Randy Heim stared out the window of his room at the inn. It had no screen. People moved around the town square. Some of them had mules. Some of them had small automobiles that resembled buggies. None of them...or very few of them...were actually white.
He rubbed his beard. It had been two days since they slid into the town square. It turned out they were not the only ones.
"Randy, she's--"
Randy turned around. The woman with long black hair stared back at him. Her eyes widened in shock. A little bit of a grin crept onto Melissa Clark's face.
"An actual beard," Melissa said. "I guess miracles do happen."
Randy felt his cheeks warm. It was always a silly hope of his to have a goatee. Every time he grew one, something happened on a slide that required him to cut it. Melissa and he joked about it a lot when they...
Randy looked at Melissa. Her brown eyes looked distant. It was almost like she was thinking the same thing, forming a connection.
Melissa's face went blank. She must have thought that, too.
"Melissa--" Randy started.
"She's awake," Melissa said coldly. She turned away from Randy. "Professor Brown is talking to her."
Randy headed for the door. It was what they were all waiting for. Maggie Beckett was awake.
Three years ago, my friends and I found a way to travel between worlds-
To slide to...
Worlds where you're the same person-
It's the same year...
But everything else is different-
Our Earth...
Has been overrun by the Kromaggs?-
Can we get home?...
Do we want to?
And now-
The worlds await...
SLIDERS: ALTERNATE SPIN-SEASON 4
EPISODE 7: CROSSED WIRES
"Are you sure you are well, Miss Beckett?" Brown asked as Randy entered the sparse bedroom with Melissa.
Paige leaned on the window sill. She looked at Randy and Melissa. One of her eyebrows arched.
"Don't worry," Melissa said icily. "He's yours."
Brown turned to look at Randy. He frowned. Maggie Beckett sat up in the bed, her auburn hair was disheveled. She looked over the scene in confusion.
"Okay, I'm lost," Maggie said. "Did I miss something?"
"A lot has...occurred since we last encountered you, Miss Davis, and Mr. Mallory," Brown explained.
"Apparently," Maggie said, staring at Paige. "Who's that? Where's Richard and your friend the Ice Bitch?"
Randy had to suppress his laughter. Paige frowned. Melissa walked over to the opposite side of the bed.
"Richard...didn't make it," Melissa said. "Eve's on her homeworld, still icy. And that...is Eve's replacement Paige."
"Hey!" Paige exclaimed. "Not a replacement."
Melissa glared at Paige. "Could have fooled me."
Paige glared at Melissa. "You have some--"
"Why are you here, Maggie?" Randy asked. "Last time we saw you, we had helped you setback the Kromagg Dynasty for years by destroying their main base. Not to mention their cyberaids."
"And where's Diana and Mallory?" Melissa asked. "They're not..."
"I...hope so," Maggie said. "I slide out first." She frowned. "As for the Kromaggs...they weren't as set back as we hoped. They hid some more of their cyberaids. Now...they are everywhere. They drove us back. Diana thought it might be a good idea to leave and regroup. Then...the Kromaggs attacked." She looked down. "I barely got out of there alive. If Diana and Mallory don't..."
"I am sure they succeeded," Brown said, sitting next to Maggie. "You should rest for now."
Brown hugged Maggie. Melissa crossed her arms over her chest. She frowned at Randy and walked out of the room.
Randy stared after her. Melissa had been keeping to herself for the last few days now. This was the first time he had seen her for any length of time.
"Perhaps you should talk to her," Brown said as he walked to Randy.
Randy looked at Brown. "And say what?"
"Does it even matter?" Paige asked.
Randy looked back at the door. That...was the question.
Melissa fought back the tears as she strolled into the town square. It was crazy. It was Randy...yet...it wasn't Brown had mentioned briefly that Randy had thought Melissa's double was Melissa but without memory of her feelings for him due to the Foundations' technology. Knowing Randy, he tired to get her double to remember. Was he as frustrated then as she was now?
Melissa stared at the people walking about the square. She was glad she was good at Spanish before she stared sliding. The people here seem to respect Spanish speakers. She saw a few glares due to her skin. No trouble so far because of it.
An elderly man entered the square. He was dressed like everyone else in a kind of lambskin. He dragged a woman about Melissa's age behind him. The woman had long black hair and oily tanned skin and protested in Spanish. Melissa could make out her scandals under her dress.
The man barked at the woman in Spanish. Melissa watched the two of them past her. The woman was in tears, pledging her love to someone. The man was her father and forbade her from seeing the someone.
Melissa turned away from the scene. It made her think of how she was when she first started sliding. Randy had obviously had feelings, but she was more into Richard...and oblivious to Randy's feelings.
