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Episode 15: Missing Person’s Report

Starring: Charlie O’Connell, Robert Floyd, Alicia Witt, Tembi Locke, Nicholas Lea, and John Haymes Newton as Joel Douglas

Guest Stars: Jerry O’Connell as Quinn Mallory, Cleavant Derricks as Rembrandt Brown, John Rhys-Davies as Professor Maximillian Arturo, and Chase Masterson as Kelly Welles

Synopsis: A news report is going on, with the anchor explaining of a recent protest of The New York Times and how the women are picketing outside of the building. The anchor asks a report on the scene to fill everyone in on what is going on. The woman reporter, explains that for the last week and a half, the women have circled the building, protesting the paper will damage a woman’s self esteem, by ways of sexual advancements made by the executives running the company, along with the male coworkers. The woman reporter, pulls a women out of the line, asking for a short interview. The woman agrees to it, introducing herself as Wade Welles, and that she started this whole campaign to fight the men, who think they can promote sexual advances, when they are not needed or a smart way to run the company. The woman reporter asks how long they plan to stay outside of the newspaper to protest, with Wade telling the reporter that until the president and other executives come to a settlement, she, along with the other women will be picketing around the building, in hopes to gain attention and bring on more followers to help in the fight against sexual harassment. The screen is paused, with the scene turning around to who paused the program, revealing it to be Quinn Mallory, sitting in a recliner, along with Rembrandt and Professor Arturo who are both sitting on a sofa close by in a hotel room. Quinn states that they finally found Wade, since she usually made a scene when things didn’t work out on the worlds that they visited. Arturo tells the two that they had to find her, before they slide home, because they finally found their fourth slider, whose been missing for quite some time.

In the city of New York, Wade is seen with Diana, walking around The New York Times. Mallory, Joel, Colin and Ryan soon catch up to them, with Mallory asking Wade how long she was going to picket, since they slide out in a couple days, and he figures there won’t be enough time to solve the problem at the newspaper. Wade tells Mallory, as well as the others that she feels that once the movement is in place, all she has to do is sit back and watch everything cave in and make the top people grovel. Joel tells Wade that she has high expectations for this protest to succeed, with Wade stating that she is always right and knows that sexual harassment will be of heated debate for months to come on this world. Colin tells Wade and Diana that they were done with their shift at the construction site, and figures once they’ve showered and eaten some food, he, and whoever else will come back and walk around in circles until darkness falls. Diana states that she is going to also leave for a while, since her feet weren’t feeling so well. Wade tells Diana that the movement is coming along just fine and there wouldn’t be any problems if she left. Diana thanks Wade, apologizing for her exit, but she hates circling a building for 13 hours a day, yelling at the top of her lungs to the people who pass on by to support their cause.

Once the sliders return to the hotel, Diana notices that their phone was blinking and realizes they had a message. Diana dials down to the front desk, while the guys were just relaxing after a long, hard day. Diana speaks up, asking the front desk person what the message was that they had for them. With Diana listening and hanging up afterward, she turns to Joel and Colin, both seated by the air conditioner, stating that a Quinn Mallory wanted to speak with them, since he was looking for Wade. Joel states that if a Quinn double wants to see Wade, they can take him to her. Colin tells the two that this will be a first for meeting another Quinn double, besides the clone he met a few years back. Diana wonders why a Quinn Mallory double would want to talk to Wade, unless he will be revealed as the Quinn who has been tracking down Wade, to take her home. Colin states that anything could be possible, and they will have to wait and see. Mallory exits the bathroom, telling the others that Ryan won the shower fight, so they had to wait. Mallory notices the quietness, asking what was wrong. Joel speaks up, telling Mallory of what they recently found out, involving a Quinn double. Mallory agrees that it could be the Quinn who their Wade knew all along and has come for her, but there also might be a risk of not being the right Quinn, since he figures the double might have the wrong Wade. Joel states that their Wade looked different than most Wades on the worlds they’ve visited. Mallory states that he has met a few doubles like him, but he figures there has to be others that look like him who is also a slider, instead of someone stuck in a wheelchair.

