• • •

"we better get out of sight, we vortex out in 7 minutes."

"can't a guy have any fun?"

"no Doug, sliding is like a job, you need to control it, if you want to complete this journey."

"ok ladies, I have to go." the women moan of his departure, but 3 women kiss him, one last time.

Michael finds Michelle, Wade and Joe exiting the restrooms, "we have to meet the others, we slide soon."

"how has the PDL been working out?"

"actually its quite helpful. With what I've learned so far, I've been able to locate my home coordinates, with the access of the PDL, scanning me for my quantum signature of my world."

"cool, so if that can work, we should be able to find the others, and this journey could end quicker than I expected."

"don't be so sure, we have other problems to handle first."

"like the 'maggs, right Mr. Mallory?"

"right Michelle" she turns around to see Jacob being the one, responding to her question, along with the others reaching them.

"its aobut time you showed."

"we had to get lover boy out of the bar."

"did you tell them dad?"

"I told these 3, but I think its your turn."

"fine. Guys, we're going home, we've been able to locate our world, through the quantum signature scanner in the PDL."

"great, now if you can get a virus, I'll return and I can kick 'magg butt." Doug comments.

Jacob activates the vortex, "ok, just remember, watch your surrounding, in case the kromaggs are near." Quinn says. Michael is first in, followed by the others.

Inside the portal, the blue surroundings turn black, then they exit onto a platform, and see military officers standing around. The large portal closes, a female major enters their path.

"I'm Major Jackson, welcome home Dr. Mallory.

"How do you know us?" Wade asks the officer

"I'm sorry, I should explain more. 2 months ago, I took on this project to locate 4 individuals that disappeared through an interdimensional portal. We locked onto this wormhole trail hoping it was the 4 of our missing travelers."

"thats right, so how about we ask a question. Where are we?"

"Area 51, that unknown source to explore alien existance, or odd happenings in the universe."

"what happened to the kromaggs?" Doug asks

"well shortly after Dr. Mallory, Ms. Welles, Mr. Arturo and Mr. Brown went missing, me and a group of soldiers located a virus to kill them. Now we found who we were looking for, except Mr. Brown, along with the others."

"we have some good news, we were able to locate Mr. Brown's original earth." Michael states.

"what is that machine we came through, anyway?"

"Its known as a stargate, Dr. Mallory should remember something that he began working on."

"I remember that plans for the stargate, just before we kicked the 'maggs out the first time."

A male doctor interrupts, "I'm Dr. Sisko, if you follow me, I need to check you all for any signs of problems to occur, like sickness, since you weren't here for the kromagg end. I can catch you up to date on things, and we'll meet with Jackson afterward." the group agrees, following the doctor through a doorway, with armed soldiers standing guard.

Jacob is first to go, to be checked out, as the others remain outside the door, waiting to be next, "this means if your home, we might have an opportunity to get our friends back."

"I wonder why we landed here, instead of outside. I mean if the kromaggs are dead, why would we need to be here?"

From a camera's angle, officers are watching the sliders talk, when Major Jackson enters, "Hurley, how are they doing?"

"right on track, if these people believe they have a chance to kill a caveman creature, than let tehm fantasize. But while Dr. Mallory's double is here, he can complete his double's work, and let us take what we want from different worlds."

"But how are we going to make them believe this is Kromagg Prime, is the problem. I only heard about it when that man landed here a couple of weeks ago, and left suddenly, before we could kill him for his sliding device." Jackson states.

By mid-day, the sliders are given quarters, to rest up. When in Michael's room, he gets a knock at the door, and surprisingly its Liz Mallory

"Oh my god, your alive!"

"of coarse I am, I'm so relieved to see you. I thought the kromaggs killed you."

"why would you think that."

"I thought you were captured, and forced into a prison."

"no, me and the others escaped. I forgot to mention, do you know your son, Quinn?" they both look to Quinn sitting on his bed, staring back at them, "no, I can't believe your alive too. After so long, you've come back to me."

Quinn goes and hugs his mother, "I'm shocked to have a family again."

"we have plenty of time to chat later, I just got in, so I have to unpack, then we can talk about our future."

"why don't you stay with us in here."