Melissa turned a corner. Her eyes widened. Ben Loveland stood in front of her. Ben was Randy's roommate on Earth Prime. Here he was a shaggy-haired guy with a goatee and lambskin clothes. He grabbed her.
"Another Northerner!" Ben exclaimed. "Good. I think I saw you around the market. You know Spanish! You have to help me! Rosa--"
"Whoa," Melissa said, pushing Ben's hands away from her. "Hold on. What are you talking about?"
Randy headed down the hilled street. His mind was on Maggie. It had been a long time since they had slid to that world. They had done damage to the Kromaggs. He had helped one of their victims...Chad Owens...end his life as a Kromagg weapon.
Randy smiled a little. It was really ironic. For a year, he and the others had battled with the Foundation and their unethical use of sliding technology. Now he was about to have to do battle with the Kromaggs.
"Does it ever end?"
Randy turned around. Paige approached him from uphill. Randy noticed a few Mexicans glare at them. Then they went about their business. He hoped that would be the case for the rest of their slide.
"I was wondering that very thing," Randy replied. "If a fight is coming, I saw you can handle yourself. Where did you learn to fight? When I was Randall, you never told me and--"
Paige looked away from Randy. "I...don't know. Unlike you and the Prof, I never got my memory back pre-escape."
Randy frowned. "Really? Are you scared?"
Paige gave a lopsided grin. "Me? Scared? You’re kidding, right?"
Randy grinned. "So are you always this charming?"
"You should see me on whiskey," Paige said dead-pan.
Randy laughed. As he did, Randy realized something. It had been a long time since he had done that. He stared at Paige. She had a grin on her face. Randy reached out and touched her cheek. Paige leaned into the cheek. Randy liked it. It was so familiar to him from his memories as Randall.
Randy pulled his hand away. Paige frowned. She touched his cheek. It felt warm and comfortable.
"It's okay," Paige said. "I'm used to it."
"I'm not," Randy replied.
"Yet it seems familiar?" Paige asked.
"Yes."
"Then go with it," Paige suggested. "I won't let you down."
"But I have so many conflicting feelings with--"
"--Melissa?" Paige finished. "Do you feel as comfortable with her right now?"
Randy looked down. "Honestly? I thought I did. Now...every time I look at her, I see her double."
"And me?" Paige asked.
Randy looked up again. "I...see this person who's been chasing me for a while...and got me. She's crazy, alive, fun...but that wasn't me. It was, but--"
"Same body to me."
Paige moved closer to Randy. Her arms wrapped around Randy's waist. He stared at her. Her green eyes dared him to push her away.
"Same feel, too," Paige said, leaning closer. "I think you feel how right it is. If it's so wrong...stop me."
Paige's lips connected to his lips. Randy did not fight her. They felt right.
However, there was a nagging thought. If this was so right...what about Melissa?
Melissa stared across the room. Rosa sat with her father and mother at the restaurant. She had managed to find them in the town square after talking to Ben. Now her father chatted with another older man. He sat beside his wife and a man that looked Melissa's age and Mexican. The man...Diego...stared at Rosa with puppy dog eyes. Rosa meanwhile looked around the restaurant at anything, but Diego.
Rosa stood up. She asked about going to the restroom. Her father allowed her. She headed for the restroom. The whole time her father watched her.
Melissa stood up. She headed for the restroom. It was time.
Rosa stood at the sink when Melissa entered the restroom. She stared at the door, her eyes bloodshot from crying. She quickly wiped her eyes.
"I...am sorry," Rosa said quickly.
"It's all right," Melissa said as she approached the sink. "I saw the sink earlier."
Rosa managed a smile. "Yes...my father would love for me to marry Diego...my childhood friend. But I do not love him."
Melissa stared into the mirror. "Yeah. You love Ben."
Melissa watched Rosa's eyes widen. She turned to look at Melissa.
"How do you know--" Rosa started.
"Who do you think sent me?" Melissa asked.
Brown walked out of the inn's entrance. Maggie sat on the stairs of the porch. At the moment, she stared up at the full moon. Brown approached from behind.
"You seem a million miles away," Brown commented.
Maggie stared up at Brown. She managed a smile. Then she went back to staring.
"More like a million worlds," Maggie said.
"I am sure with Miss Davis's intelligence and Mr. Mallory's...uh...useful assets, they managed to achieve a coup de taut," Brown said.
"Yeah, Diana got me out of a lot of jams," Maggie replied. "But the Kromaggs...they're spreading. We're going to need all the help we can get."
Brown sat down on the stairs. He held Maggie's hand.
