... Maggie," Quinn stammered, "It's just that we only have two hours here on this world. It seems like we never get a chance to sit down and relax."

Suddenly the "vortex" was yanked up into the rafters. Wade turned around. "Hey," she said, "where's the Professor?"

As if on cue, another vortex shot down from the rafters and the Professor shot through, rolling onto the stage and sitting up. "I swear," he bellowed, "this landing never gets any easier."

The audience applauded.

Even though they were only separated by fifteen feet, the Professor pretended not to hear them or see them, denoting a much greater distance.

"Damn sliding," he muttered. "You'd think the boy invented Windows 98, with how many bugs it has."

The audience cheered.

Two hours later...

Quinn sped into his dressing room, buffing the sweat from his brow and looking at the timer prop. It had turned itself off after hitting two hours. The night had been successful. He and Wade and the Professor had reunited quite successfully in time for the slide. Interesting, he thought, that Rembrandt was not a part of the story. On this world he must have taken 101 or 280 to get to Candlestick instead of side streets.

A knock came on the door. Quinn opened it and welcomed Arturo into the room. Well, not Arturo. John Rhys-Davies.

"Well, my boy, another bang up performance," Rhys-Davies said as he sipped a bottle of water. "I've never seen you so into the part, nor so clingly to Miss Welles. Especially since she started dating that other young woman."

"Let's just say I have a certain affinity for the part," Quinn said.

"Of course you do, my boy," Rhys-Davies said with a whisper. "After all, you are a Slider."

"What?" Quinn asked.

"Never mind my reasoning, Mr. Mallory," Rhys-Davies said. "You have the ability to leave this world, and I hope to be on that train ride once it leaves the proverbial station."

"How do you know about sliding?" Quinn asked.

"Because I'm not from this world," Rhys-Davies said. "I've been stranded here for 3 years when your nefarious double left and I've been looking for a way home for a while. Will you help me?"

Quinn gulped.

Quinn was having his makeup put on when Remmy, Maggie and Colin walked in. Maggie couldn't suppress a snicker at the sight before her eyes.

Quinn glared at her. "Maybe you didn't know this, Maggie, but it's common practice for stage actors to wear makeup. Otherwise the lighting turns their faces a pretty hideous colour."

"You mean the way you look now, or just mildly hideous?" Maggie smirked and folded her arms.

"You resemble a pumpkin," confirmed Colin.

"Let's just say I got pretty thoroughly chewed out by our Mr. Brooks after my first performance. Something about replacing me with a stand-up cardboard cutout if I ever forgot my makeup again..."

The Professor's double stuck his head in the door. "Is everything in place for the slide?"

Quinn nodded. "You bet. It's our last show tonight so let's make it good."

Remmy chuckled. "You know, I can remember a time when we never ran into the Professor or Wade's doubles at all. Now it seems they're waiting for us on every world we go to."

Maggie turned serious. "That's the other thing - where is the next slide going to take us?"

Quinn removed the Egyptian timer from his pocket. "I don't know. Could be anywhere from New Jersey to Florida. Maybe not even the States. I think the geographic spectrum stabilizer's on its last legs."

Remmy put down the program for tonight's improv show he'd been leafing though. "Maybe we should just stay on this world. We've got a steady income at least..."

Colin looked up. "Do you think you could get me a role in this show, brother? My acting ability may not be the greatest, but I am a decent person once you get to know me." He grinned.

Quinn shook his head. "That would be nepotism. I'm sure the producers would never allow it."

Maggie interrupted them with a wave of her hand. "Excuse me, but how can you people even think about staying? Don't you remember our mission - finding a way to defeat the Kromaggs! Our journey isn't about "exploring strange new worlds", it's about Kromaggs! Kromaggs!!"

Quinn slapped the timer back in his pocket. "She's right," he said, but it brought a grimace to his face. "We have to keep sliding. But I'll save this world's co-ordinates in the timer anyway." He walked out of the makeup room, ready for the show.

***

After a while, Quinn had actually started to enjoy the three-times-a-week improv game. It was easy to get the audience on his side, though he had to watch for the Professor stealing the show with his comical tirades. Tonight's episode involved Colin, Maggie and Arturo on a world where Mexico absorbed the southern states and San Fransisco was renamed San Zapata.

"Why you intellectual mendicant!" the Professor was thundering at some petty official who had offended him. "Do you think perhaps I am not familiar with the history of this world -I mean, ah, of *the* world?"

The audience roared. They were lapping it up.

***

"It's getting awfully close guys," said Remmy. They were watching from offstage right, next to a technical director who was organizing the evening's special effects. "Three minutes and change."