"well... um.... the bed space is limited, I don't want to knock you off." Michael and Liz laugh, then she exits telling she'll meet up with them later.

"theres something odd about her, she seems suspicious."

"what do you mean shes your mother."

"no she isn't. I mean what I don't get is, why are we staying here, can't we go back to the house or a hotel, why this place."

"probably to make sure we didn't catch an illness, to affect the population."

"what about Colin, my brother should of found his way back here."

"all in good time, he's probably still sliding. Think about it, if we had never met, you'd still be sliding."

In Wade and Michelle's room, they are relaxing, when the door opens, its Jacob, "have you seen the timer?"

"no, why?"

"I can't find it, I had it when we arrived, but while I was taking my shower, someone must of stolen it, so we wouldn't have to leave."

"don't be rediculas, you probably just misplaced it."

"I bet Quinn had the PDL, maybe he took it."

"maybe, I'll have to talk to him later."

"why not now?"

"I was asked to meet a scientist with Doug, dealing with the kromagg virus."

By 7p.m., the sliders had gotten dressed up, to join the officers for dinner. Michael, Liz and Quinn sat near Major Jackson, while the rest of the sliders were at the other end.

"I'd like to make a toast, for the arrival of Dr. Micheal Mallory, and his son."

Micheal then stands up, "I have some good news, but poor news to my friends. Since we are home, I've decided to stay, along with Quinn's agreement. We will give Doug the virus to return to his world, in order to destroy the kromaggs. But as I continue, I want you fellow sliders to keep an eye out for my son, Colin Mallory, who is still lost, trying to find home, and with the help of the PDL, it will be possible to bring him home." Everyone clicks the glasses towards each other, while the sliders are in shock.

Later on, Wade, Michelle, Joe, Doug and Jacob show up at the Mallory's room, trying to understand what is happening, "you mean your just going to leave us in the cold, without helping us?"

"I never said that, my world is no longer controlled by the 'maggs, but with the PDL, it can help you find home."

"what about my friends, my Quinn Mallory who is missing. Did you ask what happened to them?"

"probably shipped off world. With Doug's virus, I'm sure you could locate your friends, and kill the kromaggs."

"I agree. My dad and I are home, it would be a waste not to take a chance of staying. Rather than to be stuck out there sliding, lost, even if the PDL was destroyed."

"I thought when you let me join you, you were going to help me get back home. You promised."

"now that you have the PDL, you can find your own way home. I had made the promise way back, when I realized I may never get back home. Take this opportunity and go."

"first of all, where is the timer, and the PDL, I had the timer, now its missing."

"fine. I'll find Major Jackson, and we can deal with it."

In a security room, Major Jackson is listening to their conversation, "don't worry, its right here, and when you leave, you will never be able to locate this world again. After I cloak it."

Liz Mallory enters, lighting up a cigarette, "how long am I going to have to play the wife of that man?"

"just another day or so, then we can capture them."

Hurley walks in with the PDL, "I've been able to download data from this, so we have a copy of how to locate parallel earth coordinates."

"and have you finished the device to cloak this world?"

"yes I have, I even deleted the coordinates from this machine of this world, but they may still locate worlds, just not this one, so Dr. Mallory can become our slave, and let us rule almost all the worlds in the multiverse."

By mid-morning, Joe is up, exercising in the gym on the base, lifting weights. When he breaks, Major Jackson enters, wearing exercise clothing.

"Mr. LaFountain, nice to see someone else willing to work at this time of morning."

"I usually don't work out, but while I'm staying here for a while, I feel I need to keep my appearance."

"you know, I never really had a chance to chat with you. I was wondering, since the Mallory's are home, would you consider staying here?"

"why, so I can leave my world in ruins?"

"your double was killed in the battle, he was a Lt. Colonel. I believe since your world is gone, you could try to start over, here."

"I was really planning on returning to my world, to help my people, but I'll consider teh offer."

Doug exits the mess hall, when he stops an officer, asking the location of Michael Hurley, and he is told, to check the lab, which was on the 2nd floor, 3 doors on the left. Doug gets on the elevator to find Hurley.

Wade and Michelle exit their quarters for breakfast, when they run into Jacob, "good morning ladies."

"good morning Jacob, are you heading for breakfast?" Michelle asks.