"And you now have it," Brown said.
"That's good," Maggie said, looking down. Then she stared at Brown, her eyes blank. "Because what I need...is Randy's ability to create weapons. The Kromaggs know about what he did to that Foundation base. Eventually...they will realize that he is around. I'm here to see he gets to Diana. So...will you help me?"
Randy entered the restaurant with Paige. She was a step ahead of him, scanning the room for seats. He stared at her. His mind was on kissing her. For once he was not worried about if it was a trick...something he had to wonder with Melissa. This was simple.
Randy stepped up beside Paige. He grabbed her hand, holding it in his. Paige stared at him in surprise. Then she smiled.
"I can't believe it," Paige said. "When we found out you weren't Randall...I thought my chance was gone."
"Just think...you never met Eve," Randy said jokily.
Paige frowned. "Again with that name! What's the deal?"
Randy put a finger to Paige's lips. "Don't worry about it."
Paige grinned. Randy led her along the room. He turned to look forward...and came face-to-face with Melissa.
Melissa stared at the two of them. Her eyes fell on their arms still encircled. She looked at Paige for a second. Finally, she stared back at Randy, her eyes looking right through him.
A Mexican woman came out of the restroom. She bumped into Melissa. Her eyes were full of surprise at the sight of Melissa, Randy, and Paige.
"Senora Melissa," the woman whispered.
"I'll be with you in a sec, Rosa," Melissa said very low, her eyes still on Randy.
Rosa vanished off.
"I guess I was right," Melissa said evenly.
"What?" Randy asked.
"That there is no more of the Randy I know in there," Melissa said. "Because the Randy I know...wouldn't be this insensitive."
"Insensitive?" Randy muttered. "I'm sorry, but...I’m trying to be careful, but...I have a life, too, Melissa. I don't want to worry bout whether you work for the Foundation or not."
Melissa glared. "That was my double. Not me. You know this."
"Do I?" Randy challenged. "I'm not sure I know anything about you anymore."
Melissa's glare fell. It was a face full of sadness. Suddenly, it went blank.
"I can say the same about you," Melissa said. "The Randy I know...didn't kill a building of people."
Randy felt like someone had punched him in the gut. He felt his left arm tighten up. He looked at Paige. Her eyes were wide.
"You killed a building of people?" Paige asked.
"Yeah," Melissa replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "Supposedly...no choice."
"I had no choice," Randy said.
"There's always a choice!" Melissa snapped. "You became just like your enemies. How can you live with yourself?" Her eyes fell on Paige. "Never mind. I see how."
"Why, you--" Paige started.
"What?" Melissa challenged. "You going to drive me crazy like you did Kat? Bring it on. I'm starting to think she was right about you."
"Look where it got her," Paige countered.
"This is crazy," Randy said. "Kat was killing people long before we found you."
"She wouldn't have done it at all if she hadn't met us," Melissa said. "Maybe the Foundation was right. We are a danger to other worlds."
"The Foundation right?" Randy muttered. "Were they right to imprison you?"
"Do you even care now?" Melissa countered. "Enjoy your date."
Melissa turned around. She headed toward the table where Rosa sat with a group of people.
"Sore loser," Paige commented.
Randy stared at Melissa. She was talking to the group of people. After a moment, she sat down with them.
Melissa was right. Randy had changed. However...she was going to have to live with it. They were friends now.
"Are you okay?" Paige asked.
"Yeah," Randy said. "Let's find a table."
Images popped into Brown's head. For a second, he saw Rembrandt Brown...his uncle from when he had found Darnell and the others on that futuristic world where they found Logan St. Clair and reunited the original Quinn Mallory with his original sliders. Then he saw his ex-wife Debra and thought about her blank face as he explained why he worked long hours at the university and that he wasn't cheating on her. Then he saw an image of them kissing. Suddenly, another image cut into his mind...the evil Kromagg scientist Kersh standing over him...his sharp teeth snarling.
"Did you think you escaped?" Kersh asked.
Brown's eyes opened. He shot up in bed. Suddenly, he saw flashes of light.
"El donde?!"
"Aqui!"
Light shot through the window. Before Brown could react, it was in his face. He heard a loud crack from the direction of the door. He could not see faces, but he made out shapes. They lunged at him.
Brown swung an arm out like he was pitching a fastball. The shapes flew into the wall to the left of him. He narrowed his eyes, his mind on shutting off the light glaring through the window.
An explosion sound through the room. The light vanished. Brown could finally see his room. Several men were unconscious against his left wall. Rifles laid near each one. The door was splintered all over the floor. Maggie stood in the door, her face a mask of horror.
