The vortex opened. The sliders landed, jubilant now. Their journey was nearing an end. But they would soon be separated. Maggie had decided to stay on Earth Prime with the others, and Quinn had decided to stay on Earth Prime for a while, before seeking out the truth about his origins.

Their slide had been planned out, so that they would land in the proximity of the lab. They neared the lab, but saw it was cordoned off by an assortment of military and police vehicles.

QUINN-1
What the....?

ARTURO
This doesn't look good, Quinn.

A military man came up to Quinn-1.

MILITARY OFFICER
What do you want? Its a war zone over there.

QUINN-1
I'm Quinn Mallory; this is Professor Arturo. We're the heads of the sliding institute.

MILITARY OFFICER
Where have you been? The institute was razed by the Kromaggs. I... I guess you can take a look.

Quinn-1 was amazed. This wasn't happening. He ran towards the lab, with the others following.

QUINN-1
No!!!

The sliding institute bore a single gaping, ragged hole in its front. Quinn-1 raced inside. He knew just what he was looking for: the central computer. Arturo followed closely.

Quinn turned a corner and faced the remains of the central computer. Arturo reached his side, and his face suddenly turned cold. Rembrandt looked worried.

REMBRANDT
This doesn't mean what I think it means, does it?

QUINN-1
I'm afraid so, Remmy. That's where the co-ordinates were. They're gone. All of them.

ARTURO
Not just that, Quinn. Everything we have worked on for the past few years, gone.

QUINN-1
The Kromaggs did this! Those Maggots!

REMBRANDT
Damn them!

ARTURO
Settle down. We will find a way home, Rembrandt.

REMBRANDT
I know, Professor. The Maggots and I have a history, that's all.

MAGGIE
If the Kromaggs came, where are they now? This looked like the only damaged building. Taking out one building isn't the Kromagg style.

QUINN
Good question, Maggie. Quinn, maybe you should ask. I'll stay here and check the equipment with the Professor.

As Quinn-1 walked away, Arturo searched the lab. He noticed Bennish, being questioned by a military officer.

BENNISH
They came out of a vortex and started firing at the equipment.

MILITARY INVESTIGATOR
How did you escape?

BENNISH
I know this place inside and out, man. I hid in a secret room until they left.

Maggie was also listening. This was wrong. Why would the Kromaggs leave without any noticeable resistance?

QUINN-1
Hey, soldier, where did the Kromaggs go?

SOLDIER
They took out the sliding institute, and the police were called. The police were able to hold them off until we could come in.

QUINN-1
The police were able to hold off a Kromagg invasion?

SOLDIER
Yes sir.

This was wrong. They were holding something back, and Quinn-1 wanted to know what it was. As Quinn-1 began walking towards the institute, an FBI agent stopped him. Quinn-1 recognized his face. He had interrogated him before; the last time he came home. It was Agent Frank Parker.

AGENT PARKER
Well, Mr. Mallory. It seems you've brought some friends back with you this time. Some enemies, too. How many more times are you going to take a spin around parallel universes?

QUINN-1
You think this is my fault?

PARKER
You're the only one familiar with the technology. The Kromaggs came from the same sort of vortex. Of course you're responsible. I want you and your friends to come in for questioning. This time, you're not getting away with it.

An FBI van came along, already holding the others, including Bennish. Quinn-1 and Agent Parker stepped inside, and it rushed away. It came to the FBI offices in Northern California. They herded the Sliders into a room, and began questioning Quinn-1. The other Sliders went into a large room, where they met an old friend.

WADE
Remmy!

REMBRANDT DOUBLE
Hey, girl. What did you all do this time?

WADE
We didn't do anything!

ARTURO
Good to see you again, Mr. Brown.

REMBRANDT DOUBLE
I mean, I was recording a new song, and a bunch of FBI freaks came along and grabbed me. Has to do with that bombing at the institute, but you all were gone. Where to?

WADE
We had to find a few friends.

PARKER
Now, Mr. Mallory. You admit to encountering the Kromaggs, yet deny responsibility for leading them back here?

QUINN-1
Yeah. We met a man named Laze... right before the Kromaggs attacked his facility.

PARKER
And you don't think that they could have tracked down your homeworld when you were there?

QUINN-1
I don't think so.

PARKER
Well, I do. You brought this down on us, whether you admit it or not. I want you to take a Polygraph test.

QUINN-1
Whatever you say.

They hooked Quinn-1 up to the lie detector and asked him a battery of questions. Quinn-1 wasn't as sure about the Kromaggs anymore. He stumbled, and the device believed he was lying.

PARKER
Well, Mr. Mallory. What aren't you telling us?

Quinn-1 was worried. This wasn't going very well.

MAGGIE
What I don't understand is why the Kromaggs wouldn't send a huge invasion force. They always send hundreds of Manta Ships, not a force of six or seven.

Bennish, who was listening on the other side of the room, decided to interject. He had a couple holes to fill in the story.

BENNISH
There were eight. They came in firing. They weren't an invasion force, at least I don't think so. Ugly, ape-like creatures. I couldn't believe it. It was far out there, and I was freaked. They didn't seem to want to kill anyone, just take out the equipment.

REMBRANDT
What about ships or machinery? Did they bring anything with them?

BENNISH
They brought in a huge cannon-like thing, and a little rover. You know, like one of those cool dune buggy things. It had a cannon mounted too, but when the police showed up, they were almost scared. Like they didn't want to put up a fight.