"yeah, I have great news, I found the timer, it was hiding under the bed, I must of pushed it under there when I was putting a blanket down under there, since my room is so hot."

"so, how long til the slide?"

"4 hours, but we better find the others for a farewell."

"I still can't believe Quinn is abandoning us. At least Joe is staying around."

Joe exits an elevator, "guys, we need to chat. Major Jackson just offered me a job here."

Michelle's attitude changes to anger, "fine. Stay here, I don't need you anymore, I have a life to go back to." Michelle storms off, as the others follow.

"find Mr. Mallory, Quinn and Doug, meet us in the mess hall."

"sure thing." Joe says.

Doug knocks on the door, opening it, "Mr. Carter, nice to see you come here."

"sorry to enter, but I was wondering since, I'm leaving, could I get the 'magg virus, so I can kill them off on my world."

"we'll have to speak with Jackson about that." another officer enters quietly, behind Doug, he brings a hammer out from behind his back, smacking it against the back of Doug's head, knocking him down.

"its about time you showed. Get him to the basement, and find Major Jackson, we need to talk."

"yes sir." the officer drags Doug's body out, heading towards the elevator.

In the mess hall, Wade joins Michelle at a table, "whats wrong?"

"whats wrong? you want to know, its the fact that I've known
Quinn and Joe for a long time, we were starting to become a family, now they both want to leave, and I'm going to be by myself."

"no your not, me, Jacob and Doug will be sliding out with you, I still have to find my friends, and your world will be a little bigger, with us in your life." the others join them.

Quinn wakes to see his parents enter the room, "its about time you woke, we've been checking this place out." Quinn rubs his eyes, "so, when do we get to go back to the house?"

"In a few days, the doctors find that your all ok, but we probably should say good-bye to the others."

"where are they?"

"in the mess hall, lets go for breakfast, we'll meet you down there."

Quinn gets up, heading for the bathroom, with a towel over his shoulder. As Joe is washing himself, Major Lindsey Jackson enters, dropping her robe, and opening the curtain, Joe is surprised, but she joins him.

"I thought we should get to know each other more, I mean your probably going to stay here, right?"

"we'll have to see." They begin making out, as Joe closes the curtain.

With a half hour, until the slide, Michele is strolling down a corridor, when Joe, wearing a uniform, exits a door, to join her.

"hey Michelle, I think its time we talked."

she stops "aobut what, the fact that your leaving too."

"Look, I know when I joined, I felt we related in some ways, we both had rebel lifestyles, but look at the big picture now, at least I'm going to be on a world where its safe, and I bet your world isn't even conquered. I know that you know we always love each other, in ways no one can understand, but if I depart now, I'm sure our friendship will continue on for a lifetime, even longer."

Michelle tears up, then Joe hugs her, "I hope you know what your doing."

As the group gets ready to leave, they say their good byes.

"wheres Doug, Major Jackson?"

"he left early this morning. I was told that he left, decided to stay here, but he wanted his dog tags to be given to you Wade." Wade takes them then she hugs Quinn.

"I was glad to have met you, especially when your a double of my Quinn."

"I hope you find him someday."

"its time guys." Jacob opens the vortex, as everyone stares at it.

"good luck!" Michael yells, then the 3 enter the portal. Then it closes, as the others leave.

"well gentlemen, I believe I need to speak to you all in the conference room, if you follow me this way."
"oh great, I just realized, I didn't program the coordinates for this world in the PDL." Quinn states.

"don't worry, you have a chance to learn of locking onto their wormhole trail, but we've managed to do that for you."

In the conference room, the sliders sit, as Major Jackson calls their attention, "Mr. Mallory, since you've rejoined your world, it can now be the time to finish what we never did. With your knowledge, we can easily create the vortex to make it more stable. See your vortex was easily locked onto, making you able to come here, but since we don't know how to stabilize our portal, we may not be able to use this for military use, which we do want."

"what would we be doing?"

"to explore the unknown. Your vision that led to this discovery, can now advance our technology in ways that could let this world survive."

"well than, lets get to work, I think after we fix it, Mr. LaFountain could be a team leader to travel to worlds."

"yeah. By the way, what will be my job?"

"I'm sure if you stay here, I'll have something fo you to do. Dr. Mallory, this way to the lab."