"I...they tried to ambush me, too," Maggie said, stepping through the door. "No such luck. Now...how did you do that?"
Brown rubbed his forehead. "Kersh...the Kromagg scientist...altered me."
Maggie stood by the men near the left wall.
"So I recall," Maggie said. "You...Colin..."
"Apparently...I was a sleeper agent as well," Brown said. "Set to lead the Kromaggs to Earth Prime and capture Mr. Heim."
"Oh, really?" Maggie said. Then she picked up the nearest rifle. "Then you're no use to me. You could kill us all."
"The programming is gone, Miss Beckett," Brown said.
"Right now," Maggie said, aiming the rifle, "not taking the chance."
"Did you try to terminate my uncle when he tried to kill Mr. Mallory in the slidecage?" Brown challenged.
Maggie's eyes widened. "How did you--"
"Remember...we slid to a world where Quinn Mallory wrote a journal of all his adventures," Brown explained. "Good thing, too or--"
Suddenly, the rifle flew out the window. Maggie continued to look shocked.
"I would not have been able to do that," Brown finished.
"So how can I trust you?" Maggie demanded.
"I will have to earn it," Brown said. "Same as my uncle. Same as you did when you joined the sliders."
Maggie frowned up as she thought about it. Then her eyes narrowed.
"Uh...no," Maggie said. Then she lunged at the nearest rifle.
Brown waved a hand. Maggie flew into the nearest wall. She fell to the floor with a grunt.
"I think we have bigger issues, Miss Beckett," Brown announced.
"Are you all right?" Rosa asked in Spanish.
Melissa sat up in the bed across from Rosa's bed. She managed a smile.
"Yeah," Melissa said in English. "En ingles, por favor. It is easy for me."
"My apologies," Rosa said. She smiled. "I am so happy this worked.
"I can't believe your parents think I am a foreign student," Melissa said.
Rosa frowned. "Why? Our schools trade with the Northern States of England all the time."
Melissa found herself frowning. "Northern States of England?"
Rosa sat up in her bed. "Well...they used to be a lot of...colonies. England gave them some rights, but they are still like indentured servants. Some Northerners even cross into our borders. That...is how I met Ben."
"We're still going to meet him, right?" Melissa asked.
"Si," Rosa said. "First, we have to wait out the Posse."
"Posse?" Melissa muttered.
"They search the town every few weeks," Rosa explained. "They look for others who have jumped the boarder...and take them back to be punished." Rosa smiled. "I am so happy you speak Spanish or they might take you."
"Rosa," Melissa said, her eyes widening, "My friends don't."
"So really," Randy started, "you do not remember anything. Flashes? Images?"
Paige sat across from him. She shook her head.
"Aren't you worried?" Randy asked.
"Why should I be?" Paige asked back. "For some unknown reason, I can kick major ass. Why question it?"
Randy put his hands on the table. He stared back at Paige. She must have seen something. She straightened up in her chair.
"Everything happens for a reason," Randy said evenly.
Paige frowned. "Hey. Not in the mood for crazy Irish talk." She glared. "So is that what you think? That I'm a spy?"
"I think," Randy said, touching Paige's hands, "that you are with us for a reason."
Paige smiled. "To bring multiple smiles to that genius face of yours." She leaned closer. "Or better yet...I am here to give you a real good ti--"
"Por favor, Senora. Tienes te palabras?"
Randy looked away from Paige. Three Mexican men stood at their table. Randy had not remembered seeing the buff lambskin men approach. The main one wore a bandanna and a mustache. He stared at Paige.
"Tienes te palabras?" he asked again.
"Uh...no," Paige said. "I speak no Spanish. Sorry."
The mustached man looked to his right. The buff man next to him grabbed Paige.
"Hey!" Paige yelled.
Randy shot out of his seat...and into the tazer held by the buff man on the mustached man's left. He screamed. Then he fell on the table, causing it to fall over.
Randy had time to see Paige land a kick to the mustached man's jaw before a tazer got her in the neck. Then everything fell into darkness.
Melissa ran into the inn. She quickly made it up the stairs. She ran for Professor Brown's door. It was in pieces.
Melissa turned to head to Randy. She bumped into something. She quickly threw out Spanish words.
"Please, Miss Clark. Some English."
Melissa smiled as she saw Professor Brown. She hugged him.
"God!" Melissa exclaimed. "I was so worried when Rosa told me about the Posse."
Brown's face wrinkled up. "The Posse?"
"Non-Spanish speakers are like Mexican immigrants back home," Melissa said. "The Posse deports them...into their graves."