Colin was anxious. "There's no way they're going to be done by then!"

Remmy grinned. "Guess we'll have to slide onstage!"

Maggie fixed him with a piercing look. "You wanted to do that all along, didn't you?"

***

One person in the audience was not laughing: Quinn's double.

He was here for one reason...

"Uh, Q-Ball, I'm afraid you're going to have to come with us," Remmy stammered out.

"What? What are you talking about?" Quinn asked.

"Yeah. What's going on?" Wade playing Maggie or "Waggie" as Quinn was starting to call her.

"We're, uh, your birth parents, Quinn," Maggie said, pulling Rembrandt next to her. "From another dimension. We're sliders."

"My birth parents? My birth parents were..."

"And I am your brother." Colin threw in.

"Now come on, uh, 'son', let's get out of this world before these theatre goers look any more astonished." Maggie activated the vortex and jumped through.

"Oh, yeah and you're coming with us, too," Rembrandt said pushing "Arturo", John Rhys-Davies into the vortex. Colin followed, then Quinn, then finally Rembrandt, who didn't leave before taking a bow.

"You can't do this!" protested Wade/Maggie. "You're stealing our entire show!"

"Thanks. I always wanted to do that."

***

As Rembrandt went through the wormhole it closed behind him. An astonished Wade was left behind, staring at the place that the vortex had occupied. She was then even more stunned when another Quinn jumped out of the audience.

"Maggie!" he cried out. "That guy, he was an imposter. They're all sliding villains, working for the Kneanderians that eat human ears!"

"We've got to slide out of here, now!" he yelled, still pretending it was all part of the show. He then pulled a timer out of his pocket and pointed it several feet above the heads of the audience. The vortex formed a slightly reddish-orange color. "You coming?" he asked.

As Wade got over her wonderment, she gradually headed towards Quinn. "What's this all about?" she whispered when she was close enough to him.

"Just jump through the vortex and I'll explain later."

***

Our heroes had a relatively soft landing. Of course, it was into a pile of mud.

"Mr. Mallory! Can't you plan our landings a little better than that?"

"I've got to get that geographic spectrum stabilizer functioning." said Quinn. "Where are we now?"

"West Virginia???" Maggie said in dismay, looking at a Welcome to Wild, Wonderful West Virginia sign. "Great! Now we've got to fend off the cast of 'Deliverance'."

"Come on, Maggie. It cannot be as bad as you say," said Colin.

"Says Amish boy." Maggie retorted.

"I thought that my nickname was farmboy."

Maggie gave Colin a look. "There's a gas station up ahead. Why don't you go and ask them for a map, Maggie?" Quinn asked.

"You love doing this, don't you?" Maggie asked.

"You know it," Quinn replied, earning him a punch in the arm. "Hey, we've got to find out about this world some way, don't we?"

"I hate it when you're right." Maggie huffily walked toward the gas station.

"Excuse me, Cletus," Maggie said in her best hick accent. "where do y'all keep your maps?"

The man at the counter immediately started laughing. He then whispered something to the customer ahead of her in line. To Maggie, it sounded like, "must be a lowlander."

"Look, I'm not a lowlander, whatever that is. Just give me the map and I'll be on my way."

As he handed her the map and she handed him the money. "We don't normally take U.S. dollars here. But in your case we'll make an exception." Maggie was surprised not only that this wasn't part of the U.S., but also because the man had no accent to speak of. He handed her the map and she exited the store. As soon as she left, she exclaimed, "Appalachian Empire?!?"

"A day and change," Quinn replied.

"Well, I suggest we find some suitable lodgings in the nearest town." Arturo said.

"Charleston's the nearest city." Maggie said. "We should be able to find a hotel there. It's the capital of the Appalachian Empire.

"This is weird. The states are shaped so differently here." Maggie continued. "They're actually called 'territories' on this earth, but they bear the same names as the states - Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Carolina (on Maggie's earth there was no North or South; it was just Carolina. The same is true on this earth), Even Ohio and part of Pennsylvania!"

"Fascinating," Colin commented. "Let's get a ride."

The Sliders called a cab from the gas station and rode into town. It was a tight squeeze, but they all got in. Within minutes they were gazing at the gold-plated dome of the Capitol building.

Downtown Charleston looked more like a major city here, with skyscrapers and hotels everywhere. The Sliders got out on Main Street and got a suite at the Ramada Inn. Remmy and Maggie got some food from The Arcadia, a diner next door, while Arturo, Quinn, and Colin stayed in the suite with hopes of repairing the GSS.

"I think I can fix this thing, but it won't be easy." Quinn said as he stared at the partially disassembled timer on the table. "The wiring is nearly bald. I think some of them have crossed and short-circuited."