3 days have passed, and the guys are getting use to living at the base, but when Liz Mallory kills herself, Michael is destraught.

"I can't believe she would dot this, I mean I thought she was happy with our marriage and life."

"I don't know what to say Dr. Mallory, I'm sorry, but if you want to take a break, you can."

"maybe that will happen, I lost my mother, I think me and my dad need to be alone."

"sure, I'll leave now." Jackson exits as the paramedics take the body out on a gurney, covered with a sheet.

"dad, I think mom probably just didn't know how to explain her feelings. We'll get through it-"

"sure, everything will be peachy in a couple of days, Quinn, I think its time you got your own roo., or maybe even leave this base, to find your home. Your no longer needed here."

"fine, I'll leave, maybe San Francisco will have a job for me, when I get back to the city!"

Joe overhears their conversation, but is confronted by Quinn, "get out of my way Joe."

Quinn walks down the hallway, as Jackson views the incident, "I feel for them, but as long as they don't know whats really going on, we don't have to speak. Liz was told she was to be disposed of when the time was right."

"I'm sorry to change the story, but our friend Doug, in the basement, is getting on my nerves."

"why, he can't get anyone to help him, he's 20 feet, below ground. We feed him, and thats it."

Within days, Michael had gotten to work, he had his own lab, he was wearing a lab coat, along with glasses, and is working with a prototype of the stargate. As he studies the computer screen, a vortex activates, forming around the gate.

"finally, a breakthrough I need." he shuts off the program, and the portal closes. He is interrupted by Quinn, who is wearing a suit and has a briefcase in his grip, "dad, I know we haven't spoken in over a week, but your not going to believe what I've found."

"let me guess, a way for us to be friends."

"no, I started a job today, at this facility, working on corporate funding, so that wormhole can be created. Take a look a this." Quinn injects a disk into the computer, then runs the video.

"since we have a chance to bring a double of our Dr. Mallory to this world, we plan to use him, to finish our work, so we can soon conquer worlds at hand. The next video clip will be a sort of blackmail if your military team lets this out to the public, we'll be shut down." the screen fades to another clip with Dr. Mallory near the stargate active and Major Jackson, along with 2 guards--"I won't let you do this, my lab experiment was to be an advancement, I won't let you destroy sliding, for your own expense!" "sorry sir, but your days are at the end!" Hurley fires a shot, then Jackson pushes him into the vortex. "that was a bad idea, but the easiest way to get rid of something we don't like." "I agree sir." the screen fades to black.

"Oh my god, their killers."

"now I know why I felt this wasn't our earth."

"I bet Liz was a double to play me, so I could finish their sliding machine."

Suddenly, guards appear, "Dr. Mallory, come with us, same with you sir." Quinn and Michael are taken out of the lab, heading towards the control room.

They both are forced to sit down, then Major Jackson enters, "fella's, I guess we have some talking to do."

"I'll bet, but I don't think we will be working on trying to help you conquer worlds."

"since you now know that your no longer from this world, we have no choice, but to get rid of you."

"one thing I don't get, is how did you know us?"

Major Jackson then turns on a machine, "we had created new technology, to locate any wormhole trails, and by using this, we could learn of them, what world they came from, and background info. But since your friend Joe is the only one that doesn't know, I think we'll keep it like that. Guards, take them to the basement, to join a friend."

"you can't get away with this, Joe will find out, and when we leave, your project will be worthless."

"shut up Quinn, or maybe I'll put a bullet into your head." the 2 are taken, headed towards an elevator, which leads to the basement door.

Doug is seen by the others, as they are tossed in, "we forgot to mention, we only feed on Tuesdays."

Quinn tries to attack the guard, but the door is shut quickly. "save your breath Quinn, we need to find a way out of here."

"don't bother, I've been here for so long, I think its fruitless to try to yell."

"well that would be obvious, when we're 20 feet below normal ground."

Joe returns from a workout, and is headed towards the showers, when the 2 guards get off the elevtor, and one of the guards has Dr. Mallory's name tag, who then sticks it, in his pocket.