Once the sliders had gotten around to be cleaned up, they all headed down to the main desk, with Diana asking where they could find Quinn Mallory, with Quinn showing up close by, telling the group that he figured that they would show up sooner or later and he wanted to be nearby. Diana introduces herself, as well as the others, with the exception of Colin, with Diana calling him “Colin Roberts”. Quinn asks the group to follow him up to his room, so they can meet the others with him, and then he’ll explain the situation to the group. As the group enters the room, Rembrandt, Arturo and a woman are in the room. With Quinn closing the door and having the group sit down, he introduces the others to the sliders, with Colin asking what was going on. Quinn explains that it might be difficult to explain, but he, along with his friends are travelers between parallel worlds. Diana
tells Quinn that they are were familiar with everyone in the room, except the woman, since they are travelers as well to parallel worlds. Quinn seems confused, with Diana explaining that shortly after they got his message, they figured he, and now everyone with him were sliders. Diana also explains that she has met another version of Quinn Mallory, Rembrandt Brown and a Professor Arturo.

Colin asks the woman who she was, with the woman introducing herself as Kelly Welles, Wade’s sister. Mallory asks if they were trying to track down Wade, since they were her real friends, and want to get her home. Arturo is surprised of all the information Mallory reveals, with Arturo telling the group that they were in fact sliders, trying to track down their friend and have finally found her. Colin apologizes for Diana telling him, his name was Colin Roberts, which realistically is Colin Mallory. Quinn states that he understands that it’s hard to trust doubles, because he too has run into that situation. Diana is about to speak, when Rembrandt interrupts, asking if they wonder if they were the real deal, since finding doubles can be difficult, after years apart. Diana speaks up, stating that she was about to say something about the double situation. Quinn states that after several years of sliding, they kept trying to find Wade, and realized, that one particular double kept showing up, but it wasn’t their Wade. Ryan adds the comment that the Wade they have with them is very different from the one who most of the people in the group knew. Arturo explains that with their Wade being very unique, there obviously wasn’t much of a problem to find the right Wade, since after many visits to alternate worlds, they never saw their Wade. Diana states that Wade was protesting at the New York Times newspaper and would likely be back soon to the hotel, so they could speak with her about it and once she was okay with everything, they would bring her by the room. Quinn tells Diana, as well as the others that he figures that Wade might not be sure about things, but he feels that they have an opportunity to get their friend back and he really hopes that she will go with them, since they slide out in a couple of days. Kelly speaks up, stating that she would really appreciate it, if her sister would come with her and go home.

With nighttime arriving, Wade soon returns to the room, with Diana, Ryan and Colin sitting around, watching television, while Mallory and Joel are in the bar, drinking. Wade tells the group that she did what she could, but hopes that in the morning, she can push things along their way and maybe even speak with the president of the paper to get him to spill some information. Colin tells Wade that he noticed a few more news reports about the protest and figures that maybe someone will help out. Wade states that hopefully before they leave, the newspaper will fire their top executives and maybe hire someone new. Ryan asks Wade if she was offered the job, if she would stay behind. Wade states that the offer would be hard to turn down, but she still wants to find her way home. Diana tells Wade to take a seat, since she has some news to share about possibly getting home. Wade takes her shoes off and sits across from Diana on a bed. Wade asks Diana if she figured out a way to get them home. Diana tells Wade that when they returned to the room earlier, they got a message to meet with a Quinn Mallory double and he had revealed to them that he, along with three others were in fact the same people looking for their friend Wade, and they were thinking that they finally found her. Wade seems confused, asking if the others had proof that she was their Wade; Ryan states that they did have Wade‘s sister along for the ride, but other than their word, they don’t have much to go on. Wade states that she wouldn’t worry about it and talk to group some other time. Diana states that maybe she should go see her friends in the morning and she would take over at the protest. Wade states that her followers need her and she couldn’t waste a day talking to people who probably aren’t even her real friends. Diana takes Wade’s right hand, telling her she needed to spend time with the other group, and Wade soon agrees, stating that she just doesn’t want to get her hopes up and then get disappointed. Colin tells Wade that he would hate to see her leave the group the most, but if they were her real friends, she needs to find out.