REMBRANDT
That doesn't sound like the Kromaggs at all.

MAGGIE
It sure doesn't.

ARTURO
The same thing happened at Laze's lab. Only a couple Kromaggs arrived. For such an important device, they certainly didn't feel the need to send a multitude of troops.

MAGGIE
Maybe this is a newer, peaceful Dynasty.

BENNISH
That's where you're wrong, lady. They weren't peaceful at all. They were a bunch of savages. They just didn't want to bother with us. They were real protective of that dune buggy. Like they were running out or something. Man, I don't want to run into those dudes again.

Everyone was puzzled. This wasn't Kromagg behavior. Quinn-1 and Parker came into the room. Quinn-1 looked tired.

PARKER
Professor Arturo. You're next.

Arturo didn't like this man. He was rude, and Arturo couldn't stand that in a person.

REMBRANDT
What happened, Q-Ball?

QUINN-1
Not much. Just a bunch of questions from the scum of the Bureau.

REMBRANDT DOUBLE
Yeah, I hate that guy. He's a freak of nature.

Everyone laughed. Quinn, especially. It reminded him of the old Remmy.

ARTURO
Professor Arturo.

Arturo was noticeably angry.

PARKER
Whatever. Now, let me tell you what's going to happen. Your friend Quinn told me a very interesting story. You are going to repeat that story in its entirety, or you will have a LOT of explaining to do.

Rembrandt was talking to Maggie. Up to this point, he had forgotten about Earth Prime, but then it came to him again. He wasn't going home any time soon. They had another long road ahead of them.

Arturo knew that Parker hated to be called "Mr.", just as much as he did. That's why he did it. Parker returned an angry stare.

ARTURO
Quinn. I have an idea. When we checked for Earth Prime, we used this timer, am I correct?

QUINN-1
I think so. But if you think we can use the same co-ordinates stored in the timer, you're wrong. There are about twenty or thirty co-ordinates in there, all of them unmarked. We didn't start labeling them until Remmy came along.

ARTURO
Narrowing it down to twenty or thirty is better than an infinite amount.

Quinn knew Arturo was right. He gave another silent approval. He was just beginning to come to terms with the fact that he was going to lose the Professor. He hadn't thought about the fact that he was going to lose the timer. If only they had kept Diana's timer.

Rembrandt was listening in, and his face brightened up.

REMBRANDT
So we're going home?

ARTURO
It might take a few slides, but yes, Mr. Brown, we're going home.

Arturo went over to Quinn and checked the timer. They would be able to leave in four hours. That is, if the FBI would let them. Arturo caught himself. The FBI couldn't stop them from leaving. The self-contradiction made Arturo chuckle.

PARKER
If you leave, you better not come back!

Quinn-1 nodded. When he made that first slide, he hadn't thought of this type of consequence. Now he was trapped at home, and all he wanted to do was slide.

Parker called over another agent.

PARKER
Don't let them leave.

The agent agreed and followed after the sliders.

Quinn put the timer down on a table in the lab, while Quinn-1 talked to Arturo.

QUINN-1
I'm not coming with you.

ARTURO
What are you saying, Quinn?

QUINN-1
Go on without me. You heard what Parker said. If I leave, I can't come back. But take Wade with you. She shouldn't be here until this is all cleared up.

ARTURO
Are you sure?

Before Quinn-1 could answer, they heard a commotion. It was Bennish. He had taken the timer, and Quinn and Rembrandt were trying to get it back.

QUINN
Bennish! No! You'll reset the timer. It won't do you any good.

BENNISH
I'm not staying here!

The agent saw Bennish with the timer, and pulled his gun out.

AGENT
Freeze!

BENNISH
I'm outta here!

Bennish activated the timer, and a vortex was created. He jumped inside with the timer.

QUINN
No!

Quinn-1 went to a desk and pulled a gun out.

QUINN-1
Go! I'll cover you.

WADE
Quinn!

QUINN-1
I'm right behind you.

The agent began to fire, but Quinn fired back. Wade, Quinn, Rembrandt, and Maggie jumped inside.

ARTURO
Quinn, the coordinates!

QUINN-1
You'll find your way home!

Arturo hesitated, but jumped inside the vortex. It closed right behind him. Quinn-1 gave a sigh of relief. He put his hands up, and the agent took him into custody.

BENNISH
Whoa, that was close! But MAN, what a ride!

Everyone looked at Quinn. They anticipated his answer.

QUINN
Yep. It's reset.

ARTURO
The co-ordinates?

QUINN
Gone!

Quinn was crushed. They weren't going home anytime soon.

REMBRANDT
How long do we have here?

QUINN
Three days, twelve hours, four minutes.

BENNISH
Pretty long break. So where do we stay?

ARTURO
No, Mr. Bennish, you wanted an escape. Now you have it. Enjoy your new home.

Quinn was angered. Bennish had destroyed his way home. Arturo shared this sentiment.

QUINN
We'll get you home, Rembrandt.

WADE
He didn't make it!

ARTURO
Quinn stayed behind. He thought it was for the best.

WADE
He's gone.

Wade was almost in tears. She had lost her friend.

WADE
Can I go home?

ARTURO
The co-ordinates are gone, Ms. Welles.

Wade looked at the sky, wondering why it happened this way. She had another long journey home.

The sliders looked at each other. They were lost. Again, they were lost.