"Well, we don't have time to replace it all," Arturo said. "Just patch it up temporarily until we slide out of here."

"What I wouldn't give for some duct tape right now," Quinn said. At that, Colin whipped out a roll of ducttape from his jacket pocket.

"Here, brother, I have some." he said. "It's indispensible!"

Remmy and Maggie entered as Quinn began to cover the wires with the tape, one by one.

"Here's the food, guys." Maggie said.

Remmy added, "They didn't take Visa, so I had to whip out my good old American Express. They don't take American money but they take American Express. Go figure!"

Several hours later, Quinn was almost done. He just had to insert a small fuse and he would be done.

"Okay, guys, I think it's fixed." Quinn said. "At least temporarily. We'll have to wait until we have more time so I can replace the wiring."

"Splendid, Mr. Mallory," Arturo said.

"How much time until we slide, brother?" Colin asked.

"About 13 hours," Quinn said. "Let's get some sleep."

"Amen," Rembrandt said. "I feel like I haven't slept in days."

Our Sliders slept the rest of the night. They awoke with a few hours to slide, so they each showered and grabbed some breakfast before finding a very remote alley from which to slide.

As the vortex opened, Quinn looked at the other Sliders and said, "Cross your fingers, guys."

One by one, the Sliders leaped into the vortex, Quinn being the last. As each of them exited, they got the same dumbfounded expression on their faces. Before them was not San Francisco as they had hoped, but New York City once again.

In Maggie's hand the timer sparked before going dead. "More than just a little wrong," she mumbled. She looked up at the others. "The display was reading 26 hours before it went out."

Quinn was about to grab the timer out of Maggie's hands when he himself was grabbed by a woman who had been walking past.

"My God, you really are Quinn Mallory!" She cried, looking at him closely. She turned to the others. "And you're John Rhys-Davies! And you're the people who played his parents and brother in the last show! That last show was superb! I am such a fan. I never miss a show. Can you tell me how you did that last one. Especially how after you went through the vortex you appeared in the audience in time to slide with Maggie. That was awesome!"

The Sliders gave each other worried glances before Quinn answered, "Sorry, trade secret."

"Oh. I understand." She looked downcast. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Can I have all your autographs? I'll be the envy of all my friends."

Quinn couldn't see a problem with that. "Sure, why not."

"Make them out to Christine," she said eagerly.

"Uh, can you remind me when the next performance is?" asked Quinn tentatively as he handed back the pad.

"Tonight of course," she replied. surprised that he had to ask. The actors were usually kept on tight leashes.

"Just checking. Could you do a big favour for me?"

"Anything."

"Don't tell anyone we're here." The other sliders nodded in agreement.

Christine winked. "No problem," she said, "I know what you're up to." She giggled like a schoolgirl and then ran off.

The five sliders gave each other confused looks. "What are we up to?" asked Colin.

Quinn shrugged. "No idea. It's established one thing, though. We're back on this world again. I must have crossed a wire or something. We also now know that a double of mine slid with Wade after we did."

Rhys-Davies had been silent since the slide, but now he spoke with some amount of bitterness. "I would have thought that a genius like you could have managed the simple task of taking us to a different world."

Quinn felt he had to retort. "Hey, we all make mistakes!"

Rhys-Davies was about to say something more scathing, but they were interrupted (again), this time by a group of menacing men.

"Well, well, well," drawled the leader. "You'd've thought that after that stunt they pulled on stage they wouldn't show their faces around here again."

He moved in front of Quinn and looked him straight in the eye, smiling an evil smile. Quinn gulped. "So you thought you could get out of the show, huh? You know that's not allowed. We're here to take you and Mr. Rhys-Davies back. You were allowed a small amount of freedom and you abused it. Now you'll under constand surveillance."

Quinn didn't quite understand what was going on so he decided to keep quiet.

"Where's Miss Welles?" demanded the menacing man.

"I don't know," stammered Quinn in reply.

"Well, I guess you and Mr. Rhys-Davies will have to carry tonight's show by yourselves then. We'll have you rescue Maggie when Miss Welles is located."

With that, they dragged Quinn and John Rhys-Davies towards a black, expensive-looking car.

"Wait a second. Rembrandt couldn't resist. "Shouldn't you take us as well? For the sake of continuity." He didn't want to be seperated from Quinn with the timer in the state it was, plus he wanted to get back on stage.

The leader turned round. "Sod continuity. We'll just make up that you died or were captured or something when you exited the vortex. The hazards of sliding. We can't just give a part to anyone who walks on stage."