By the following morning, as the sun begins to rise, the sliders are moving around, with the guys taking off for work. Before Colin joins the others who have headed to the elevator, he tells Wade that she shouldn’t worry if the results of the current situation create a problem. Wade tells Colin that over the past couple of years, she has grown to be a part of a group wanting to find the way home and have the adventure continue for another few years, since she hates to see an ending. Colin hugs Wade, telling her that he would miss her a lot, but if she can find a way to her world, she should take the offer. Colin soon grabs his watch, placing it on his right wrist and exit’s the room, telling Wade to have a good day, with Wade telling him the same.

Wade heads to another hotel room, soon knocking on the door; Quinn opens the hotel room and heads to Wade, hugging her, telling her to come in. Wade notices Rembrandt, Arturo and her sister, also heading to her for a hug. Wade states that she can’t believe after so much time has passed that she finally has found her friends, or vice versa actually. Quinn tells Wade to take a seat, which she does, with the others doing the same. Kelly tells Wade that she is so glad to see her sister alive and can’t wait to go home. Wade tells her sister and the others that she is somewhat saddened that her new friends will have to go their separate way without her. Arturo tells Wade that even though she made new friends, he is glad to have found her again, and maybe this is what her friends hoped to have happened for her, since they were trying to find home and she just happens to find it first. Wade states that she will miss the others and still might be unsure if they were her real friends. Rembrandt tells Wade that all her doubles look very different, so she was definitely a unique Wade double. Wade states that maybe she should just take the risk and go with them and once returning home and she finds out it’s false, she could get Quinn to build her a timer and she could slide on. Quinn states that he wouldn’t leave her alone, with Rembrandt and Arturo also stating the same thing. Quinn tells Wade that maybe the two of them should go for a walk alone, since he can see everything is overwhelming for her. Wade likes the idea and states that she would be back later to see them. Arturo states they can have dinner together and get to know her new friends.

At the construction site, Colin and Joel are laying out boards with Colin asking Joel if he thinks Wade will go with the other group when the time comes. Joel states that Wade might have her doubts about the group, but he figures she will let go and slide home and even if it isn’t the right world, Wade can always slide on and hopefully meet up with them and they can get together again and keep sliding. Colin states that hopefully these doubles are the real deal and hopefully Wade can find some peace and finally get back to her life, whatever it was.

Diana arrives at the newspaper and a woman heads to her, explaining that the president of the New York Times wants to talk, and Wade hopefully should go speak with him. Diana states that Wade took a day off to relax and to distress, so she will go ahead of her. Diana heads to the top floor of the building and enters the president’s office, telling Diana to sit down. The doors to the president’s office closes by a guard and the president tells Diana that her friend Wade Welles has created a problem for them which he realizes won’t help the paper. Diana states that in a poor economy, everyone should at least try to be civilized and help each other out, even if it means treating each sex the same, instead of harassing them for fun. The president tells Diana that if Wade would be willing to break up the protest, he would be willing to change the laws. Diana states that Ms. Welles goes on the idea of something getting fixed, and then she will take down her army. The president states that he can’t physically stop the men from groping the women and even if he tried, what else could he do. Diana states that maybe it was time to lower some of the men’s statuses with the newspaper and give women those positions, since it would be fair enough. The president tells Diana to just talk to Wade and see what she has to say. Diana states that Ms. Welles just wants women to be treated fairly and if that can be arranged, she will drop the protest and things can get back to normal on this world, despite the poor economy.

Quinn and Wade are walking through a park, with Quinn asking Wade how she has been, after being separated for close to two years. Wade states that after she got separated and melded with a double, she worried that she wouldn’t find her friends again, but she kept sliding with another group and apparently it was the smart choice, since she found her friends. Quinn states that he felt really bad when they lost her, and he even became depressed. Wade states that she felt the same way. The two stop and Quinn looks to Wade, stating that he missed her; Quinn hugs her and then kisses Wade. Wade pulls away, asking Quinn if he wanted to get things going again between them. Quinn tells Wade that he has loved her for so long and wished he could have did something before they got separated. Wade states that they were together again, so anything was possible. Quinn kisses Wade again, and Wade doesn’t back away this time.