"how are you doing?" the guard shakes his head, then walks on. In the shower room, Joe again, runs into Lindsey Jackson. They again make out, but when Joe is kissing her neck, she pulls a suringe from her hand and stabs it into Joe's back. He stops, then looks to her, "what have you done?" Joe then collapses to the floor.

"just a little medication to take care of you." she says under her breath.

Joe wakes up in his bed, restrained, he tries to get his hands loose, but are tied down to his bed. Jackson enters, carrying a box.

"I brought your normal clothes back, I decided you weren't the best officer for the job."

"you bitch, when I get out, your going down."

"don't think so Joe, when the doctor arrives, he plans on commiting you psycho, and you will be sent to a mental hospital out in Los Angeles, where you will remain for the rest of your life. There will be a guard posted outside, with a weapon, so don't think about escaping."

Hours later, an older doctor, named Clemans,enters "Mr. LaFountain, nice to meet you, I hear your crazy."

"not really, but I'll show you what I'm made of, when I get loose."

"I don't have to worry about you, I'm tough enough. Heres an injection, to possibly calm you down." the doctor puts a box down, opens it, and pulls a suringe out, with a bottle of medication. He gets a large dose of the liquid, and as he walks over, Joe punches the doctor in his face, and causes the suringe to enter the man's neck.

"you'll pay for this boy." then the doctor falls.

"I guess your dumb enough not to notice I was untied." Joe unties his other side and feet, jumps out of bed, putting his cloths on, from the box. Joe grabs another suringe, fills it, with the same medication, and heads to towards the door, he exits, and sticks it in the back of the officer's neck, before he can react. Joe grabs the officer's gun, and key to the elevator. He runs, puts the key in the lock, opening the doors. Above him, a camera is watching his moves.

"I guess we doubted his ability to escape."

"Major Jackson, if he finds Dr. Mallory, and the others below, they may use this stargate to leave."

"we don't let them. The guards will just shoot."

"what about the lab?"

"shut off power to the room, he can't activate the portal without the computer."

Joe exits the elevator, and finds the door to the locked entranced. He unlocks the door with another key, and finds his friends surprised to see him.

"its about time you showed."

the alarm goes off, "we better move, I think they know I'm gone."

"I know the way to leave. The portal in my lab, use the computer, access a tracking device, and slide out."

"lets go." Doug says.

They take the stairs, since the light is returning to the main floor.

The guys make it to the lab, but Michael has no key to get in, then Quinn uses his foot, kicking the glass out, "thats one way to enter."

Quinn unlocks the door, "ok dad, get the system up and running, Joe, watch the door."

"sure thing."

The computer is active, but stops when it asks for the access code, "figures, they don't want us to leave, I know the back way in." Michael stricks a few keys, and before he knows it, hes in the program.

"ok, I'm setting the portal to open in 1 minute."

"its still clear, but you better hurry."

"I'll get the tracking device active, this should locate our friend's wormhole."

Suddenly, when Joe looks back towards the others, Jackson appears, "drop the gun, now!" Joe drops it, heading back, near Doug.

"I figured you do this. I won't let you leave."

"too late, the portal opens soon, we will never help you conquer worlds, you sound like the kromaggs."

"whatever. Any of you enter that, and the next one dies."

The grey vortex opens, "go, I'll stay behind."

Quinn looks to his dad "go Doug, Joe!" the 2 enter.

"you won't shoot, not as long as we're near the computer, this is the only way to get what you want." Quinn then jumps in. Michael looks towards the portal, Hurley shoots him in the shoulder, he stumbles, falling into the vortex.

"idiot, now look what you did, they helped us, and this computer is fried now."

A square vortex opens, tossing the 4 out, but then Quinn helps his father up, "we need to get you to the hospital."

"I'll help you." Joe says.

"go, we'll find the others, and meet you there." then a blue vortex opens, tossing Wade, Jacob and Michelle out onto the grass.

"oh my god, your here!"

"yeah, we found out it wasn't 'magg prime, we barely survived."

Quinn helps his dad into taxi, "what happened." Wade asks.

"he was shot, but don't worry, he should be fine, if they make it to the hospital."

"I'm just glad your joining us again."

"so am I. Maybe now, we can get to know each other." Doug comments as he puts his arm around Michelle.

"sure." the 4 sliders begin to heading across the street to the Concord Hotel.