"Then we best find Mr. Heim and Miss Kendall," Brown suggested.
"I know where they are," Melissa said flatly.
"That did not sound like a good comment," Brown said.
"It wasn't. Where's Maggie? Is she--"
"I will get her."
"Good," Melissa said. "Rosa and I have to hide you two."
"Surely you have a location picked out?"
"Of course," Melissa said with a smile. "We better get going though. The Posse...not really nice."
"Could this situation get any worse?" Brown muttered.
The red vortex shot open. Four Humagg soldiers shot out of the vortex. Their lasers aimed out away from them. They scanned the town square for terrans. Another Humagg emerged from the vortex. His red hair blew in the wind, remaining him he was half-human. He hated the remainder.
He turned to look at the red vortex. The last member of his term emerged from it. She...or it...was in the orange jumpsuit that most cyberaids wore before the change. Wires ran all through her body. Some wires ran along parts of her body like pieces of rope on a pole. It turned to the vortex and raised an open hand. The vortex vanished.
"Well?" he asked.
The cyberaid looked at him with eyes full of electric circuitry.
"I sense Maggie Beckett's presence, Kerus," the cyberaid replied. "I can find her."
Kerus snarled. "You heard it. She escaped from our home base. Maggie Beckett is a Terran loose end. General Kesh wants this loose end...dead."
Brown opened his eyes. He blinked his eyes and let out a yawn. As he sat up on the chair, Brown remembered where he was.
"Well, the big bad black man wakes up."
Brown turned around in his chair. Maggie ate a biscuit at a kitchen table. Also a double of Ben Loveland and a Mexican woman sat across from her. From his position, Brown could see they were playing footsie.
"Where are the others?" Brown asked, standing up.
"We don't know yet," Maggie replied. "Melissa's been in the thick of it."
"Alone?"
"Do you speak Spanish?" Maggie challenged.
"No," Brown said, his eyes falling on the couple, "but I am sure someone at this table has that capability."
The woman's eyes widened at that comment. She looked down at her feet. Meanwhile, Ben stared at Brown.
"Are you talking about Rosa?" Ben demanded. "She is the one who saved your butt. Well...and me. My parents are in the Northern States this weekend."
Brown frowned. "Northern States?"
"Yeah," Maggie said. "The United States never really moved past the colonies phase."
Rosa frowned. She looked over at Maggie.
"United States?" Rosa muttered.
"Long, confusing story," Maggie replied.
Brown sat down at the table. "Which we do not have the luxury of narrating. What if they all have been captured by...those people."
"Posse?" Maggie threw out.
"I refuse to call them that ridiculous name," Brown said.
Maggie put a hand on his shoulder. "Anyway if they are captured, you can whip up that 'Magg mojo you have. Unless, you intend on turning on us."
Brown glared at Maggie. "Miss Beckett, we already had this discussion."
Maggie tilted her head. "Still not impressed."
The door to the cottage shot open. For a second, Brown was blinded by the sunlight. Then the door shut, revealing Melissa. Brown shot up.
"Miss Clark?" Brown said.
"Professor," Melissa said. She headed for the table.
"Well?" Maggie asked.
"The Posse has them," Melissa said, sitting down at the table and grabbing a biscuit. "They headed out at dawn."
"Oh, no!" Rosa cried. "What will you do?"
Melissa bit into the biscuit. Brown stared at her. She appeared unphased by the question.
"Miss Clark?" Brown said.
"Do you have gravy?" Melissa asked Rosa.
"Miss Clark!" Brown snapped.
"Brrr...did it just get cold in here?" Maggie asked. Ben and Rosa looked at her in confusion. "Uh...never mind."
"I wish I could say I care, but..." Melissa started.
"You don't?" Brown said.
"Could this have to do with those...two on a date?" Rosa asked.
Melissa bit into her biscuit. "No."
Brown took the biscuit. "I think it does. Why did you not tell me?"
"Tell you what?" Melissa demanded, shooting up. "That Randy wants to be with...that...with her? That he looks at me now and sees...a copy?"
"I am sure it is not like--"
"Oh, yes," Melissa cut him off, "it is. He said as much. He can rot for all I care."
"After all you two have been through, I sincerely doubt you do not--"
"Fine," Melissa said. "Let's go get him."
Maggie stood up. "Action works for me. How are we going to find them?"
Brown stared at Ben. "Your friend knows the way."
Ben shook his hands in front of him. "No way. I'm over here illegal. If they find out--"
"They will not," Brown said.
"How do you know?" Ben asked.
"Ben...please," Rosa said. "You have to help us."
Ben corked an eyebrow. "'Us?'"