By evening time, the sliders are returning from their shifts. Wade greets the others, with Diana and Colin curious of how the day went with her other friends. Wade states that she really got to know her friends again, but realizes she has a decision to make. Colin seems confused, asking why she had difficulty deciding what to do, going with her friends would obviously be the right choice. Wade tells the group that ever since getting lost, getting home was her main goal, but after being with her current friends for so long, she would hate to lose them. Mallory tells Wade that they will always have the past, but she needs to get home and grow old. Wade states that she would just feel bad for leaving the group, after going through so much. Diana tells Wade that they would all miss her a lot, but at least they could feel at ease to know that their friend was finally home. Diana continues, stating that sooner or later, they would have to deal with losing friends, as they slide to their home worlds. Wade states that her friends had planned dinner, and she figured if they were up for it, they could come along too. Joel states that after a long day at a construction site, dinner would definitely answer his hunger pains. Wade asks Diana how things went at the newspaper. Diana states that some of the women were surprised of her being a no show, but she told them to keep it up and she basically lead the group, and she thinks that a few more have joined. Diana tells Wade that she wanted to share a surprise with her, explaining that the president of the paper actually spoke with her about what to do with the protest and she basically told him to shove it since they weren’t going to back down. Wade tells Diana that she definitely will fill the void when it comes to protesting against things that aren’t right on these worlds. Wade states that she will get her other friends and would meet back in a half hour to collect them all.

At the Eight Mile Creek restaurant in downtown Manhattan, the sliders are sitting in the out the back garden area outside, pretty much alone so they could discuss certain things. Colin questions Wade why she chose the restaurant, with Wade explaining that when they first arrived on this world, she was looking at the New York Times paper and saw that it was a two star restaurant in the paper, so I thought it would be fun to visit a restaurant that relates to Australia. Quinn speaks up, explaining that he had a good story to tell the group to get them going. A few months ago, Arturo had to deal with a dictator of the country and Arturo bluffed at the last second and so the dictator lost his palace when it went up in flames. Wade asks Arturo what they did afterward, since she figures the guards would be on them immediately. Arturo explains that they hid in a home of someone in the market and after a couple of hours of being in the basement, they slid out, never getting caught. Kelly tells Wade that she told the guys after that world that they would take it easy, since she didn’t exactly enjoy being shot at or having to run in heels. Mallory states that he usually brings those type of problems to the group, but it still gives them exercise. The group start laughing, not being able to stop to realize of all the stupid things they did and are alive to laugh at them.

With both groups returning to the hotel, Wade tells the sliders that she wants to spend some more time with her homebound friends and would catch up to them later. Diana tells Wade to take all the time, since they still had a couple more days until the slide. The sliders return to their room, with Colin soon knocking his shoes off and hopping onto a bed to grab the television remote and start flipping through the channels. Mallory wonders if Wade was deciding to leave the others and return to them to keep sliding. Joel states that Wade would be stupid if she chose not to go with them, since she might have to slide for another 50 - 60 years until she gets home. Colin states that she just feels attached to them, or mainly him since they’ve all been through a lot over the past couple of years and she probably figures if she goes home, she can have fun anymore. Diana states that she could always follow them to the world and save the coordinates so Wade could keep sliding. Ryan states that Wade might be like Colin, in that they want to get everyone else home before themselves. Colin states that he is selfless and really wants just that, to get everyone home, since he feels his brother screwed them all over and he wants them to fix the mistakes that made everyone lost in the first place. Diana tells Colin not to blame himself, since they still enjoy the journey and will someday feel like Wade and not want the journey to end. Joel states that the journey might never end, but he is willing to stick with the group until the end. Colin tells the others to quiet down, since Animal Planet was on and he didn’t want to miss The Crocodile Hunter, since tonight Steve is supposed to wrestle an alligator with his left hand tied behind his back while a snake is attached to his waist. Joel grabs a pillow and throws it at Colin, who tells Joel to sit down and then Colin tosses the pillow back at him.