He slammed the car door and they drove off, Quinn and Rhys-Davies in the back, leaving Maggie, Rembrandt and Colin standing.

"Great. Just great(!)" Maggie was not happy. She handed the timer to Colin. "Can you do anything with this?" she asked hopefully.

"I don't have the skills of my brother," replied Colin, "But I can try."

Rembrandt and Maggie like Colin well enough, but they didn't have much faith in him when it came him fixing the timer on his own before the slide. The three of them walked off to find a hotel to stay in.

* * *

In the alley where the sliders had landed, another vortex, a red one, opened and deposited two people on the ground.

"Looks like the tracking works then." Quinn's double had seen three of the sliders in front of the alley when he exited, although now they were gone. He stood up and brushed himself off.

"This looks like my world to me," observed Wade's double as they walked out the alley together. "Look, there's the advert for my show!"

Quinn's double swore under his breath. "Not again! I was trying to get away from here!"

Wade looked at him quizzically. "Would you mind telling me what this is all about now?"

"Quinn's double thought for a moment. "I suppose I'd better. It's really very simple..."

"Amazing!" he exclaimed. "Using these coin-operated telescopes for entertainment. I would never have thought of such a thing." He moved the telescope in the direction of Maggie, who was cold and not as ecstatic as her thoughtless companion.

"Oh yes" she agreed. "It would be amazing and it should be entertaining if I wasn't so friggin cold!" She sighed and walked to the fence protecting people from falling over. On impulse, she looked up at the lighted spire above them.

"Colin" she said curiously. "What do you suppose those red lights up there mean ? An air raid ?"

He looked up from his tescope and peered at the subject. "I do not know." He looked at Maggie and smiled. "Perhaps they are a beacon to symbolize a special occasion."

"Hm" said Maggie. Under her breath, she said "I was hoping for an air raid."

========

Rembrandt took the timer from the dresser where Colin had been working on it and flipped it in the air before looking at it.

"Hmph, farmboy must have some modern brains after all." The timer was counting back from 10:00. "Well, hope Quinn comes through..." The door burst open and Quinn stumbled in, panting. He didn't look very well.

"Hey Rembrandt." he said before collapsing on the sofa. Rembrandt stared for a second. "Man, have you been stoned or something ?"

"Just acting." he said between breaths. "Where are Colin and Maggie ? The timer ?"

Rembrandt held it up so he could read the time. "I recommended the Empire State. That's just a few blocks away. We can...." Rembrandt hesistated before he said the last word. "Walk?" Quinn groaned.

========

Pseudo-Quinn watched as Maggie and Colin exited through the lobby. Maggie looked tired but Colin was as perky as ever.

"It is too bad we have to walk. I would buy us a ride..." he said checking his pockets. "But I am afraid I have run out of money."

Maggie rolled her eyes. They had taken every ride on the way down since Colin swore he had the timer memorized. She patted him on the shoulder, not too lightly. "Colin, remind me to never let you handle our budget."

A cab suddenly swerved through the traffic and parked right in front of Maggie and Colin. On the sidewalk. Lengthwise. Colin looked confused. "I thought cars travelled on the street."

Wade looked at the two of them and opened the front door. "Get in! Hurry!"

Colin looked at Maggie. "I am sorry. We do not have any..."

Maggie pushed him inside and she sat in the back holding her head. Wade locked the doors and backed off the sidewalk.

"What's this all about ?" said Maggie from the back.

Wade focused the mirror on her namesake. "Quinn's in trouble. Big trouble."

========

Quinn and Rembrandt walked the street, each one thinking. Rembrandt especially.

"You know, it wouldn't be so bad if we kept sliding here every other world. At least it would be something to look forward to."

Quinn looked at him as if he were crazy. "Rembrandt, I was just half-killed. Because I was late !"

"Well, yeah except for that."

Quinn stared at him. Rembrandt smiled and patted him on the back. "I'm kidding."

Suddenly he turned around. "Ssh" he said, his finger to his lips. "You hear something ?"

Quinn frowned and looked the other way. Rembrandt hesistated, then walked down a side alley.

"Remmy?" said Quinn. Rembrandt beckoned to him. There was an argument going on in the alley.

"But I don't want to!"

A voice very familiar to them came up next. "Listen you little snot. I'm going to count to 5. In that time, you will..." It was pseudo-Quinn. Rembrandt Brown stepped into the alley.

"What the heck's going on here ?!"

Pseudo-Quinn suddenly whipped out a gun and fired it directly at the young boy he was talking with. He didn't even cry out as he fell. "No!" cried Quinn. But it was too late. Pseudo-quinn smiled at Rembrandt and ran down the alley turning a corner. "Hey !" said Rembrandt, giving chase. Quinn ran over to the unconscious little boy, and a chill ran down his spine. It was Malcolm.