"I am going as well," Rosa said.
"No," Ben said. "Your father will no doubt come to look for you. If he finds out you are not here..."
"I do not care," Rosa said. "I would rather be with you than Diego. He knows that."
"You could be disowned," Ben said.
"I think we should argue this point in the care," Maggie said. "Uh...you do have a car, right?"
Randy's eyes opened. He immediately looked to his left. He was surrounded by other people. They appeared to be in a large van. It was a van that was moving.
"This is not good," Randy commented.
"You can say that again."
Randy looked to his right. His eyes widened. The man looked like a hoodlum with the baggy lambskin and long shaggy hair. Randy recognized him as Quinn Mallory.
"All I was doing was getting some peace and quiet away from 'England this' and 'England that!' This bites!"
Randy looked away from the double. Across form him, he saw her. He leaned forward. His hand reached out, touching Paige's cheek. Her eyes opened.
"Hey," Paige said slyly. Then her eyes widened. "Wait. Didn't we--" She looked around. "Where are we?"
"On our merry way back to the Northern States of England," Quinn remarked. "Going to hang the lot of us...unless they are in the mood for firing practice..."
"Are you usually this morbid?" Paige snapped.
"No," Randy replied. "He is much, much smarter."
"Hey!" Quinn snapped. Then he paused. "Wait! Compliment. Go on."
"So who was those men?" Paige asked. "Cuz that weapon...packs some."
"People who don't like non-Spanish speakers," Randy said.
"The Posse," Quinn said. "They pick up Northern strays that jump the Mexican border looking for a better life."
"Hmmm..." Randy said.
"Why 'hmmm?'" Paige said. "You have a plan?"
The van stopped abruptly. People flew at people. Randy's mouth met Paige's fingers as she fell over him. Quinn fell to the floor. People gasped and screamed all around them.
The van doors opened in the back. Randy had to blink through the sunlight before he could see the figure in the door. It was the mustached man.
"Everyone, out!" the mustached man yelled.
"So," Brown began, "you want to talk about it?"
"Yes, I do!" Maggie yelled from the back of the light blue buggy. "How is it you got to be up front while Rosa and I got the extremely small backseat?"
Melissa suppressed a laugh. She continued to look out of the window. She felt Brown holding her hand as he sat next to her in the front of the buggy.
"I just..." Melissa started. She turned to look at Brown. "We've been through so much. Ben. Richard. Eve. Our own feelings. I can't believe it's over." Her eyes narrowed. "And I don't trust Paige."
"It is Mr. Heim's choice, my dear," Brown said. "You have to respect that...if not like it."
Melissa felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned a little to find Rosa looking at her.
"It will work out," Melissa," Rosa said. "Be strong."
Melissa managed a smile.
"Yeah," Ben added from the driver seat. "If he doesn't see you as pretty...his loss."
"Gracias, mi guapo novio," Rosa said.
Ben grinned. "I try."
Melissa grinned. That was so Ben. He always went out of his way to make a woman feel special. She sighed. She wondered would she feel special like that again.
"What in the world!" Maggie exclaimed from the backside.
Melissa looked forward. She felt her eyes widen. Her jaw hanged open.
On the horizon there was what appeared to be a wall. It was gray and silvery. Melissa looked to the left and right. It appeared to go on as far as the eye could see.
"God, I wish I had a gun," Maggie commented.
Randy stepped out of the van. He looked around. They were outside of some kind of station. On the side of the station was a wall. It was as high as a mansion and appeared to be made of solid steel. More men dressed in lambskin stormed out of the station, their rifles at the ready. Two figures made out the back. Randy recognized Maximillion Arturo. He walked along with William Franks. Unlike the other soldiers, they were in battle armor.
"I am especially pleased to see you could make an appearance, Royal Chancellor," Franks said.
Arturo was not focused on Franks. His eyes had fallen on Randy and the others in the van. A smirk crept onto Arturo's face.
"And what is this, General?" Arturo asked.
Franks stared at the scene. He managed a grin.
"It would appear to be another of my successful sweeps for traitors to the Northern States," Franks said.
"Oh, yes...that," Arturo said, walking toward the van. "Uncleans not willing to serve their country." He looked at Franks. "And how do you usually dispose of them?"
"Various ways, Royal Chancellor," Franks answered.
"Excellent. I will see that His Majesty knows of this in my record," Arturo remarked. He sniped the air. "Now...I do believe it is time to...take out the trash."
"I so agree, Royal Chancellor," Franks said. He stared at his soldiers. "Fredrick."
The mustached man saluted the two men. Then he barked something in Spanish. All the soldiers aimed their guns at Randy and the other prisoners.