In the early morning of the next day, Colin and Wade are walking down a beach, close to the water, both holding their shoes. Colin states that the sunset was really nice to look at for a final day. Wade tells Colin that she often wished they could have did this stuff earlier, since she enjoys the beach. Colin tells Wade that once she gets back home, she should take Quinn for a walk down a beach. Wade tells Colin that she does feel a connection to her Quinn and hopes that once they return home that they can start a relationship, since they kept ignoring it so much that they almost lost each other and never might have had a chance, until reuniting. Colin tells Wade that he will miss her a lot, since he told her things that most people wouldn’t be able to understand. Wade tells Colin that they have gotten close, and hopefully he can confide in someone else in the group, since the others do seem trusting. Colin states that Joel has definitely changed for the better out of the others. Wade states that she had wondered if she would have pursued Mallory, but she realized that getting close to someone, would make it difficult in case any of them got home. Colin asks Wade if she had almost considered on staying with them instead of going home. Wade states that earlier in the morning she did discuss with her other friends the possibility to stay with them and not slide home, but after much discussion, she feels that she is making the right choice. Colin states that at least she will be out of harms way and she could finally sleep at night. Wade stops and begins to tear up, she turns to Colin, who turns toward him and she grasps him, telling him to never forget her. Colin holds Wade, stating that there wasn’t any possibly way he could do that. Wade kisses Colin on the cheek and then backs away. Colin puts his right arm around Wade as they continue down the beach. Kelly soon shows up, and tells Colin that she wanted to speak with her sister. Colin states that he would be back at the hotel and would see them both later.

Kelly and Wade walk in silence for a few seconds, until Kelly speaks up, stating that she always had a hard time talking to her sister, since they fought so much. Wade tells Kelly that that was what she hated about not seeing her family once she began sliding. Kelly tells Wade that she felt the same way and didn’t know if she would ever see her again. Kelly states that even though they weren’t biological sisters, she still considered her one. Wade states that she sometimes wondered if she and her mother ever disrupted their lives when they showed up. Kelly states that after her mom died, she couldn’t think of the idea of her dad meeting a women so soon and then giving birth to another girl. Wade states that she always considered both her parents, her real parents and her sister a real one. Kelly puts her arm around Wade, telling her that it means a lot to hear it. Wade tells Kelly that she will have to fill her in on some of the things that have changed or the people she used to know. Kelly states that some things have changed, but mostly everyone is just hoping to see her again. Wade states that she has her fear, but is glad to know that she can return to a place to call home, even if it isn’t to build a life.

With hours counting down until Wade had to head back to California with her old friends for the slide, she decides to eat breakfast with her current friends at a Denny’s down the street from the hotel. Wade tells the others that one thing she will miss is trying to help people, like she has over the past couple of years, especially the past year, with the world who followed Arab law to force women to cover up, trying to find Ryan’s double, and the recent court case with the family who did their business with the selling of tobacco. Ryan tells Wade that it was always funny that she would get them into something and he always feared the worse, and in the end, she usually saved the day. Diana tells Wade that with her being the only woman left, she will feel a bit alone, but figures that being the only female will have its advantages, especially if they land on a world where they have to fight a war and the draft is going on. Wade tells Diana if they land on a world like that, just let the men fight and she can go work for a bakery. Diana states that she doesn’t bake, but she could teach at a college as a physics professor. Mallory finishes his cigarette, tossing it in the ashtray on the table and tells Wade that despite their differences, he will miss her a lot. Wade tells Mallory that hopefully down the road, he will wake up to realize that smoking with kill him and then he can quit. Mallory states that he had considered it, but smoking helps him deal with stuff and makes everything less stressful. Joel looks at his watch, stating that he hates to be the bearer of bad news, but they should get going, since they did need to get their paychecks before their boss tossed them away. Colin states that checks won‘t be worth a lot, but at least he can credit them to his credit card account and they will have some to spend on the next couple of worlds. Wade states that she did speak with a woman named Cassie earlier this morning who was going to keep pursuing the men of the New York Times and she figures that within a matter of weeks, they should be able to talk again and maybe get it through the president‘s head that women are equal and not looking to get sexual advances from them. Diana states that it will be sad, not knowing how the whole situation at the newspaper will end, but realizes that sliding off might give them a chance to land on a world where the economy is actually doing better than the world they were on. Joel states that all they have to do is blame the president, since after piling on billions of dollars in debt, the economy will take years to get back to normal, or it may never return to the way it was prior to the current president of the country being the leader.