========

Rembrandt turned the corner and stopped, every hair standing straight up. Logan had a gun pointed right at his chest. Pseudo-Quinn ran to her and stopped. "Hey honey," she said to pseudo. Pseudo grabbed the timer from the still frozen Rembrandt and checked the time. Logan turned off the Kromagg implant and stared curiously at Rembrandt. "Do you think he knows what's going on ?"

Pseudo laughed. "Soon, he will." He looked at Rembrandt. "Watch your world torn apart." The vortex activated, its miasma animating the dark alleyway. None of them moved towards the vortex. It closed with a zip and pseudo threw the timer to Remmy's feet.

Rembrandt looked at them with anger. "What's going on here?" he said slowly.

Quinn and (surprise) the professor turned the corner and stopped at the sight. The professor located the timer with his eyes.

"Mr. Mallory, I do believe we are in a spot of trouble." Logan and pseudo laughed as they looked up. Hundreds of blood red vortexes were opening and closing, Kromagg Manta ships pouring into the peaceful actor-conscious world.

Pseudo then pointed the gun at the professor, whose eyes widened. "Goodbye, friend." Rembrandt's anger broke.

========

Wade, Maggie and Colin raced through the night. Maggie looked back. "It's gaining on us."

Wade accelerated past the "Sliders" logo. Two seconds later twin laser beams from a Manta blasted trough the vortex and group shot. It flew past as their smiling faces succumbed to the flames.

"Where are we going ?" asked Colin anxiously.

"To save your friends." replied Wade, flooring it. The rear lights never came on.

"The car is on fire!" yelled Maggie at Wade.

"Doesn't matter, we won't need it for long!" said Wade. she nearly tipped the car taking a sharp turn into an alley.

----------

----------

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said the Professor to pseudo-Quinn.

"And why is that old man?" he sneered.

"Well.." the Professor never finished. The car came up quickly behind and slammed into Quinn. Logan jumped and rolled away towards the wall.

The pseudo-Quinn slowly slid off the windshield of the car leaving his imprint in the glass. Maggie jumped out and ran behind the car. Colin exited the vehicle in swiftness. "Come on we have to hurry!"

The real Quinn picked up the boy, and got in the car.

Remmy ran to Logan, and grabbed her by the hair. Picking her up by it, he yelled in her face."I don't hit girls but I'll make an expection!"

Remmy who had been filled with rage. summoned it all in one punch. Logan of course flew back and passed out. Remmy grabbed the timer, as the Professor got in the car. Remmy too ran to the car and got in. While this was going on Maggie had put out the fire that had in engulfed the trunk and hood to reveal many semi-automatic weapons.

"Yeah, this is what I want!" Maggie took a couple and began to fire at the Kromagg craft;which was also firing at them.

Wade put the pedal to the metal as Maggie passed out weapons.

"What do we need these for?"asked Colin.

"Just shut up, and when I say shoot do it!" yelled Maggie.

"Uh oh!" Wade turned pale. "We have a problem."

Up ahead Kromaggs were on foot raiding and looting and killing everything in their path, which included a roadblock which was just finishing setting up.

Maggie leaned out of the car after crawling all over (a suddenly very happy) professor. She began shooting at them. Colin leaned out of the other side and he began shooting too.

"How much time?" yelled Quinn.

"Any second now. 10...9..8..7," Remmy counted.

Wade sped, and Maggie and Colin cleared the roadblock. Many Kromaggs fired back. "Ohhh, my arm!' said Colin. "It's burning!"

Quinn looked up,"You've been hit. Forget it and keep shooting!"

Quinn cradled the boy who had now become concsious.

Clearing the roadblock and a mass of Kromagg fighters, Remmy yelled "3..2..1", pointed and the vortex appeared. Wade drove right into it.

* * *

The friends were surrounding a table. They were enjoying a good supper on this world free from Kromaggs and Logan.

Wade was reading a book. "And so, on this world Hawaii is to Great Britain on our world. They rule Japan, Califonia, Oregon, Washington, the Philippines, Madagascar, Eastern Africa, Alaska, and parts of Siberia. They all have different names here, but I can't pronounce many of them (or rather spell them)."

"Well this is a good break as any. Malcolm will be okay in a day or two, and by then we will be ready to slide."

"Awww," Colin and Maggie said together, they were sharing a banana split and a giant margarita. They were having LOTS of fun.

"Well we need to move on. The professor has decided to stay here, and we need to find a place for Malcolm."

"All's well that ends well," said Remmy.

"I'll drink to that," said Wade.