"Like I said," Quinn said next to Randy, "Firing practice."
The officer stared at Ben's ID. Melissa looked at Ben. His forehead was sweating. Melissa reached over and grabbed his hand. He turned to look at her. She managed a smile.
"It's going to be okay," Melissa said.
"You're clear," the officer said. "Hope you enjoyed your vacation."
"We did. Thank you," Melissa said.
"You fithy Northern chica!"
Melissa stared at the rear view mirror. As planned, Rosa pushed a loosely tied-up Maggie toward the officer. She bellowed in Spanish at the officer. Brown would find a...creative...way in. Meanwhile, Ben and Melissa would observe things on his side of the wall.
"Good luck," Ben said to the officer. "That sounds mad."
Melissa continued to watch in the rear view mirror. Rosa and Maggie snapped at each other. The poor officer was stuck in the middle. Good.
The care came to an abrupt stop.
"What--" Melissa started.
Then she saw it. Soldiers were aiming guns at a van. No, they aimed at the prisoners behind the van. She saw Randy and Paige among them.
"No," Melissa whispered. "Not again."
The soldiers aimed their guns. Randy looked over at Paige. She stared at him, too. He saw something he had never seen there before. He saw fear.
"Oh, this bites!" Quinn yelled. "So no one wants to be part of your workforce. Big freaking deal!"
"General," Arturo hissed.
"F--" Franks started.
Suddenly, the sound of screeching tires screamed through the air. Randy looked behind him. A small light-blue automobile sped toward the soldiers. They snapped up their guns, aiming at the car. He could make out the passenger seat. It was Melissa.
"No!" Randy yelled.
"Hey!" Quinn barked. "No needo attentiono."
Randy ran at the soldiers. Then he lunged at them.
"What in the--"
Maggie got her arms free quickly while the officer watched the commotion. Then she got his jaw with a good right cross. She turned to look at Rosa.
"Are you okay?" Maggie asked.
"Si," Rosa answered.
"Uh...good," Maggie said. "I need you to run along the wall. Then I--"
"But Ben--" Rosa started.
"Don't worry," Maggie said as she grabbed the officer's gun and aimed it. "He's in good hands."
"General," Arturo snapped.
"Oh, this bites!" Quinn yelled and ran for the van.
The rest of the prisoners started to scatter. Paige ignored them and ran for the soldiers.
One soldier threw Randy off of him. Randy hit the ground. The soldier reached for his gun. Paige did not give him the chance to get it. She kicked him in the face. She looked down at Randy.
"Are you okay?" Paige asked.
"Yeah," Randy said. "You?"
"Yeah," Paige said. "I'm--"
A gun went off. Paige felt dizzy. The world started to spin. Then it went dark.
Paige fell over right in front of Randy. He started to crawl to her, but stopped. Fredrick stood over her, a smoking gun in his hand. He aimed it at Randy. Randy glared at him.
"Not again," he said.
The automobile hit Fredrick. He shot off the ground and landed a few feet away, unconscious.
The passenger door opened. Melissa jumped out of the car. Randy barely made out Ben Loveland. He pointed to Melissa.
"That lady is crazy," Ben said.
"Randy?" Melissa muttered. "Are you--"
"Paige!" Randy cried. He crawled to her. He grabbed her in his arms. "Paige!"
"Everybody okay?"
Randy looked up. Maggie stood over them. She aimed her gun around for targets. The soldiers were as scattered as the prisoners right now.
"Paige needs a hospital," Randy said.
"Not the only thing she needs," Melissa muttered.
"Don't start," Randy said, glaring at Melissa. "She was trying to save me."
"So was I," Melissa said.
"She's right," Ben replied. "She put her foot on the pedal."
"I couldn't stand you...getting...not again," Melissa said.
Randy did not know what to say. He looked down.
"One of the soldiers...was aiming for you...I couldn't let..." Randy tried to find the words.
"I think we should take the van," Maggie suggested. "There will be room and Paige can laid down."
Randy picked up Paige. At the same time, he looked at Melissa. There was so many things he wanted to say, but...
"We need to move, people!" Maggie yelled. "Ben, follow us. We can get Rosa on--"
A red vortex formed in front of them. It was as if it was a claw grabbed at skin. A figure emerged from it. The woman stared at them, wires all in her face. Her cyber eyes fell on Maggie. She smirked.
"Maggie Beckett, found," the cyberaid said.
Figures emerged from the vortex. Randy recognized them as Humaggs, a product of a human and a Kromagg. Kromaggs used them as soldiers in their army. Four of them now had lasers trained on them.