At the JFK Airport, the doubles were heading for their gate that would return them to California. The sliders, walking with Wade to the gate, are sad to see their friend go, after being together for quite some time. Colin tells Wade that they’ve been through a lot, and he was glad to have met her. Wade hugs Colin, telling him to have a good life and hopefully he will settle down one day and look back on sliding as just a chapter in his life. Colin smiles, telling her that maybe they would run into each other someday. With getting to the gate, Quinn tells Wade that they would be on the plane, awaiting for her to join them. The doubles wave to the sliders, with them doing the same back. Wade begins to tear up, with each hugging her friends. She tells Diana that she is a great scientist and if it wasn’t for them being shifted to New York, she never would have found her friends. Diana tells Wade to take care and how envious she was of her going home. Wade then goes to Joel, hugging him, and telling him that he definitely had made some improvements, from when she first met him. Joel tells Wade that it was she, who made him realize that it was okay to show some emotion, and he will take things more easier from now on. Wade then goes to Mallory, telling him that it’s been a long time for them to be together, since met him about 3 years ago, and with his guidance, she made it to where she was today. Mallory tells Wade that he at times lost his way, and even when his Diana was lost, he still had her to be around with for comfort. Mallory hugs Wade, telling her to go home and have a great life for herself. Wade then comes to Ryan, telling him, she wasn’t sure what to say, since she knew him the least amount of time. Ryan tells Wade that even though she was a double of the Wade Welles that he knew, she still had the same qualities as the other Wade did. The two hug, with Ryan telling her to have a good life. Wade tells Ryan that hopefully he’ll find a great world to live on and even meet a wonderful woman to marry and love for the rest of his life. Wade then comes back to Colin, giving him another hug, telling him that she couldn’t have made it without him. Colin states that sliding between worlds just won’t be the same. Wade soon turns to the gate, with looking back once more, and then proceeding to give the ticket taker her ticket and as she begins to walk down the corridor, she looks back to her friends, realizing that soon enough, she’d be home, and she turns around, heading to sit down with her friends already on the plane.

The sliders exit the airport, with heading outside to get onto a bus, which takes them back to the hotel. They walk into the room, with Diana stating that one was gone and wonders how much longer it will be, before the journey is over for everyone else. Joel states that it’s a matter of time, and they shouldn’t feel upset, since they should enjoy the time together, until the end for them all has arrived. Mallory asks how long they had until the slide, with Diana pulling the timer out of her pocket, telling Mallory that they slide out in a couple minutes. Ryan states that maybe on the next world, he could get something to eat, since he was getting hungry. Colin comments that it might be a vegetarian world, so if there is no beef, he shouldn’t worry, since there will be other options to choose from. Ryan smiles, stating that he’ll even chew on some bark if it comes down to it. Diana tells the guys that it was time, with the vortex opening up in a corner of the room, by the closet. Colin leaps in first, followed by Joel, Ryan and before Mallory and Diana jump in, Mallory puts his right arm around Diana, telling her that they’ll get through this situation, since they need to accept the fact that Wade was finally going home. Diana smiles, with wiping her tears and then leaping into the portal, followed by Mallory, with the vortex closing seconds later.

The vortex opens above a grassy hill, near a patch of bushes, with the sliders exiting out onto the ground. The portal closes, with the sliders standing up. Diana states that they slide in 78 hours, so they should go find lodging. The group notices they landed in front of a large white building, with Mallory commenting that maybe the White House was finally in New York. Joel states that it could just be a government based building, but he figured if they landed on the White House lawn, they probably would have already been picked up. Colin notices a flag, flying in the wind, as they are walking down the hill. Colin asks the others if anyone of them knew what type of flag it was, since it looked new to him. Ryan states that it’s the League of Arab States flag. Colin looks confused at Ryan, who catches the reaction, stating that while they were on the previous world, he obviously had time to spare and went to a bookstore to check stuff out and had come across a book about flags and so he read about other countries flags and came upon the Arab League flag. Mallory comments that hopefully they won’t have to get into a war or another protest, since he is getting tired of fighting and just wants to relax for once in his life. As the sliders start walking down the sidewalk, Ryan comments that at least they will be gone before the weekend.