Another figure emerged from the red vortex. As the vortex vanished, Randy realized he knew this Humagg. When he was Randall, he tried to kill Paige and Professor Brown. He also wanted to kill Randall since he was not Randy.
"Kerus," Randy muttered.
"Randy, you know him?" Maggie asked.
"Randy?" Kerus muttered. His eyes focused on Randy. "The Heim Prime? Alive? This changes every--"
Maggie aimed her gun. "Change this."
Suddenly, Maggie flew through the air. Randy stared at the cyberaid. Her arm was out as if she had thrown something.
"General Kesh wants this one," the cyberaid said.
Kerus snarled. "And she will have him." He looked at his soldiers. "Kill the others."
"Uh...kill?" Ben muttered.
Suddenly, two of the Humagg soldiers screamed. They reached for their heads. Then they fell to the ground dead. Kerus's eyes widened in shock. The cyberaid observed the air.
"Who in the Dynasty--" Kerus started.
"There," the cyberaid said.
The cyberaid reached out to the sky, right hand wide open. Then she brought her hand down like she was throwing trash away. Randy looked up to see an object shoot through the sky. It hit the ground in front of Randy and the cyberaid. It was Brown. His forehead was wrinkled up. It was as if some invisible weight was on him.
"Yes...this one," Kerus said. "One of Kersh's experiments. He will be glad to have--"
"How?" the cyberaid muttered. Her eyes widened on Randy. "The energy...spiking...untapped..."
A gunshot rang out. Another Humagg soldier fell dead. Kerus turned to the attacker: Maggie with her gun still in her hand.
"You--" Kerus started.
Something moved to Randy's left. It was Melissa. She punched Kerus in the jaw.
"She's not alone," Melissa said.
The automobile started up. It sped away.
The cyberaid looked around in confusion. Melissa lunged at the last Humagg soldier. They cyberaid turned on Melissa. Brown suddenly shot up. The cyberaid turned to face him. She was too late. Brown took his energy and pushed. The cyberaid shot through the air, vanishing like water into a sink.
"We need to get out of here," Brown said.
Another red vortex opened in the sky. Randy turned to look at it. A manta ship emerged from it.
"What--" Brown said.
"Run!" Randy yelled.
Kerus woke up. He shot to his feet quickly. He saw a giant van and a light blue car sped away. The manta ship was in pursuit.
A red vortex appeared next to Kerus. He turned to look at it. The cyberaid emerged from it. It started at him as the vortex closed.
"They are getting away," the cyberaid said.
"If they open a transdimensional portal, can you track it?" Kerus asked.
"Not even a cloaking device can stop me," the cyberaid said matter-of-factly.
Kerus smirked. "Then the Heim Prime will not escape us."
The cyberaid smirked. "Neither will she."
"This bites!" Quinn's double yelled in the van.
"Hey! You wanted to drive!" Brown said next to him. "Drive."
Randy stared out the back of the van. The manta ship sped right behind Ben's automobile. He saw Ben and Rosa looking at him. Their faces looked confused. He waved at them, hoping they will get the hint.
They did. They drove in the opposite direction. He knew the manta ship would probably follow the van. Ben and Rosa could at least be together and safe.
"I shouldn't have played moderator," Melissa said.
Randy turned to look at Melissa. She sat next to Paige's unconscious body. She looked back at Randy with sadness in her eyes.
"You were trying to do the right thing," Randy said.
"Was I?" Melissa asked.
"Of course," Randy said. "Now...Ben and Rosa will be happy...depending on what it's like in the..."
"I was talking about us," Melissa said. Tears formed in her eyes. "I should do the right thing. I love you, Randy...the Randy I knew. He's not there anymore. We...are just friends."
Randy looked at Melissa. If they were not in a speeding van right now, he would hug her. He looked down.
"You are right," Randy said. "We are friends."
Melissa stared at Randy. "So...as a friend...can you really trust her?"
A beep sounded from Brown's pocket. Maggie looked at him.
"Is it that time?" Maggie asked.
Brown pulled out the timer. "It would appear so." He held it out to her. "Would you like the honors?"
Maggie grabbed the timer. "You're so kind."
"What is that?" Quinn's double asked.
"Our escape, knucklehead," Maggie said.
Brown watched Maggie point the timer out of the window. She aimed it in front of the van. Lightning shot from it, hitting the air. The air dissolved into a blue vortex.
"Whoa," Quinn's double said. "I think we should--"
"Do you want to live?" Brown demanded.
"Uh...yeah."
"Then, drive."
The van sped for the blue vortex. It vanished.
THE-END
Back to Season 4